Backward $K^{*0}$ production in the reaction $\pi^{-}p \rightarrow \Lambda^{0}K^{+}\pi^{-}$ at 9 and 12 GeV/ c

The authors have analysed about 85000 fast Lambda /sup 0/ events, obtained in a fast proton triggered experiment performed at the CERN- Omega spectrometer at 9 and 12 GeV/c incident pi /sup -/ beam. Nearly 2500 Lambda /sup 0/K/sup +/ pi /sup -/ events have been isolated. They find strong production of quasi-two-body processes Lambda /sup 0/K* /sup 0/ and Sigma */sup -/K/sup +/ consistent with u-channel hyperon exchange. Results on Lambda /sup 0/ polarization, K*/sup 0/ decay parameters and differential cross sections are given for Lambda /sup 0 /K*/sup 0/(892) and Lambda /sup 0/K*/sup 0/(1430) final states. A comparison is made with the associated backward Lambda /sup 0/(1520)K* /sup 0/ production seen in the four-prong reaction pi /sup -/p to pK /sup -/K/sup +/ pi /sup -/ obtained in the same experiment. (13 refs).