Constraints on background contributions from K⁺Λ electroproduction

Results for response functions for kaon electroproduction on the proton are presented. A tree-level hadrodynamical model is adopted and it is shown that some of the electroproduction response functions are particularly powerful with the eye on gaining control over the parametrization of the background diagrams. The existing dataset for the p(e,e^′K⁺)Λ reaction appears to rule out the use of a g_K⁺Λp coupling constant beyond the boundaries of softly broken SU(3) flavor symmetry. Also the use of soft hadronic form factors, which has been proposed as a valid alternative for a hadrodynamical description of the p(γ,K⁺)Λ data in the resonance region, seems to be disfavored by the magnitude of the measured p(e,e^′K⁺)Λ cross sections.