Meson-meson scattering in the quark-string model

We formulate meson-meson scattering in an effective non-relativistic quark model based on the quark-string picture of hadrons. The behaviour of the eigenvalues of the potential matrix is investigated and the partial-wave phase shifts are calculated using the resonating group method. We compare the potential eigenvalues and the phase shifts to those obtained with the two-body potential and the flip-flop models. In our discussion we draw attention to the behaviour of the phase shift at low energies which reflects the presence of long-range forces, the appearance of resonances at high energies as a result of the coupling to the confined channel and the dependence of the phase shift on the number of colours. Finally we construct equivalent local meson-meson potentials. (orig.)