Operator Relations for SU(3) Breaking Contributions to K and K* Distribution Amplitudes

Abstract

We derive constraints on the asymmetry a1 of the momentum fractions carried by quark and antiquark in K and K* mesons in leading twist. These constraints follow from exact operator identities and relate a1 to SU(3) breaking quark-antiquark-gluon matrix elements which we determine from QCD sum rules. Comparing our results to determinations of a1 from QCD sum rules based on correlation functions of quark currents, we find that, for a1^\parallel(K*) the central values agree well and come with moderate errors, whereas for a1(K) and a1^\perp(K*) the results from operator relations are consistent with those from quark current sum rules, but come with larger uncertainties. The consistency of results confirms that the QCD sum rule method is indeed suitable for the calculation of a1. We conclude that the presently most accurate predictions for a1 come from the direct determination from QCD sum rules based on correlation functions of quark currents and are given by: a1(K) = 0.06\pm 0.03, a1^\parallel(K*) = 0.03\pm 0.02, a1^\perp(K*) = 0.04\pm 0.03.