Measurement of the reaction γ p → K^ + Σ^±π^∓ at photon energies up to 2.6 GeV

The reactions γ p → K^+Σ^±π^∓ were studied with the SAPHIR detector using a tagged photon beam at the electron stretcher facility ELSA in Bonn. The decays Σ^-→ nπ^- and Σ^+→ nπ^+, pπ^0 were fully reconstructed. Reaction cross sections were measured as a function of the photon energy from threshold up to 2.6GeV with considerably improved statistics compared to a previous bubble chamber measurement. The cross sections rise monotonously with increasing photon energy. The two-particle mass distributions of Σ^±π^∓ and K^+π^- show substantial production of resonant states.