We study data acquired at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility to obtain cross sections for the reaction:
e+p→e′+K0∗(892)+Σ+(1189),
measuring cross sections at a beam energy of 4.2 GeV of a few hunderd nb, depending on the available energy in the reaction. A second measurement is made, strictly as a consistency check, which about half as much data taken at a beam energy of 4.4 GeV.
The particles detected in the final state include the scattered electron, and the K0∗ decay products, K+ and π−. Our statistical error is on the order of 15%.
This represents the first-ever measurement of this final state with an electron beam. These data are expected to be an important test of theoretical models of the process.