Modelling the nucleon wave function from soft and hard processes

Current light-cone wave functions for the nucleon are unsatisfactory since they are in conflict with the data of the nucleon’s Dirac form factor at large momentum transfer. Therefore, we attempt a determination of a new wave function respecting theoretical ideas on its parameterization and satisfying the following constraints: It should provide a soft overlap contribution to the proton’s form factor in agreement with data; it should be consistent with current parameterizations of the valence quark distribution functions and lastly it should provide an acceptable value for the J/ψ → NN decay width. The latter process is calculated within the modified perturbative approach to hard exclusive reactions. A simultaneous fit to the three sets of data leads to a wave function whose x-dependent part, the distribution amplitude, shows the same type of asymmetry as those distribution amplitudes constrained by QCD sum rules. The asymmetry is however much more moderate as in those amplitudes. Our distribution amplitude resembles the asymptotic one in shape but the position of the maximum is somewhat shifted.     

Configuration space Faddeev calculations

Three nucleon ground state wave functions are displayed graphically in configuration space. Both the Schrödinger functions and the Faddeev amplitudes from which they are constructed are plotted. It is demonstrated that for the case where the two-nucleon interaction contains strong repulsion at short distances, the Faddeev amplitude bears no resemblance to the Schrödinger function, and is not even positive definite. Furthermore, the Faddeev amplitude is a much smoother function of the three independent coordinate variables, and is therefore much easier to calculate. Certain intuitive features of the Schrödinger wave function are seen to be present.     

Analysis of two neutron (proton) transfer reaction data in the Zr-region

The spectroscopic amplitudes, form factors, angular distributions and total cross-sections for two nucleon transfer reactions in Zr-region in the zero range distorted wave Born approximation are calculated using consistent set of shell model wave functions. A single normalisation factor gives a good fit to all the two neutron transfer reaction data whereas the corresponding fit for the two-proton transfer reaction data is less satisfactory.     

Electromagnetic Properties of S11 States in a Light Cone Quark Model

Using relativistic spin-flavor wave functions of a Lorentz-covariant light cone quark model, we calculate the electromagnetic form factors of two S11 resonances, N(1535) and N(1650), and the helicity amplitudes A1/2 and S1/2 for electroexcitation of the S11 resonances from the nucleon. The electromagnetic form factors of these S11 resonances are found to be similar to those of the nucleon in shape, while the charge form factor of neutral N(1650) is nearly zero. The relative peak height of the S11 charge form factors is controlled by the mixing angle common to both resonance wave functions. As in most quark models, there is a systematic overestimate of A1/2p in both N(1535) and N(1650) cases at the photon point. A sizeable S1/2 for all cases is produced as suggested by experiments.     

The nucleon quark distribution amplitude and its influence on theQ 2-behaviour of nucleon form factors

In a re-analysis of nucleon form factors in perturbative quantum chromodynamics we examine the -dependence of the nucleon quark distribution amplitude by means of some model distribution amplitudes. We point out some problems that arise in the determination of the -evolution of the distribution amplitude. Our suggestions to cure these problems are discussed and resulting nucleon quark distribution amplitudes are presented. These give reasonable agreement with the available data for the form factors.Work is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ga 153-13-1) and partially by NATO (0581/87)     

On the applicability of perturbative QCD to exclusive processes at currently available momentum transfer

We re-examine the problems connected with the end-point dominance in the calculation of exclusive processes in perturbative QCD. In a re-analysis we construct nucleon quark distribution amplitudes from the respective moments obtained from a QCD sum rule approach. These functions lead to acceptable values for the e.m. Dirac form factorsF ₁ ^p,n of the nucleon if effective gluon masses of ca. 300–600 MeV are included into the hard-scattering amplitude. In addition we also find a reasonable Q₂ — dependence of the proton form factor. The results point at the importance of the end-point k-dependence of distribution amplitude and hard-scattering amplitude in the calculation of exclusive processes.Work is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ga 153-13-1) and partially by NATO (0581/87)     

Electromagnetic Properties of S11 States in a Light Cone Quark Model

Using relativistic spin-flavor wave functions of a Lorentz-covariant light cone quark model, we calculate the electromagnetic form factors of two S11 resonances, N（1535） and N（1650）, and the helicity amplitudes A1/2 and S1/2 for electroexcitation of the S11 resonances from the nucleon. The electromagnetic form factors of these S11 resonances are found to be similar to those of the nucleon in shape, while the charge form factor of neutral N（1650） is nearly zero. The relative peak height of the S11 charge form factors is controlled by the mixing angle common to both resonance wave functions. As in most quark models, there is a systematic overestimate of A1/2 in both N（1535） and N（1650） cases at the photon point. A sizeable S1/2 for all cases is produced as suggested by experiments.     

