The rho -> gamma pi and omega -> gamma pi decays in quark-model approach and estimation of coupling for pion emission by quark

TL;DR

This paper calculates radiative decays of rho and omega mesons into gamma pi within a quark model, estimating the pion emission coupling and providing predictions for excited state decay widths, aligning with some experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a relativistic spectral integral approach to meson decays, estimating the pion bremsstrahlung coupling and decay widths for excited meson states.

Findings

Good agreement with experimental decay widths for ground states.

Estimated pion bremsstrahlung coupling with two possible solutions.

Predicted decay widths for excited mesons highlight measurement needs.

Abstract

In the framework of the relativistic and gauge invariant spectral integral technique, we calculate radiative decays rho(770)-> gamma pi(140) and omega(780)-> gamma pi(140) supposing all mesons (pi, rho and omega) to be quark-antiquark states. The q anti-q wave functions found for mesons and photon lead to a reasonably good description of data ($\Gamma^{(exp)}_{\rho^{\pm} \to\gamma\pi^{\pm}}=68\pm 30$ keV, $\Gamma^{(exp)}_{\rho^{0}\to\gamma\pi^0}=77\pm 28$ keV, $\Gamma^{(exp)}_{\omega\to\gamma\pi^0}=776\pm 45$ keV) that makes it possible to estimate the coupling for the bremsstrahlung emission of pion by quarks $g_\pi\equiv g_\pi (u\to d \pi)$. We have found two values for the pion bremsstrahlung coupling: $|g_\pi|=16.7 \pm 0.3 ^{+0.1}_{-2.3}$ (Solution I) and $|g_\pi|=3.0 \pm 0.3 ^{+0.1}_{-2.1}$ (Solution II). Within SU(6)-symmetry for nucleons, Solution I gives us for pi NN coupling the value $16.4 \le g_{\pi NN}^2/(4\pi) \le 23.2$ that is in qualitative agreement with the pi N scattering data, $g_{\pi NN}^2/(4\pi)\simeq 14$. For excited states, we have estimated the partial widths in Solution I as follows: $\Gamma (\rho_{2S}^\pm\to \gamma\pi)\simeq 10 - 130$ keV, $\Gamma (\rho_{2S}^0\to \gamma\pi)\simeq 10 -130$ keV, $\Gamma (\omega_{2S}\to \gamma\pi)\simeq 60 - 1080$ keV. The large uncertainties emphasise the necessity to carry out measurements of the meson radiative processes in the region of large masses.