A relativistic description of the image reaction

We investigate the image reaction within a covariant model. We consider those amplitudes which are described by creation, propagation and decay into the relevant channel of image(1650), image(1710), and image(1720) intermediate baryonic resonance states in the initial collision of the incoming pion with one of the target nucleons. The bound state nucleon and hyperon wave functions are obtained by solving the Dirac equation with appropriate scalar and vector potentials. Expressions for the reaction amplitudes are derived taking continuum particle wave function in the plane wave approximation. Numerical calculations are presented for reactions on 12C, 40Ca, 51V and 89Y target nuclei. The predictions of our model are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data.