$K^{-}$ - nucleus relativistic mean field potentials consistent with kaonic atoms

Abstract

$K^{-}$ atomic data are used to test several models of the $K^{-}$ nucleus interaction. The t($\ddot{I}$)$\ddot{I}$ optical potential, due to coupled channel models incorporating the $\hat{I}›$(1405) dynamics, fails to reproduce these data. A standard relativistic mean field (RMF) potential, disregarding the $\hat{I}›$(1405) dynamics at low densities, also fails. The only successful model is a hybrid of a theoretically motivated RMF approach in the nuclear interior and a completely phenomenological density dependent potential, which respects the low density theorem in the nuclear surface region. This best-fit $K^{-}$ optical potential is found to be strongly attractive, with a depth of 180 \pm 20 MeV at the nuclear interior, in agreement with previous phenomenological analyses.

revised, Phys. Rev. C in press