Production of K* (892) and K* (1420) in the reaction K/sup +/d to K pi N(N/sub s/) at 46 GeV/c

In a bubble-chamber experiment with the CERN 2 m chamber the reactions (i) K/sup +/d to K/sup +/ pi /sup -/pp, (ii) K/sup +/d to K/sup 0/ pi /sup 0/pp, and (iii) K/sup +/d to K/sup 0/ pi /sup +/pn have been studied at a primary K/sup +/ momentum of 4.6 GeV/c. There is abundant production of K* (892) in reactions (i), (ii) and (iii), of K*/sup 0 /(1420) in reactions (i) and (ii) and of Delta /sup ++/ (1236) in reaction (iii). In reaction (i) backward production of K*/sup 0/ (892) is observed. Reaction and resonance-production cross sections are presented and their energy dependence is investigated. Production and decay angular distributions for the resonance bands are analyzed and compared to the results at other energies. In particular the data pertaining to the reaction K/sup +/n to K*/sup 0/ (892)p are compared in some detail with those for the reaction K/sup -/p to K*/sup 0/ (892)n. Finally, the evidence from reaction (i) for the existence of K /sub N/ resonances other than K* (892) and K* (1420) is discussed. (42 refs).