Kaon Electromagnetic Production on Nuclei

Abstract

The formation and excitation of hypernuclei through kaon photoproduction is reviewed. Basic features of the production process are emphasized. The possibility of extracting new information on hypernuclear structure and on the wave function of the bound $\Lambda$ is discussed. New results are presented for the quasifree production process $A(\gamma, K \Lambda)B$. Observables of this reaction are shown to be sensitive to the $\Lambda$-nucleus final state interaction.