Differential Cross Sections in π - p-->K 0 Λ 0 and π - p-->K 0 Σ 0 from 3 TO 6 GeV/c.

We have measured the differential cross sections for the associated-production reactions ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{0}{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{0}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{0}$ at 3, 4, 5, and 6 GeV/c, with a total of over 40 000 events. We find that both reactions have exponential forward peaks for $\ensuremath{-}t\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.4$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$, with no indication of forward-direction flattening or turnover; the slopes of the forward peaks show little if any variation with momentum; and the two cross sections are equal within experimental error from $\ensuremath{-}t=1.2$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$ out to at least $\ensuremath{-}t=2.0$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$.