Abstract
We report the first measurement of strange (Lambda) and antistrange ((Lambda) over bar) baryon production from s(NN)=130 GeV Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Rapidity density and transverse mass distributions at midrapidity are presented as a function of centrality. The yield of Lambda and (Lambda) over bar hyperons is found to be approximately proportional to the number of negative hadrons. The production of (Lambda) over bar hyperons relative to negative hadrons increases very rapidly with transverse momentum. The magnitude of the increase cannot be described by existing hadronic string fragmentation models alone.