The sensitivity of allowed β-decay to the nuclear radius

The sensitivity to the nuclear radius of the phase-space factor for allowed β-decay is investigated as a function of energy release and Z for Z < 40 using a definition of the phasespace factor that takes into account in detail finite-size effects on the lepton wave functions and their convolution with the nucleon wave functions.     

A reexamination ofSU(6) symmetry breaking in high-energy phenomenology

A permutationally-symmetric form for the nucleon wave function consisting of a linear combination of the56 ground state and the70 excited state is used to reexamine the nucleon structure functions and form factors. This form of wave function reproduces the results of the successful Carlitz-Kaur model, differing only in the addition of a term that is proportional to the square of the mixing coefficient between the56 and the70 states. Values of this mixing coefficient are obtained from the structure functions and from the initial slope of the neutron electric form factor using relativistic wave functions constructed by Henriques, Kellett, and Moorhouse. The signs of these values are in agreement, so that the model avoids the contradiction noted by Le Yaouanc et al. This result is due to the dependence of the neutron electric form factor calculation on the spin wave function and associated matrix elements.     

Hadronic quark distribution amplitudes from QCD sum-rule moments

We discuss the reliability of hadronic wave functions (quark distribution amplitudes) determined by a finite number of QCD sum-rule moments. Although the expansion coefficients for polynomial models of the wave function are uniquely determined by the moments, the inherent uncertainty in such moments leads to a considerable indeterminacy in the wave functions because minimal changes of the moments can lead to large oscillations of the model function. In particular, the freedom in the moments left by QCD sum rules leads to a nonconverging polynomial expansion. This remains true even if additional constraints on the wave functions are used. As a consequence of this, the widely used procedure of constructing polynomial models of hadronic wave function from QCD sum rule moments does not guarantee even a reasonable approximation to the true wave function. The differences among the model wave functions persist also in the calculations of physical observables like hadronic form factors. This implies that physical observables calculated by means of such model wave functions are in general very unreliable. As specific examples, we examine the pion and nucleon wave functions and show that Gegenbauer as well as Appell polynomial expansions constructed from QCD sum rule moments are ruled out. The implications for the wave functions which are generally used in the literature are discussed.     

Quasifree pion photoproduction on the deuteron in the Δ region

Photo production of pions on the deuteron is studied in the spectator nucleon model. The Born terms of the elementary production amplitude are determined in pseu-dovector πN coupling and supplied with a form factor. The Δ resonance is considered both in the s and the u channel. The parameters of the Δ resonance and the cutoff of the form factors are fixed on the leading photoproduction multipoles. Results for total and differential cross sections are compared with experimental data. Particular attention is paid to the role of Pauli correlations of the final state nucleons in the quasifree case. The results are compared with those for pion photoproduction on the nucleon.     

A Combined Study of the Pion’s Static Properties and form Factors

We study consistently the pion’s static observables and the elastic and γ* γ → π ⁰ transition form factors within a light-front model. Consistency requires that all calculations are performed within a given model with the same and single adjusted length or mass-scale parameter of the associated pion bound-state wave function. Our results agree well with all extent data including recent Belle data on the γ* γ → π ⁰ form factor at large q ², yet the BaBar data on this transition form factor resists a sensible comparison. We relax the initial constraint on the bound-state wave function and show the BaBar data can partially be accommodated. This, however, comes at the cost of a hard elastic form factor not in agreement with experiment. Moreover, the pion charge radius is about 40 % smaller than its experimentally determined value. It is argued that a decreasing charge radius produces an ever harder form factor with a bound-state amplitude difficultly reconcilable with soft QCD. We also discuss why vector dominance type models for the photon-quark vertex, based on analyticity and crossing symmetry, are unlikely to reproduce the litigious transition form factor data.     

Quasifree pion photoproduction on the deuteron in the Δ region

Photo production of pions on the deuteron is studied in the spectator nucleon model. The Born terms of the elementary production amplitude are determined in pseudovectorπN coupling and supplied with a form factor. TheΔ resonance is considered both in thes and theu channel. The parameters of theΔ resonance and the cutoff of the form factors are fixed on the leading photoproduction multipoles. Results for total and differential cross sections are compared with experimental data. Particular attention is paid to the role of Pauli correlations of the final state nucleons in the quasifree case. The results are compared with those for pion photoproduction on the nucleon.     

