Abstract: We have studied the gamma p -> K-0 Sigma(+) reaction in the energy region around the K*Lambda and K*Sigma thresholds, where the CBELSA/TAPS cross section shows a sudden drop and the differential cross section experiences a transition from a forward-peaked distribution to a flat one. Our coupled-channel model incorporates the dynamics of the vector meson-baryon interaction which is obtained from the hidden gauge formalism. We find that the cross section in this energy region results from a delicate interference between amplitudes having K*Lambda and K*Sigma intermediate states. The sharp downfall is dictated by the presence of a nearby N* resonance produced by our model, a feature that we have employed to predict its properties. We also show results for the complementary gamma n -> K-0 Sigma(0) reaction, the measurement of which would test the mechanism proposed in this work.

Abstract: We study the eta'N interaction within a chiral unitary approach which includes pi N, eta N and related pseudoscalar meson-baryon coupled channels. Since the SU(3) singlet does not contribute to the standard interaction and the eta' is mostly a singlet, the resulting scattering amplitude is very small and inconsistent with the experimental scattering length. The additional consideration of vector meson-baryon states into the coupled channel scheme, via normal and anomalous couplings of pseudoscalar to vector mesons, enhances substantially the eta'N amplitude. We also exploit the freedom of adding to the Lagrangian a new term, allowed by the symmetries of QCD, which couples baryons to the singlet meson of SU(3). Adjusting the unknown strength to the eta'N scattering length, we obtain predictions for the elastic eta'N -> eta'N and inelastic eta'N -> eta N, pi N, K Lambda, K Sigma cross sections at low eta' energies, and discuss their significance.

Abstract: We have studied the strangeness-changing antineutrino-induced reactions (v) over bar (l)p -> l(+)phi B, with phi B = K(-)p, (K) over bar (0)n, pi(0)Lambda, pi(0)Sigma(0), eta Lambda, eta Sigma(0), pi(+)Sigma(-), pi(-)Sigma(+), K+Xi(-), and K-0 Xi(0), using a chiral unitary approach. These ten coupled channels are allowed to interact strongly, using a kernel derived from the chiral Lagrangians. This interaction generates two Lambda(1405) poles, leading to a clear single peak in the pi Sigma invariant mass distributions. At backward scattering angles in the center-of-mass frame, (nu) over bar (mu)p -> mu(+)pi(0)Sigma(0) is dominated by the Lambda(1405) state at around 1420 MeV while the lighter state becomes relevant as the angle decreases, leading to an asymmetric line shape. In addition, there are substantial differences in the shape of pi Sigma invariant mass distributions for the three charge channels. If observed, these differences would provide valuable information on a claimed isospin I = 1, strangeness S = -1 baryonic state around 1400 MeV. Integrated cross sections have been obtained for the pi Sigma and (K) over barN channels and the impact of unitarization in the results has been investigated. The number of events with Lambda(1405) excitation in (nu) over bar μp collisions in the recent antineutrino run at the Main Injector Experiment for nu-A (MINER nu A) has also been obtained. We find that this reaction channel is relevant enough to be investigated experimentally and to be taken into account in the simulation models of future experiments with antineutrino beams.

Abstract: We make a theoretical study of the charge and forward-backward pion asymmetries in the e(+)e(-) -> pi(+) pi(-) gamma process on and off the phi resonance energy. These observables are rather sensitive to the inner details of the theoretical models to describe the reaction. In addition to the standard implementation of the initial state radiation and the bremsstrahlung contribution to the final state radiation, we use the techniques of the chiral unitary approach to evaluate the contribution from the mechanisms of phi decay into pi(+) pi(-) gamma. This contribution involves the implementation of final state interaction from direct chiral loops, the exchange of vector and axial-vector resonances and the final state interaction through the consideration of the meson-meson unitarized amplitudes, which were found important in a previous work describing the phi -> pi pi gamma. We find a good reproduction of the experimental data from KLOE for the forward-backward asymmetry, both at the phi peak and away from it. We also make predictions for the angular distributions of the charge asymmetry and show that this observable is very sensitive to the chiral loops involved in phi radiative decay.

Abstract: We study theoretically the resonant structure of the double Cabibbo suppressed D+ -> K-K+K+ decay. We start from an elementary production diagram, considered subleading in previous approaches, which cannot produce a final K-K+ pair at the tree level but which we show to be able to provide the strength of the decay through final meson-meson state interaction. The different meson-meson elementary productions are related through SU(3), and the final rescattering is implemented from a suitable implementation of unitary extensions of chiral perturbation theory, which generate dynamically the scalar resonances1 f(0)(980) and a(0)(980). We obtain a good agreement with recent experimental data from the LHCb Collaboration with a minimal freedom in the fit and show the dominance of the a(0)(980) contribution close to the threshold of the K-K+ spectrum.