Figure 1

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $-t$ with no scaling factors applied. Each band of points shows data for a bin in $\Delta \cos {\theta }_{\text{c.m.}}$ of 0.1. Only a few specific bands have been highlighted with different colors. The color code is as follows: all forward-angle bands for $\cos {\theta }_K$ $+0.9$ to $+0.2$ (light green points), $+0.1$ (open brown squares), 0.0 (filled red triangles), $-0.1$ (filled cyan points), $-0.2$ (filled magenta circles), $-0.3$ (filled green squares), $-0.4$ (filled black diamonds), $-0.5$ (open orange circles), $-0.6$ to $-0.9$ (blue points). Representative statistical error bars are shown for only a few angle bands for clarity.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 2

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $-t$ with a scaling factor of $s^2$ applied. Note how the forward-angle points (light green) fall approximately on a single locus. The data and color coding are the same as for Fig. 1.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 3

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ at ${90}^{°}$ as a function of $s$ with a scaling factor of $s^N$ applied. CLAS data are solid (blue) circles[33], and SLAC data are (red) triangles[9]. The power-law fit [solid horizontal (red) line] is discussed in the text.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 4

Scaled cross section versus center-of-mass meson production angle. Each connected string of data points represents a 100-MeV-wide band of $W$, where the color and symbol coding is easiest to see on the right-hand (forward-angle) side. From high to low: $W=2.78$ GeV (solid red circles), 2.68 GeV (solid magenta squares), 2.58 GeV (solid orange diamonds), 2.48 GeV (solid light green triangles), 2.38 GeV (solid dark green circles), 2.28 GeV (solid cyan squares), 2.18 GeV (solid blue diamonds), 2.08 GeV (solid black triangles), 1.98 GeV (open red circles), 1.88 GeV (open magenta squares), 1.78 GeV (open orange diamonds), 1.68 GeV (open light green triangles). The CLAS data are the connected lines[33], with statistical errors that are usually smaller than the points. The SLAC data at $W=2.9$ GeV are closed black circles, while 3.5-GeV data are open white circles[9]. The curves are explained in the text.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 5

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $-t$ with a scaling factor of $s^7$ applied. Note how the mid- and back-angle points (not light green) fall approximately on a single locus. The data and color coding are the same as for Fig. 1.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 6

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $W$ with a scaling factor of $s^7$ applied. Note how the mid- and back-angle bands of points (all but light green) form distinctive features. The vertical scale is now linear rather than logarithmic. The data and color coding are the same as for Fig. 1. Representative statistical error bars are shown for several angle bands only.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 7

Cross section for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $W$ with a scaling factor of $s^7$ applied, with model curves discussed in the text. The color code is as follows: $\cos {\theta }_{\text{c.m.}}=+0.1$ (open brown squares), $0.0$ (filled red triangles), $-0.1$ (filled cyan points), $-0.2$ (filled magenta circles), $-0.3$ (filled green squares), $-0.4$ (filled black diamonds), and $-0.5$ (open orange circles). Representative statistical error bars are shown for several angle bands only.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 8

Phenomenological model for the reaction $\gamma +p\to K^{+}+\Lambda$ as a function of $W$ with a scaling factor of $s^7$ applied. The upper dashed curves are for individual angles as in Fig. 7, while the lower curves show the components: $S$ wave (solid red), $P$ wave (solid blue), and $D$ wave (solid green).Reuse & Permissions