EVIDENCE FOR A SCALAR KAPPA(900) RESONANCE IN PI-K SCATTERING - ART. NO. 054012

Motivated by the 1/N-c expansion, we study a simple model in which the pi K scattering amplitude is the sum of a current-algebra contact ter m and resonance pole exchanges. This phenomenological model is crossin g symmetric and, when a putative light strange scalar meson kappa is i ncluded, satisfies the unitarity bounds to well above 1 GeV. The model also features chiral dynamics, vector meson dominance and appropriate interference between the established K-0(1430) resonance and its pre dicted background. We briefly discuss the physical significance of the results and directions for further work. [S0556-2821(98)00817-0]