Production Properties of the Orbitally Excited Mesons $f_{0}(980)$, $f_{2}(1270)$, $K^{*0}_{2}(1430)$ and $f'_{2}(1525)$ in $Z^{0}$ Hadronic Decays

DELPHI results are presented on the inclusive production of the neutral mesons rho^0, f_0(980), f_2(1270), K^*0_2(1430) and f'_2(1525) in hadronic Z^0 decays. They are based on about 2 million multihadronic events collected in 1994 and 1995, using the particle identification capabilities of the DELPHI Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors and measured ionization losses in the Time Projection Chamber. The total production rates per hadronic Z^0 decay have been determined to be: 1.19 +/- 0.10 for rho^0; 0.164 +/- 0.021 for f_0(980); 0.214 +/- 0.038 for f_2(1270); 0.073 +/- 0.023 for K^*0_2(1430); and 0.012 +/- 0.006 for f'_2(1525). The total production rates for all mesons and differential cross-sections for the rho^0, f_0(980) and f_2(1270) are compared with the results of other LEP experiments and with models.