Modification of the φ-meson spectrum in nuclear matter

The vacuum spectrum of the $\phi$-meson is characterized by its decay into $K{\bar K} $. Modifications of the $K {\bar K}$-loops in baryonic matter change this spectrum. We calculate these in-medium modifications taking both s- and p-wave kaon-nucleon interactions into account. We use results of the in-medium $K$ and $\bar K$ spectra determined previously from a coupled channel approach based on a chiral effective Lagrangian. Altogether we find a very small shift of the $\phi$ meson mass, by less than 10 MeV at normal nuclear matter density $\rho_0$. The in-medium decay width of the $\phi$ meson increases such that its life time at $\rho=\rho_0$ is reduced to less than 5 fm/c. It should therefore be possible to observe medium effects in reactions such as $\pi^- p \to \phi n$ in heavy nuclei, where the $\phi$ meson can be produced with small momentum.