Scalar Mesons in φ Radiative Decay: their implications for spectroscopy and for studies of CP-violation at φ factories

Existing predictions for the branching ratio for $\phi\rightarrow K\bar{K}\gamma$ {\it via} $\phi\rightarrow S\gamma$ (where $S$ denotes one of the scalar mesons $f_0$(975) and $a_0$(980)) vary by several orders of magnitude. Given the importance of these processes for both hadron spectroscopy and CP-violation studies at $\phi$ factories (where $\phi \rightarrow K^0 \bar K^0 \gamma$ poses a possible background problem), this state of affairs is very undesirable. We show that the variety of predictions is due in part to errors and in part to differences in modelling. The latter variation leads us to argue that the radiative decays of these scalar states are interesting in their own right and may offer unique insights into the nature of the scalar mesons. As a byproduct we find that the branching ratio for $\phi\rightarrow K^0\bar{K}^0\gamma$ is $\lapproxeq 0(10^{-7})$ and will pose no significant background to proposed studies of CP-violation.