On the ratio Σ0/Λ in electroproduction off protons

Recent experimental results on electroproduction off protons show that the ratio σ(ep → eK⁺Σ⁰)/σ(ep → eK⁺Λ) decreases strongly with increasing Q². A simple argument is given in the framework of the quark parton model which could provide a qualitative understanding of this fact. The decrease of the Σ⁰/Λ ratio is related to the decrease of the ratio $\text{F}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\gamma </mtext><mtext>n</mtext>}}\text{/F}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\gamma </mtext><mtext>p</mtext>}}$ as Q² increases, where $\text{F}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\gamma </mtext><mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{and F}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\gamma </mtext><mtext>n</mtext>}}$ are the usual structure functions for deep inelastic electron-nucleon scattering.