th / 0 40 70 63 v 1 2 1 Ju l 2 00 4 Widths of K̄ - nuclear deeply bound states in a dynamical model

The relativistic mean field (RMF) model is applied to a system of nucle-ons and a ¯ K meson, interacting via scalar and vector boson fields. The model incorporates the standard RMF phenomenology for bound nucleons and, for the ¯ K meson, it relates to low-energy ¯ KN and K − atom phenomenology. Deeply bound ¯ K nuclear states are generated dynamically across the periodic table and are exhibited for 12 C and 16 O over a wide range of binding energies. Substantial polarization of the core nucleus is found for these light nuclei. Absorption modes are also included dynamically, considering explicitly the reduced phase space for ¯ K absorption from deeply bound states. The behavior of the calculated width as function of the ¯ K binding energy is studied in order to explore limits on the possible existence of narrow ¯ K nuclear states.