Study of $A_2$ production in the reaction ${\pi }^{-}p\to K^0{K}^{-}p$ at 50, 100, and 175 GeV/c

The reaction ${\pi }^{-}p\to K^0{K}^{-}p$ has been measured from 50 to 175 GeV/c. The production characteristics of the $A_2$ have been analyzed. We find spin and $t$ dependence similar to lower energies, but the cross section falls rapidly with energy. In a Regge description of ${\pi }^{-}p\to A_2^{-}p$ our data imply a rather small Pomeron-exchange component.