Radiative production of the Lambda(1405) resonance in K collisions on protons and nuclei

Abstract

We have carried a theoretical study of the K^- p\to M B \gamma reaction with M B = K^-p, \bar{K}^0 n, \pi^- \Sigma^+, \pi^+ \Sigma^-, \pi^0 \Sigma^0, \pi^0 \Lambda, for K^- lab. momenta between 200 and 500 MeV/c, using a chiral unitary approach for the strong K^-p interaction with its coupled channels. The \Lambda(1405) resonance, which is generated dynamically in this approach, shows up clearly in the d\sigma/dM_I spectrum, providing new tests for chiral symmetry and the unitary approach, as well as information regarding the nature of the resonance. The photon detection alone, summing all channels, is shown to reproduce quite accurately the strength and shape of the \Lambda(1405) resonance. Analogous reactions in nuclei can provide much information on the properties of this resonance in a nuclear medium.