# Moments of phi meson spectral functions in vacuum and nuclear matter

Authors:
Philipp Gubler, Wolfram Weise
Abstract:
Moments of the phi meson spectral function in vacuum and in nuclear matter are analyzed, combining a model based on chiral SU(3) effective field theory (with kaonic degrees of freedom) and finite-energy QCD sum rules. For the vacuum we show that the spectral density is strongly constrained by a recent accurate measurement of the e^+e^- \to K^+K^- cross section. In nuclear matter the phi spectrum is modified by interactions of the decay kaons with the surrounding nuclear medium, leading to a significant broadening and an asymmetric deformation of the phi meson peak. We demonstrate that both in vacuum and nuclear matter, the first two moments of the spectral function are compatible with finite-energy QCD sum rules. A brief discussion of the next-higher spectral moment involving strange four-quark condensates is also presented.
Date of publication:
10/11/2015
Published in:
Physics Letters B 751 (2015) 396
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