Studying the $\Lambda p$ interaction with CLAS

The hyperon-nucleon interaction is of great interest to the nuclear physics community. Its magnitude is related to the well-measured $pp$ interaction by $SU(3)_F$ symmetry, which should simplify its study under the right circumstances. It has great importance to the hypernuclear physics community, with a connection to astrophysics due to its implications on the study of nuclear matter at varying density. As part of a planned program of hyperon-nucleon interactions with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, we have begun a study of the $\Lambda p$ interaction. The $\Lambda$ is produced in and tagged by the process $\gamma p\to K^+\Lambda$, where its long mean life ($c\tau=7.89\,\mathrm{cm}$) allows it to interact with secondary protons in the target. This talk will present the motivation, initial results, and future plans of this study.