Momentum distributions in A = 3 and 4 nuclei

We develop a general Monte Carlo method to study momentum distributions of nucleons and nucleon clusters in nuclei. The method is used to calculate the momentum distributions of protons and neutrons in A = 3 and 4, d + p amplitudes in ³He, and t + p and d + d amplitudes in ⁴He nuclei, with improved variational wave functions. The nucleon and d + p momentum distributions in ³He are also calculated from a five-channel Faddeev wave function. The calculations are based on realistic hamiltonians that include the three-nucleon interaction, and give reasonable binding energies and densities for light nuclei and nuclear matter. The calculated proton and d + p momentum distributions in ³He at low k are in good agreement with the results obtained by the Saclay analysis of the electron scattering data in the plane-wave impulse approximation; however, at higher values of k, the calculated momentum distributions are larger. The calculated values of the asymptotic D- to S-wave ratio of the d+n and d+d amplitudes are also in agreement with the values obtained from (d, t) and (d, α) reactions. The number of deuterons is found to be 1.38 and ∼2.4 in A = 3 and 4 nuclei, while the number of tritons in ⁴He is ∼1.6. This large value of the triton number reflects the large contribution (more than 90% at small k) of the t+p state to the total proton momentum distribution in ⁴He.     

Gottfried sum rule and the shape ofF 2 ⌍ -F 2 ⌍

The recent experimental determination of the Gottfried sum rule of deep inelastic scattering provides strong evidence that SU(2) flavor symmetry is broken by the sea quark distributions of the nucleon. Two mechanisms have been suggested to explain the data: Pauli blocking and non-perturbative contributions to the sea arising from the pion cloud surrounding the nucleon. We investigate the effects of these two mechanisms on several standard parametrizations of the quark distribution functions and find that each mechanism has different effects on the shapes of these distribution functions. The best agreement between the experimental data and the modified quark distributions occurs when both mechanisms are taken into account using a softπNN form factor and a small Pauli correction.     

The nucleon wave function in light-front dynamics

The general spin structure of the relativistic nucleon wave function in the 3q-model is found. It contains 16 spin components, in contrast to the 8 already known. This follows from the fact that in a many-body system parity conservation does not reduce the number of components. The explicitly covariant form of the wave function automatically takes into account the relativistic spin rotations, without introducing any Melosh rotation matrices. It also reduces the calculations to the standard routine of the Dirac matrices and of the trace techniques. In examples of the proton magnetic moment and of the axial nucleon form factor, with a particular wave function, we reproduce the results of the standard approach. Calculations beyond the standard assumptions give different results.     

Light-cone structure of vertex functions for composite fields

Vertex functions for composite fields are defined in a model field theory both on and off mass shell. Light-cone dominance at large momentum transfer is shown to hold, by the compositeness assumption, for the off-shell vertex function. On the other hand, it is in general untrue that the elastic form factor probes light-like distances between the constituents inside the nucleon. The relevant light-cone singularity (in the relative space-time separation x) is less important in this case than the large x₀ behaviour of the wave function at fixed x². It is found however that, under some conditions, the light-cone singularity determines the large x₀ behaviour of the wave function, and therefore the large q² behaviour of the form factor. For composite particles described by a Bethe-Salpeter equation, this result is equivalent to the known fact that at large q² the form factor depends on the binding interaction at small distances. A relation similar to that of Drell-Yan-West is finally established between the asymptotic behaviour of the elastic form factor and the threshold behaviour of the absorptive part of the vertex scaling function.     

Explicitly covariant light-front dynamics and relativistic few-body systems

The wave function of a composite system is defined in relativity on a space–time surface. In the explicitly covariant light-front dynamics, reviewed in the present article, the wave functions are defined on the plane ω·x=0, where ω is an arbitrary four-vector with ω²=0. The standard non-covariant approach is recovered as a particular case for ω=(1, 0, 0,−1). Using the light-front plane is of crucial importance, while the explicit covariance gives strong advantages emphasized through all the review.The properties of the relativistic few-body wave functions are discussed in detail and are illustrated by examples in a solvable model. The three-dimensional graph technique for the calculation of amplitudes in the covariant light-front perturbation theory is presented.The structure of the electromagnetic amplitudes is studied. We investigate the ambiguities which arise in any approximate light-front calculations, and which lead to a non-physical dependence of the electromagnetic amplitude on the orientation of the light-front plane. The elastic and transition form factors free from these ambiguities are found for spin 0, and 1 systems.The formalism is applied to the calculation of the relativistic wave functions of two-nucleon systems (deuteron and scattering state), with particular attention to the role of their new components in the deuteron elastic and electrodisintegration form factors and to their connection with meson exchange currents. Straightforward applications to the pion and nucleon form factors and the ρ−π transition are also made.