A Bayesian analysis of the world's p(γ, K + )Λ data is presented. From the proposed selection of 11 resonances, we find that the following nucleon resonances have the highest probability of contributing to the reaction: S11(1535), S11(1650), F15(1680), P13(1720), D13(1900), P13(1900), P11(1900), and F15(2000). We adopt a Regge-plus-resonance framework featuring consistent couplings for nucleon resonances up to spin J = 5/2. We evaluate all possible combinations of 11 candidate resonances. The best model is selected from the 2048 model variants by calculating the Bayesian evidence values against the world's p(γ, K + )Λ data.

We address the issue of consistent interactions for off-shell fermion fields of arbitrary spin. These interactions play a crucial role in the quantum hadrodynamical description of high-spin baryon resonances in hadronic processes. The Rarita-Schwinger description of high-spin fermion fields involves unphysical degrees of freedom, associated with their lower-spin content. These enter the interaction if not eliminated outright. The invariance condition of the interaction under the unconstrained Rarita-Schwinger gauge removes the lower-spin content of the fermion propagator and leads to a consistent description of the interaction. We develop the most general, consistent interaction structure for high-spin fermions. We find that the power of the momentum dependence of a consistent interaction rises with the spin of the fermion field. This leads to unphysical structures in the energy dependence of the computed cross sections when the short-distance physics is cut off with standard hadronic form factors. A novel, spin-dependent hadronic form factor is proposed that suppresses the unphysical artifacts.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

We address the issue of unbiased model selection and propose a methodology based on Bayesian inference to extract physical information from kaon photoproduction p(γ, K + )Λ data. We use the single-channel Regge-plus-resonance (RPR) framework for p(γ, K + )Λ to illustrate the proposed strategy. The Bayesian evidence Z is a quantitative measure for the model's fitness given the world's data. We present a numerical method for performing the multidimensional integrals in the expression for the Bayesian evidence. We use the p(γ, K + )Λ data with an invariant energy W > 2.6 GeV in order to constrain the background contributions in the RPR framework with Bayesian inference. Next, the resonance information is extracted from the analysis of differential cross sections, single and double polarization observables. This background and resonance content constitutes the basis of a model which is coined RPR-2011. It is shown that RPR-2011 yields a comprehensive account of the kaon photoproduction data and provides reasonable predictions for p(e, e K + )Λ observables.

Background:In π + n and π − p electroproduction, conventional models cannot satisfactorily explain the data above the resonance region, in particular the transverse cross section. Although no high-energy L-T-separated cross-section data are available to date, a similar scenario can be inferred for K + Λ electroproduction. Purpose: Develop a phenomenological model for the p(γ * ,K + )Λ reaction at forward angles and high-energies. Propose a universal framework for interpreting charged-kaon and charged-pion electroproduction above the resonance region. Method: Guided by the recent model for charged-pion electroproduction, developed by the authors, a framework for K + Λ electroproduction at high energies and forward angles is constructed. To this end, a Reggeized background model for K + Λ photoproduction is first developed. This model is used as a starting base to set up an electroproduction framework. Results: The few available data of the unseparated p(γ * ,K + )Λ cross section are well explained by the model. Predictions for the L-T-separation experiment planned with the 12 GeV upgrade at Jefferson Lab are given. The newly proposed framework predicts an increased magnitude for the transverse structure function, similar to the situation in charged-pion electroproduction. Conclusions: Within a hadronic framework featuring Reggeized background amplitudes, s-channel resonanceparton effects can explain the observed magnitude of the unseparated p(γ * ,K + )Λ cross section at high energies and forward angles. Thereby, no hardening of the kaon electromagnetic form factor is required.

Background:A complete set is a minimum set of observables which allows one to determine the underlying reaction amplitudes unambiguously. Pseudoscalar-meson photoproduction from the nucleon is characterized by four such amplitudes and complete sets involve single-and double-polarization observables. Purpose: Identify complete sets of observables and study how measurements with finite error bars impact their potential to determine the reaction amplitudes unambiguously. Method: The authors provide arguments to employ the transversity representation in order to determine the amplitudes in pseudoscalar-meson photoproduction. It is studied whether the amplitudes in the transversity basis for the γp → K + reaction can be estimated without ambiguity. To this end, data from the GRAAL collaboration and simulations from a realistic model are analyzed. Results: It is illustrated that the moduli of normalized transversity amplitudes can be determined from precise single-polarization data. Starting from simulations with achievable experimental resolution, it is quite likely to obtain imaginary solutions for the relative phases of the amplitudes. Also the real solutions face a discrete phase ambiguity which makes it impossible to obtain a statistically significant solution for the relative phases at realistic experimental conditions. Conclusions: Single polarization observables are effective in determining the moduli of the amplitudes in a transversity basis. Determining the relative phases of the amplitudes from double-polarization observables is far less evident. The availability of a complete set of observables does not allow one to unambiguously determine the reaction amplitudes with statistical significance.