The radiative decays φ↦γa0/f0 in the molecular model for the scalar mesons

Abstract

We investigate the radiative decays of the φ-meson to the scalar mesons a0(980) and f0(980). We demonstrate that, contrary to earlier claims, these decays should be of the same order of magnitude for a molecular state and for a compact state and, therefore, the available experimental information is consistent with both a molecular as well as a compact structure of the scalars. Thus, the radiative decays of the φ-meson into scalars establish a sizable K¯ component of the scalar mesons, but do not allow to discriminate between molecules and compact states.