Electromagnetic form factors of light vector mesons

The electromagnetic form factors G(E)(q(2)), G(M)(q(2)), and G(Q)(q(2)), ch arge radii, magnetic and quadrupole moments, and decay widths of the light vector mesons rho(+), K*+, and K-*0 are calculated in a Lorentz-covariant, Dyson-Schwinger-equation-based model using algebraic quark propagators that incorporate confinement, asymptotic freedom, and dynamical chiral symmetry breaking, and vector-meson Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes closely related to th e pseudoscalar amplitudes obtained from phenomenological studies of pi and K mesons. Calculated static properties of vector mesons include the charge radii and magnetic moments [r(rho+)(2)](1/2) =0.61 fm, [r(K*+)(2)](1/2)=0.5 4 fm, and [r(K*0)(2)]=-0.048 fm(2) and mu(rho+)=2.69, mu(K*+)=2.37, and mu( K*0)=-0.40. The calculated static limits of the p-meson form factors are si milar to those obtained from light-front quantum mechanical calculations, b ut begin to differ above q(2)=1 GeV2 due to the dynamical evolution of the quark propagators in our approach. [S0556-2813(99)02803-4].