Electroproduction of the Lambda(1520) Hyperon

The reaction ep → e(prime)K+ Λ(1520) with Λ(1520) → p(prime)K- was studied at electron beam energies of 4.05, 4.25, and 4.46 GeV, using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The cos θK+, φK+, Q2 and W dependencies of Λ(1520) electroproduction are presented for the kinematic region 0.9 < Q2 <2.4 GeV2 and 1.95 < W < 2.65 GeV. 2.65 GeV. Also, the Q2 dependence of the Λ(1520) decay angular distribution is presented for the first time. The cos θK+ angular distributions suggest t-channel diagrams dominate the production process. Fits to the Λ(1520) t-channel helicity frame decay angular distributions indicate the mz = ± 1/2 parentage accounts for about 60% of the total yield, which suggests this reaction has a significant contribution from t-channel processes with either K+ exchange or longitudinal coupling to an exchanged K*. The Q2 dependence of the Λ(1520) production cross section is the same as that observed for Λ(1116) photo- and electroproduction