$\Lambda K^0$ and ${\Sigma }^0{K}^0$ Production in 1.5-BeV/c ${\pi }^{-}p$ Interactions

476 $\Lambda K^0$ and 134 ${\Sigma }^0{K}^0$ events have been investigated in the experiment 1.508 BeV/c ${\pi }^{-}p\to \Lambda K^0 \mathrm{and} {\Sigma }^0{K}^0$. The $\Lambda$ is produced mostly backward in the center of mass and has an average polarization (-0.76±0.14). The production and polarization angular distributions are well fit with $\mathrm{spd}$ waves. The total $\Lambda K^0$ production cross section is (214+23) μb. The ${\Sigma }^0$ production angular distribution has a small backward peak and an indication of a forward rise; it is consistent with either $\mathrm{sp}$ or $\mathrm{spd}$ waves. The statistics are too poor to measure the ${\Sigma }^0$ polarization.