Role of t-channel meson exchange in S-wave pi N and K N scattering

Abstract

The low-energy S-wave pi N and K N scatterings are studied by the K-matrix approach within the meson exchange framework. The t-channel meson exchanges, especially rho and sigma exchanges, are found to play a very important role in these two processes. The t-channel rho exchange determines the isospin structure of the scattering amplitudes, it gives attractive force in the low isospin state but repulsive force in the high isospin state. The t-channel sigma exchange gives a very large contribution in these two processes, while it is negligible in meson-meson S-wave scatterings.