Elastic form factors and charge radii of pi and K mesons - art. no. 037301.

The elastic form factors of the pi and K mesons are evaluated in a field-th eoretic framework based on the relativistic independent quark model with a scalar-vector harmonic potential. The predictions on the form factors are c ompared with the results of different relativistic approaches and existing experimental data. The results for the mean-square charge radii < r pi 2+> = 0.47 fm(2); < r(K+)(2)> = 0.33 fm(2); < r(K0)(2)> = - 0.078 fm(2) are fou nd to be consistent with those of several other calculations as well as exp erimental data. [S0556-2821(98)03323-2].