Search for superheavy hydrogen isotopes <Superscript>6</Superscript>H and <Superscript>7</Superscript>H in stopped π-absorption reactions

Experimental search for superheavy hydrogen isotopes ⁶H and ⁷H was performed in the stopped pion absorption on ⁹Be and ¹¹B nuclei. The structures in the missing-mass spectra were observed in the reaction channels ⁹Be(π^-, pd )X and ¹¹B(π^-, p⁴He)X . Four states of ⁶H were proposed. Evidences for ⁷H formation were obtained in the reaction channels ⁹Be(π^-, pp)X and ¹¹B(π^-, p³He)X .     

Cross-sections for low-energy πgamma; reactions

We review the cross-sections for low-energy π^-γ reactions in the framework of chiral perturbation theory. Charged-pion Compton scattering, π^-γ → π^-γ , is considered up to one-loop order where the pion's internal structure enters through the difference of the electric and magnetic pion polarizability, α_π - β_π . The ongoing COMPASS experiment aims at measuring this important structure constant with high statistics using the Primakoff effect. In the same way, the reaction π^-γ → π^-π⁰ serves as a test of the QCD chiral anomaly (via the γ3π -coupling constant F _γ3π . Furthermore, we calculate the total cross-sections for neutral and charged pion-pair production, π^-γ → π^-π⁰π⁰ and π^-γ → π^-π⁺π^- , which are governed by the chiral ππ -interaction. Finally, we investigate the radiative (correction) process π^-γ → π^-γγ and calculate the corresponding two-photon mass spectrum. This information will be useful for analyzing the π^- Primakoff scattering events with photons in the final state.     

Chiral symmetry and light resonances in hot and dense matter

We present a study of the π π scattering amplitude in the σ and ρ channels at finite temperature and nuclear density within a chiral unitary framework. Meson resonances are dynamically generated in our approach, which allows us to analyze the behavior of their associated scattering poles when the system is driven towards chiral-symmetry restoration. Medium effects are incorporated in three ways: (a) by thermal corrections of the unitarized scattering amplitudes, (b) by finite nuclear-density effects associated to a renormalization of the pion decay constant, and complementarily (c) by extending our calculation of the scalar–isoscalar channel to account for finite nuclear-density and temperature effects in a microscopic many-body implementation of pion dynamics. Our results are discussed in connection with several phenomenological aspects relevant for nuclear-matter and heavy-ion collision experiments, such as ρ mass scaling versus broadening from dilepton spectra and chiral restoration signals in the σ channel. We also elaborate on the molecular nature of π π resonances.     

Compton scattering on the charged pion and the process γγ→π0π0

The Compton scattering on a charged pion and the process γγ→π⁰π⁰ are studied using the dispersion relations. Unknown parameters of the S-wave ππ interaction and a sum and a difference of the π⁰ meson polarizabilities are found from a fit to the experimental data for the γγ→π⁰π⁰ process. The found parameters of the ππ interaction are used for the calculation of the cross section of the elastic γπ^± scattering. The analysis of the obtained results shows that the experimental data for the elastic γπ^± scattering in the energy region up to 1 GeV together with the data for the γγ→π⁰π⁰ process could be used both for a determination of the pion polarizability values and for study of the S-wave ππ interaction. Received: 20 November 1998 / Revised version: 22 January 1999     

Pion-mass dependence of three-nucleon observables

We use an effective field theory (EFT) which contains only short-range interactions to study the dependence of a variety of three-nucleon observables on the pion mass. The pion-mass dependence of input quantities in our “pionless” EFT is obtained from a recent chiral EFT calculation. To the order we work at, these quantities are the ¹ S ₀ scattering length and effective range, the deuteron binding energy, the ³ S ₁ effective range, and the binding energy of one three-nucleon bound state. The chiral EFT input we use has the inverse ³ S ₁ and ¹ S ₀ scattering lengths vanishing at m _π ^crit = 197.8577 MeV. At this “critical” pion mass, the triton has infinitely many excited states with an accumulation point at the three-nucleon threshold. We compute the binding energies of these states up to next-to-next-to-leading order in the pionless EFT and study the convergence pattern of the EFT in the vicinity of the critical pion mass. Furthermore, we use the pionless EFT to predict how doublet and quartet nd scattering lengths depend on m _π in the region between the physical pion mass and m _π = m _π ^crit .     

Energy dependence of the delta resonance: Chiral dynamics in action

There is an important connection between the low-energy theorems of QCD and the energy dependence of the Δ resonance in π-N scattering, as well as the closely related γ^* N → N π reaction. The resonance shape is due not only to the strong π-N interaction in the p wave but the small interaction in the s wave; the latter is due to spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in QCD (i.e., the Nambu-Goldstone nature of the pion). A brief overview of experimental tests of chiral perturbation theory and chiral-based models is presented. Correspondence: A. M. Bernstein, Physics Department and Laboratory for Nuclear Science, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA     

Scattering lengths of pionic 3He and 4He

Scattering lengths of pionic ³He and ⁴He and the charge exchange contribution to the 1s width of pionic ³He are calculated within the fixed scatterer approximation of the multiple scattering formalism. Particular attention is focussed on the nuclear physics part and on πN p-wave contributions. For the first time triple scattering and double-spin-flip contributions have been included. We find significant deviations from previous estimates and calculations. Good agreement is achieved with the experimental π^?3He scattering length, whereas in the case of ⁴He a repulsive dispersion contribution is clearly needed. We propose to use the measured 1s level shift of pionic ³He as a constraint to deduce a precise value of the isoscalar πN scattering length. Furthermore, we find that multiple scattering reduces the impulse approximation value for Γ_1s(π^?3He → π^{0 3}H) by more thsn 20 %. This result casts some doubt on impulse approximation calculations of radiative pion capture as well.     

