Weighted finite energy sum rules for the omega meson in nuclear matter

The possible in-medium changes of the properties of an omega meson placed in cold nuclear matter are constrained by QCD sum rules. It is shown that the sum rules cannot fully determine the in-medium spectral shape of the omega meson. However, for a given parameterization the sum rules can constrain or correlate the hadronic parameters. It is shown that weighted finite energy sum rules provide a proper framework to study directly these constraints/correlations. Two typical parameterizations of possible in-medium omega spectra are analyzed, namely (i) a one-peak structure with arbitrary position and width of the peak and (ii) a structure with two (narrow) peaks, caused by the genuine omega meson and a resonance-hole branch. The sum rules provide for case (i) a mass-width correlation and for case (ii) a correlation between the peak heights and the peak position of the omega branch. It is also analyzed how the obtained results depend on the size of the relevant four-quark operator evaluated with respect to a nucleon. Finally it is argued that a strict vector meson dominance scenario is not compatible with the sum rules. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.