We report measurements of the exclusive electroproduction of $K^+\\Lambda$ and $K^+\\Sigma^0$ final states from a proton target using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The separated structure functions $\\sigma_T$, $\\sigma_L$, $\\sigma_{TT}$, and $\\sigma_{LT}$ were extracted from the $\\Phi$- and $\\epsilon$-dependent differential cross sections taken with electron beam energies of 2.567, 4.056, and 4.247 GeV. This analysis represents the first $\\sigma_L/\\sigma_T$ separation with the CLAS detector, and the first measurement of the kaon electroproduction structure functions away from parallel kinematics. The data span a broad range of momentum transfers from $0.5\\leq Q^2\\leq 2.8$ GeV$^2$ and invariant energy from $1.6\\leq W\\leq 2.4$ GeV, while spanning nearly the full center-of-mass angular range of the kaon. The separated structure functions reveal clear differences between the production dynamics for the $\\Lambda$ and $\\Sigma^0$ hyperons. These results provide an unprecedented data sample with which to constrain current and future models for the associated production of strangeness, which will allow for a better understanding of the underlying resonant and non-resonant contributions to hyperon production. |
