Transverse polarization ofΛandΛ¯hyperons in quasireal photoproduction

The HERMES experiment has measured the transverse polarization of Lambda and {ovr Lambda} hyperons produced inclusively in quasireal photoproduction at a positron beam energy of 27.6 GeV. The transverse polarization P{sub n}{sup Lambda} of the Lambda hyperon is found to be positive while the observed {ovr Lambda} polarization is compatible with zero. The values averaged over the kinematic acceptance of HERMES are P{sub n}{sup Lambda} =0.078 {+-} 0.006(stat) {+-} 0.012(syst) and P{sub n}{sup {ovr Lambda}} = -0.025 {+-} 0.015(stat) {+-} 0.018(syst) for Lambda and {ovr Lambda}, respectively. The dependences of P{sub n}{sup Lambda} and P{sub n}{sup {ovr Lambda}} on the fraction zeta of the beam's light-cone momentum carried by the hyperon and on the hyperon's transverse momentum p{sub T} were investigated. The measured Lambda polarization rises linearly with p{sub T} and exhibits a different behavior for low and high values of zeta, which approximately correspond to the backward and forward regions in the center-of-mass frame of the gamma*N reaction.