Mixing and decays of rho- and omega-mesons

Abstract

Isospin violating mixing of \rho- and \omega-mesons is reconsidered in terms of propagators. Its influence on various pairs of (\rho^0,\omega)-decays to the same final states is demonstrated. Some of them, (\rho^0,\omega)\to\pi^+\pi^- and (\rho^0,\omega)\to\pi^0\gamma, have been earlier discussed in the literature, others (e.g., (\rho^0,\omega)\to\eta\gamma and (\rho^0,\omega)\to e^+e^-) are new in this context. Changes in partial widths for all the decay pairs are shown to be correlated. The set of present experimental data, though yet inconclusive, provides some limits for the direct (\rho\omega)-coupling and indirectly supports enhancement of \rho^0\to\pi^0\gamma in comparison with \rho^{\pm}\to\pi^{\pm}\gamma, though not so large as in some previous estimates.