Covariant calculation of strange decays of baryon resonances

We present results for kaon decay widths of baryon resonances from a relativistic study with constituent quark models. The calculations are done in the point-form of Poincare-invariant quantum mechanics with a spectator-model decay operator. We obtain covariant predictions of the Goldstone-boson-exchange and a variant of the one-gluon-exchange constituent quark models for all kaon decay widths of established baryon resonances. They are generally characterized by underestimating the available experimental data. In particular, the widths of kaon decays with increasing strangeness in the baryon turn out to be extremely small. We also consider the nonrelativistic limit, leading to the familiar elementary emission model, and demonstrate the importance of relativistic effects. It is found that the nonrelativistic approach evidently misses sensible influences from Lorentz boosts and some essential spin-coupling terms.Comment: 6 pages, 3 table

Covariant calculation of mesonic baryon decays

We present covariant predictions for pi and eta decay modes of N and Delta resonances from relativistic constituent-quark models based on one-gluon-exchange and Goldstone-boson-exchange dynamics. The results are calculated within the point-form approach to Poincare-invariant relativistic quantum mechanics applying a spectator-model decay operator. The direct predictions of the constituent-quark models for covariant pi and eta decay widths show a behaviour completely different from previous ones calculated in nonrelativistic or so-called semirelativistic approaches. It is found that the present theoretical results agree with experiment only in a few cases but otherwise always remain smaller than the experimental data (as compiled by the Particle Data Group). Possible reasons for this behaviour are discussed with regard to the quality of both the quark-model wave functions and the mesonic decay operator.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Axial Transition Form Factors and Pion Decay of Baryon Resonances

The pion decay constants of the lowest orbitally excited states of the nucleon and the $\Delta(1232)$ along with the corresponding axial transition form factors are calculated with Poincar\'e covariant constituent-quark models with instant, point and front forms of relativistic kinematics. The model wave functions are chosen such that the calculated electromagnetic and axial form factors of the nucleon represent the empirical values in all three forms of kinematics, when calculated with single-constituent currents. The pion decay widths calculated with the three forms of kinematics are smaller than the empirical values. Front and instant form kinematics provide a similar description, with a slight preference for front form, while the point form values are significantly smaller in the case of the lowest positive parity resonances.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures. Slightly revised, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Quark-Model Identification of Baryon Ground and Resonant States

We present a new classification scheme of baryon ground states and resonances into SU(3) flavor multiplets. The scheme is worked out along a covariant formalism with relativistic constituent quark models and it relies on detailed investigations of the baryon spectra, the spin-flavor structure of the baryon eigenstates, the behaviour of their probability density distributions as well as covariant predictions for mesonic decay widths. The results are found to be quite independent of the specific types of relativistic constituent quark models employed. It turns out that a consistent classification requires to include also resonances that are presently reported from experiment with only two-star status.Comment: 24 pages, 20 Fig

Axial-vector mesons in a relativistic point-form approach

The Poincare invariant coupled-channel formalism for two-particle systems interacting via one-particle exchange, which has been developed and applied to vector mesons in Ref. [1] is applied to axial vector mesons. We thereby extend the previous study of a dynamical treatment of the Goldstone-boson exchange by comparison with the commonly used instantaneous approximation to the case of orbital angular momentum l=1. Effects in the mass shifts show more variations than for the vector-meson case. Results for the decay widths are sizable, but comparison with sparse experimental data is inconclusive.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Electromagnetic nucleon form factors in instant and point form

We present a study of the electromagnetic structure of the nucleons with constituent quark models in the framework of relativistic quantum mechanics. In particular, we address the construction of spectator-model currents in the instant and point forms. Corresponding results for the elastic nucleon electromagnetic form factors as well as charge radii and magnetic moments are presented. We also compare results obtained by different realistic nucleon wave functions stemming from alternative constituent quark models. Finally, we discuss the theoretical uncertainties that reside in the construction of spectator-model transition operators.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, updated and extended version for publicatio

The role of qqqqqˉqqqq\bar{q} components in the nucleon and the N(1440) resonance

The role of $q\bar q$ components in the nucleon and the N(1440) resonance is studied by explicit coupling of the lowest positive parity $qqqq\bar q$ state to the $qqq$ components in the harmonic oscillator quark model. The lowest energy $qqqq\bar q$ component, where the 4-quark subsystem has the flavor-spin symmetry $[4]_{FS}[22]_F[22]_S$, is close in energy to the lowest positive parity excitation of the nucleon in the $qqq$ quark model. The confining interaction leads to a strong mixing of the $qqqq\bar q$ system and the positive parity excited state of the $qqq$ system. This result is in line with the phenomenological indications for a two-component structure of the N(1440) resonance. The presence of substantial $q\bar q$ components in the N(1440) can bring about a reconciliation of the constituent quark model with the large empirical decay width of the N(1440).Comment: Accepted for publication in Nucl. Phys.