The (K−, π+) strangeness exchange reaction on 16O

Abstract Using negative kaons of 450 MeV/ c momentum, Σ hypernuclear states have been produced in the (K − , π + ) reaction on 16 O. The observed states are interpreted as the recoilless production of Σ − particles in the p 3 2 and p 1 2 orbits of the Σ 16 C hypernucleus. Their energy splitting gives a constraint to the magnitude of the spin-orbit coupling for the Σ − particles in the nucleus.