Proton–proton scattering lengths from effective field theory

Using a recently developed effective field theory for the interactions of nucleons at non-relativistic energies, we calculate the Coulomb corrections to proton–proton scattering. Including the dimension-eight derivative interaction in PDS regularization scheme, we obtain a modified Jackson-Blatt relation for the scattering lengths which is found to be phenomenologically satisfactory. The effective range is not modified by Coulomb effects to this order in the calculation.     

The pion-nucleon scattering lengths from pionic deuterium

We use the framework of effective field theories to discuss the determination of the S-wave scattering lengths from the recent high-precision measurements of pionic deuterium observables. The theoretical analysis proceeds in several steps. Initially, the precise value of the pion-deuteron scattering length is extracted from the data. Next, is related to the S-wave scattering lengths a ₊ and a _-. We discuss the use of this information for constraining the values of these scattering lengths in the full analysis, which also includes the input from the pionic hydrogen energy shift and width measurements, and thoroughly investigate the accuracy limits for this procedure. In this paper, we also give a detailed comparison to other effective field theory approaches, as well as to the earlier work on the subject, carried out within the potential model and multiple scattering framework. Received: 28 January 2005, Published online: 8 April 2005 PACS: 36.10.Gv, 12.39.Fe, 13.75.Cs, 13.75.Gx A. Rusetsky: On leave of absence from High Energy Physics Institute, Tbilisi State University, University St. 9, 380086 Tbilisi, Georgia. This research is part of the EU Integrated Infrastructure Initiative Hadron Physics Project under contract number RII3-CT-2004-506078. Work supported in part by DFG (SFB/TR 16, “Subnuclear Structure of Matter”). An erratum to this article is available at .     

The scattering lengths for alkali-metal atoms

The collision of alkali-metal atoms at ultralow temperatures have been studied, The Scattering lengths and the effective range are calculated for 7Li, 23Na, 39K, 87Rb, and 133Cs.     

The isoscalar pion-nucleus interaction from pionic atoms

The analysis of pionic atom data of 1s and 2p levels for N = Z spin-zero nuclei, in terms of an improved optical potential is presented. We find a strong (unexplained) s-wave repulsion and evidence for finite-range effects. The need for a relativistic treatment of the pion—nucleus interaction is discussed.     

Pion–nucleon amplitude near threshold: the sigma-term and scattering lengths beyond few loops

The pion–nucleon amplitude is considered in the vicinity of the elastic scattering threshold within a relativistic dynamical model dressing the πNN and πNΔ vertices self-consistently with an infinite number of meson loops. The dressing is formulated as solution of a system of coupled integral equations incorporating unitarity, crossing symmetry and analyticity constraints. The calculated scattering lengths and the sigma-term agree with recent data analyses. The dressing is important in this model both below and at threshold. The contribution of the Δ resonance is discussed, including effects of the consistent dressing of the πNΔ vertex. A comparison with the approaches of chiral perturbation theory and the Bethe–Salpeter equation is outlined.     

The potential of effective field theory in NN scattering

We study an effective field theory of interacting nucleons at distances much greater than the pion's Compton wavelength. In this regime the NN potential is conjectured to be the sum of a delta function and its derivatives. The question we address is whether this sum can be consistently truncated at a given order in the derivative expansion, and systematically improved by going to higher orders. Regularizing the Lippmann-Schwinger equation using a cutoff we find that the cutoff can be taken to infinity only if the effective range is negative. A positive effective range — which occurs in nature — requires that the cutoff be kept finite and below the scale of the physics which has been integrated out, i.e. O(m_π). Comparison of cutoff schemes and dimensional regularization reveals that the physical scattering amplitude is sensitive to the choice of regulator. Moreover, we show that the presence of some regulator scale, a feature absent in dimensional regularization, is essential if the effective field theory of NN scattering is to be useful. We also show that one can define a procedure where finite cutoff dependence in the scattering amplitude is removed order by order in the effective potential. However, the characteristic momentum in the problem is given by the cutoff, and not by the external momentum. It follows that in the presence of a finite cutoff there is no small parameter in the effective potential, and consequently no systematic truncation of the derivative expansion can be made. We conclude that there is no effective field theory of NN scattering with nucleons alone.     

