Masses and electroweak properties of light mesons in the relativistic quark model

Abstract

The masses, pseudoscalar and vector weak decay constants and electromagnetic form factors of light S-wave mesons are studied in the framework of the relativistic quark model based on the quasipotential approach. We use the same model assumptions and parameters as in our previous investigations of heavy meson and baryon properties. The masses and wave functions of the ground state and radially excited pi, rho, K, K* and phi mesons, obtained by solving numerically the relativistic Schroedinger-like equation with the complete relativistic q bar q potential including both spin-independent and spin-dependent terms, are presented. Novel relativistic expressions for the weak decay constants of the pseudoscalar and vector mesons are derived. It is shown that the intermediate negative-energy quark states give significant contributions which essentially decrease the decay constants bringing them in agreement with experimental data. The electromagnetic form factors of the pion, charged and neutral kaon are calculated in a broad range of the space-like momentum transfer. The corresponding charge radii are determined. All results agree well with available experimental data.