Light scalar mesons and two-kaon correlation functions

Abstract

It is shown that the recent data on the $K^0_S K^+$ correlation in Pb-Pb interactions agree with the data on the $\gamma\gamma\to\eta\pi^0$ and $\phi\to\eta\pi^0\gamma$ reactions and support the four-quark model of the $a_0(980)$ meson. It is shown that the data does not contradict the validity of the Gaussian assumption. The study of two-kaon correlations could provide more information about light scalar mesons after increasing the accuracy of the experimental and theoretical descriptions.