Meson cloud contributions to the Dalitz decays of decuplet to octet baryons

Abstract

We study the role of the meson cloud on the electromagnetic transitions from decuplet ($B'$) to octet ($B$) baryons in terms of the squared four-momentum transfer $q^2$. In the quark model framework, the meson cloud dressing of the quark cores gives important contributions to the $\gamma^\ast N \to \Delta(1232)$ transition form factors. In the present work, we estimate the meson cloud contributions of all decuplet to octet baryon transitions ($\gamma^\ast B \to B'$ or $B' \to \gamma^\ast B$). Models that combine valence quark effects with pion and kaon cloud dressing provide a fair description of the radiative decays of decuplet to octet baryons, namely the $\Sigma^0(1385) \to \gamma \Lambda (1116)$ and $\Sigma^+(1385) \to \gamma \Sigma^+ (1193)$ decays. Previous studies indicated the relevance of the pion cloud effects on the $B^\prime \to \gamma^\ast B$ transition, but also suggested that the kaon cloud contributions may be important in the timelike region. We combine then the contributions of the bare core, estimated by a covariant quark model, with $q^2$-dependent contributions of pion and kaon clouds. We use the framework to calculate the Dalitz decay rates and the Dalitz decay widths of decuplet baryons in octet baryons with di-electrons ($B' \to e^+ e^- B$) or di-muons ($B' \to \mu^+ \mu^- B$). We conclude, based on the magnitude of our results, that most estimates of the $B' \to e^+ e^- B$ Dalitz decay widths may be tested at HADES and PANDA (GSI) in a near future. We discuss also the possibility of measuring the $\Delta (1232) \to \mu^+ \mu^- N$ and $\Sigma^0 (1385) \to \mu^+ \mu^- \Lambda (1116)$ decay widths in some facilities, based on the estimated branching ratios.