Determination of the total c(c)over-bar production cross section in 340 GeV/c Sigma(-)-nucleus interactions

The production of charmed particles by 340 GeV/c momentum Sigma(-) was stud ied in the hyperon beam experiment WA89 at the CERN-SPSI using the Omega-sp ectrometer. In two data-taking periods in 1993 and 1994 an integrated lumin osity of 1600 mu b(-1) on copper and carbon targets was recorded. From the reconstruction of 930 +/- 90 charm particle decays in 10 decay channels pro duction cross sections for D! D, D-s(-) and Lambda(c)(+) were determined in the region x(F) > 0. Assuming an Al dependence of the cross section on the nucleon number, we calculate a total c (c) over bar production cross secti on of sigma(c (c) over bar)(x(F) > 0) = 5.3 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 1.0 (syst) 1.0 (Xi(c)) mu b per nucleon. The last term is an upper limit on the unkno wn contribution from charmed-strange baryon production.