Production and decay properties of the D(1285) meson in K-p interactions at 4.2 GeV/c

The authors have studied the production and decay of the D(1285) meson in the reaction K-p→ΛD at an incident K- momentum of 4.2 GeV/c. The cross section for this reaction is 11+-3 μb and the branching ratios D→Kanti Kπ/D→etaππ and D→4π/D→etaππ are found to be 0.42+-0.15 and 0.7+-0.5, respectively. The proportion of D→etaπ+π- going through the intermediate delta+-π-+ states is 0.72+-0.15. Forward and backward exchange mechanisms are found to contribute in the ratio 3:2. (Auth.)