Neutron-deuteron scattering in chiral effective field theory

We perform a complete analysis of nd scattering at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in chiral effective field theory (EFT) and compare our predictions for selected observables with the ones based on conventional nuclear forces.Received: 1 November 2002, Published online: 15 July 2003PACS: 21.30.Cb Nuclear forces in vacuum - 21.45.+v Few-body systems     

Limits on a long range pion nucleon interaction from pionic atom and πN scattering data

Experimental limits are obtained on any non-electromagnetic long range pion nucleon interaction, from accurate π⁺p scattering data and from pionic atom energy levels. Such an interaction is effectively ruled out in the regionr?100 fm unless its potential falls off faster thanr ^?4.     

Chiral effective field theory on the light front in the nucleon sector

We propose a new approach to treat the nucleon structure in terms of an effective chiral Lagrangian. The state vector of the nucleon is defined on the light front plane and is decomposed in Fock components. An adequate Fock sector dependent renormalization scheme is applied. We present our first results of the calculation of nucleon properties in a two-body Fock truncation.     

Electroweak Sudakov corrections using effective field theory

Electroweak Sudakov corrections of the form alphanlogms/MW,Z2 are summed using renormalization group evolution in soft-collinear effective theory. Results are given for the scalar, vector, and tensor form factors for fermion and scalar particles. The formalism for including massive gauge bosons in soft-collinear effective theory is developed.     

Quantum scattering from classical field theory

We show that scattering amplitudes between initial wave packet states and certain coherent final states can be computed in a systematic weak coupling expansion about classical solutions satisfying initial-value conditions. The initial-value conditions are such as to make the solution of the classical field equations amenable to numerical methods. We propose a practical procedure for computing classical solutions which contribute to high energy two-particle scattering amplitudes. We consider in this regard the implications of a recent numerical simulation in classical SU(2) Yang-Mills theory for multiparticle scattering in quantum gauge theories and speculate on its generalization to electroweak theory. We also generalize our results to the case of complex trajectories and discuss the prospects for finding a solution to the resulting complex boundary value problem, which would allow the application of our method to any wave packet to coherent state transition. Finally, we discuss the relevance of these results to the issues of baryon number violation and multiparticle scattering at high energies.     

The 2D effective field theory of interfaces derived from 3D field theory

The one-loop determinant computed around the kink solution in the 3D φ⁴ theory, in cylindrical geometry, allows one to obtain the partition function of the interface separating coexisting phases. The quantum fluctuations of the interface around its equilibrium position are described by a c = 1 two-dimensional conformal field theory, namely a 2D free massless scalar field living on the interface. In this way the capillary wave model conjecture for the interface free energy in its gaussian approximation is proved.     

Coupled-channel effective field theory and proton- <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li scattering

We apply the renormalisation group (RG) to analyse scattering by short-range forces in systems with coupled channels. For two S -wave channels, we find three fixed points, corresponding to systems with zero, one or two bound or virtual states at threshold. We use the RG to determine the power countings for the resulting effective field theories. In the case of a single low-energy state, the resulting theory takes the form of an effective-range expansion in the strongly interacting channel. We also extend the analysis to include the effects of the Coulomb interaction between charged particles. The approach is then applied to the coupled p + ^7Li     

Low frequency sound scattering from spherical assemblages of bubbles using effective medium theory

The determination of the acoustic field scattered by an underwater assembly of gas bubbles or similar resonant monopole scatterers is of considerable theoretical and practical interest. This problem is addressed from a theoretical point of view within the framework of the effective medium theory for the case of spherically shaped assemblages. Although being valid more generally, the effective medium theory is an ideal instrument to study multiple scattering effects such as low frequency collective resonances, acoustically coupled breathing modes of the entire assembly. Explicit expressions for the scattering amplitude and cross sections are derived, as well as closed form expressions for the resonance frequency and spectral shape of the fundamental collective mode utilizing analytical S-matrix methods. This approach allows, in principle, a simultaneous inversion for the assembly radius and void fraction directly from the scattering cross sections. To demonstrate the validity of the approach, the theory is applied to the example of idealized, spherically shaped schools of swim bladder bearing fish. The analytic results of the theory are compared to numerical first-principle benchmark computations and excellent agreement is found, even for densely packed schools and frequencies across the bladder resonance.