Separated structure functions for the exclusive electroproduction of K+Λ and K+Σ0 final states

We report measurements of the exclusive electroproduction of K{sup +}{Lambda} and K{sup +}{ Sigma}{sup 0} final states from a proton target using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The separated structure functions{ sigma}{sub T}, { sigma}{sub L},{ sigma}{sub TT}, and { sigma}{sub LT} were extracted from the {Phi}- and {epsilon}-dependent differential cross sections taken with electron beam energies of 2.567, 4.056, and 4.247 GeV. This analysis represents the first { sigma}{sub L}/{ sigma}{sub T} separation with the CLAS detector, and the first measurement of the kaon electroproduction structure functionsaway from parallel kinematics. The data span a broad range of momentum transfers from 0.5 {le} Q{sup 2} {le} 2.8 GeV{sup 2} and invariant energy from 1.6 {le} W {le} 2.4 GeV, while spanning nearly the full center-of-mass angular range of the kaon. The separated structure functionsreveal clear differences between the production dynamics for the {Lambda} and { Sigma}{sup 0} hyperons. These results provide an unprecedented data sample with which to constrain current and future models for the associated production of strangeness, which will allow for a better understanding of the underlying resonant and non-resonant contributions to hyperonproduction.