Correlated $\bbox{πρ}$ Exchange in the $\bbox{NN}$ Interaction

Abstract

We evaluate the contribution to the nucleon-nucleon interaction due to correlated $\ddot{I}€\ddot{I}$ exchange in the $\ddot{I}€$, $\ddot{I}‰$, and $A_1$/$H_1$ channels by means of dispersion-theoretic methods based on a realistic meson exchange model for the interaction between $\ddot{I}€$ and $\ddot{I}$ mesons. These processes have substantial effects: In the pionic channel it counterbalances the suppression generated by a soft $\ddot{I}€NN$ form factor of monopole type with a cutoff mass of about 1 GeV; in the $\ddot{I}‰$-channel it provides nearly half of the empirical repulsion, leaving little room for explicit quark-gluon effects.

16 pages, REVTeX, 21 Postscript figures