Effective Kaon Mass in Baryonic Matter and Kaon Condensation

Abstract

The effective kaon mass in dense baryonic matter is calculated based on PCAC, current algebra and the Weinberg smoothness hypothesis. The off-shell behavior of the K-N scattering amplitudes is treated consistently with PCAC, and the effects of the subthreshold K-N resonances are also included. The effective kaon mass is found to depend crucially on the K-N sigma term. Since the current estimates of K-N Sigma term are very uncertain, we discuss various scenarios treating K-N Sigma term as an input parameter; for certain values of K-N Sigma a collective mode of a hyperon-particle-nucleon-hole state appears at high densities, possibly leading to kaon condensation.