THE COUPLING OF THE f₁(1285) MESON TO THE ISOSCALAR AXIAL CURRENT OF THE NUCLEON

The weak decay as well as the strong nucleon coupling constants of the isoscalar axial vector meson $f_1 (1285)$ are estimated within the octet quark model. It is shown that the empirical value for the coupling of $\overline{s}s$ quarkonium to nucleons can be understood by attributing the $f_1(1285)$-nucleon coupling to the $a_0\pi N$ triangle diagram.