First simultaneous K^- p ⁰⁰, ⁰ cross section measurements at 98 MeV/c

Simultaneous measurements of the K- p -> Sigma(0)pi(0) and K- p -> Lambda pi(0) cross sections below 100 MeV/c kaon momentum have been performed. The kaon beam delivered by the DA Phi NE collider was exploited to detect K- absorptions on hydrogen atoms populating the gas mixture of the KLOE drift chamber. The cross sections are determined with the highest yet obtained precision in the low kaon momentum regime [sigma(K- p ->Sigma 0 pi 0) = 42.8 +/- 1.5(stat)(-2.0)(+2.4) (syst) mb and sigma(K- p -> 0 pi 0) = 31.0 +/- 0.5(stat)(-1.2)(+1.2) (syst) mb] impacting on pending questions in several fields, ranging from nuclear and particle physics, to astrophysics.