A dispersive approach to the CP conserving $K\to\pi\ell^+\ell^-$ radiative decays

Abstract

We reconsider the constraints on the form factors $W_+ (s)$ and $W_S (s)$, describing the radiative decay modes $K^+\to\pi^+ \ell^+\ell^-$ and $K_S\to\pi^0 \ell^+\ell^-$, associated with the general properties of analyticity and unitarity. Starting from the simple consideration of the asymptotic behaviours of the two combinations $2 W_+ (s) - W_S (s)$ and $W_+ (s) + W_S (s)$, we derive a minimal pair of dispersive representations which involves only two free parameters. An important input for these representations consists of the $K\to3\pi$ decay amplitudes, for which we use a set of solutions of the Khuri-Treiman equations obtained recently. These solutions provide an extrapolation from the physical $K\to3\pi$ decay region up to the resonant $K\pi\to\pi\pi$ scattering regions. We show that the experimental energy dependence of $|W_+|^2$ can be well reproduced and that the sign of $W_+$ is unambiguously determined. We also show that the yet unknown $\Delta{I}=1/2$ part of the $K_S\to \pi^+ \pi^- \pi^0$ amplitude can be determined from the value of $W_+(0) + W_S(0)$. The possibility of fixing the sign of $W_S(0)$ using experimental data on both $|W_+|^2$ and $|W_S|^2$ is discussed.