Covariant calculation of mesonic baryon decays

Abstract

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.