Interaction of $\hat{I}\cdot$ mesons with a three-nucleon system

Abstract

A study of the $\hat{I}\cdot$-3N interaction in the energy region near the $\hat{I}\cdot$-^3H elastic scattering threshold is presented. The calculational scheme is based on the four-body scattering formalism. A manageable form of the integral equations is achieved by using a separable ansatz for the driving two-body $\hat{I}\cdot N$- and NN-forces as well as for the subamplitudes appearing in the (1+3) and (2+2) partitions of the $\hat{I}\cdot$-3N system. Results presented for the $\hat{I}\cdot$-^3H scattering length point to the existence of a virtual (antibound) s-wave $\hat{I}\cdot$-^3H state. As a consequence, a large enhancement of the cross section for $\hat{I}\cdot$-production from three-body nuclei is predicted.

4 pages including 2 eps-figures, Contribution to MESON 2002, 7th Int. Workshop on Production, Properties and Interaction of Mesons, Cracow, Poland, May 24-28, 2002