Anomalous coulomb effect in theK−p system

Recent measurements of the 2p—1s X-ray line in theK−p atom indicate that the 1s level shift is very different from the theoretical prediction based on the extrapolation from theK−p scattering data. Deloff and Law have suggested that an anomalously large Coulomb effect could be responsible for this discrepancy. We examine this possibility by carrying out an explicit model calculation, using the method by which Sauer demonstrated the possible existence of an anomalously large Coulomb effect in the proton-proton system. Our conclusion is that if there exists an anomalous Coulomb effect which explains theK−p atomic level shift result, then the same effect would cause a serious conflict with theK−p scattering data above threshold.