A study of elastic photoproduction of low mass K + K − pairs from hydrogen in the energy range 2.8–4.8 GeV

The results of an experiment to study elasticK+K− photoproduction are presented. Differential cross sections and spin density matrix elements for ϕ(1.019) production are stddied as a function of incident photon energy and over a wide range of momentum transfer,t (t min >t>−1.5(GeV/c)2). Helicity conserving amplitudes are observed to dominate ϕ production throughout this range and the differential cross sections exhibit a forward diffractive peak which cannot be understood in terms of a simple exponential dependence. A new value of the photon ϕ coupling constant is determined and shown to be consistent withe+e− annihilation measurements. A detailed study of the energy dependence of the differential cross sections is made, including other experimental data, and the extracted effective Regge trajectory compared with other diffractive processes. A study of the dependence of theK+K− decay angular distribution on invariant mass reveals evidence for ans wave contribution interfering with thep wave ϕ which may be attributable to theS* meson.