Tests of the final-state radiation model at DAFNE near <Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis><Superscript>+</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis><Superscript>-</Superscript> threshold

Effects due to the non-pointlike behaviour of pions in the process e ⁺ e ^-→π ⁺ π ^- γ can arise for hard photons in the final state. By means of a Monte Carlo event generator, which also includes the contribution of the direct decay φ→π ⁺ π ^- γ, we estimate these effects in the framework of the resonance perturbation theory. We consider angular cuts used in the KLOE analysis of the pion form factor at threshold. A method to reveal the effects of the non-pointlike behaviour of pions in a model-independent way is proposed.     

Roy–Steiner equations for <Emphasis Type="Italic">γγ</Emphasis>→<Emphasis Type="Italic">ππ</Emphasis>

Starting from hyperbolic dispersion relations, we derive a system of Roy–Steiner equations for pion Compton scattering that respects analyticity, unitarity, gauge invariance, and crossing symmetry. It thus maintains all symmetries of the underlying quantum field theory. To suppress the dependence of observables on high-energy input, we also consider once- and twice-subtracted versions of the equations, and identify the subtraction constants with dipole and quadrupole pion polarizabilities. Based on the assumption of Mandelstam analyticity, we determine the kinematic range in which the equations are valid. As an application, we consider the resolution of the γγ→ππ partial waves by a Muskhelishvili–Omnès representation with finite matching point. We find a sum rule for the isospin-two S-wave, which, together with chiral constraints, produces an improved prediction for the charged-pion quadrupole polarizability (a₂-b₂)^p±=(15.3±3.7)×10^-4(\alpha_{2}-\beta_{2})^{\pi^{\pm}}=(15.3\pm3.7)\times 10^{-4} fm⁵. We investigate the prediction of our dispersion relations for the two-photon coupling of the σ-resonance Γ _σγγ . The twice-subtracted version predicts a correlation between this width and the isospin-zero pion polarizabilities, which is largely independent of the high-energy input used in the equations. Using this correlation, the chiral perturbation theory results for pion polarizabilities, and our new sum rule, we find Γ _σγγ =(1.7±0.4) keV.     

Quark-hadron duality in electron-pion scattering

We explore the relationship between exclusive and inclusive electromagnetic scattering from the pion, focusing on the transition region at intermediate Q². Combining Drell-Yan data on the leading twist quark distribution in the pion with a model for the resonance region at large x, we calculate QCD moments of the pion structure function over a range of Q², and quantify the role of higher twist corrections. Using a parameterization of the pion elastic form factor and phenomenological models for the π↦ρ transition form factor, we further test the extent to which local duality may be valid for the pion. Received: 10 February 2003 / Accepted: 12 March 2003 / Published online: 27 May 2003     

Pion-nucleus optical potential: The pion-absorption contribution

The real and imaginary parts of pion-nucleus optical potential arising from pion absorption channel have been computed. A two-nucleon model of pion absorption which includesπ andρ rescattering andS-wave interaction has been used. The effects of short-range nucleon-nucleon correlations, Pauli blocking and formfactors have been included. The threshold values of imaginary absorption potential are reasonably close to density-squared terms of phenomenological potentials. The real part ofP-wave potential is attractive and that ofS-wave potential is weakly attractive at lower pion energies and changes sign as pion energy is increased. The calculation shows that the real part of absorption is significantly affected by short-range correlations and Pauli-blocking.     

Semi-inclusive deep inelastic lepton scattering in a pion cloud model

In this note we explore the consequences of the pion cloud model for semi-inclusive deep inelastic lepton scattering. We argue that by scattering on a few-nucleon target, the detection of the recoiling target would provide a valuable test of the meson cloud model. We estimate the semi-inclusive cross section for deep inelastic lepton scattering on a³He target, as function of Bjorkenx and target recoil momentum.     

The K<Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ππ</Emphasis> S-wave amplitude from D-meson decays

The issue of Kπ and ππ S-wave amplitude is addressed using decays of D-mesons. Model-independent measurements of the phases of the π ⁺ π ⁺ and K ^- π ⁺ S-wave amplitude from D ⁺→π ^- π ⁺ π ⁺ and D ⁺→K ^- π ⁺ π ⁺ decays are discussed. The result indicates a deviation from the phase of the K ^- π ⁺ S-wave amplitude obtained by scattering experiments. This could be interpreted as an indication of the presence of 3-body final-state interaction, or in other words, that the phases from production and scattering process cannot be directly compared.     

Novel approach to pion and eta production in proton-proton collisions near threshold

We evaluate the threshold matrix–element for the reaction pp→ppπ⁰ in a fully relativistic Feynman diagrammatic approach. We employ a simple effective range approximation to take care of the S–wave pp final–state interaction. The experimental value for the threshold amplitude A = (2.7 −i0.3) fm⁴ can be reproduced by contributions from tree level chiral (long–range) pion exchange and short–range effects related to vector meson exchanges, with ω-exchange giving the largest individual contribution. Pion loop effects appear to be small. We stress that the commonly used heavy baryon formalism is not applicable in the NN–system above the pion production threshold due to the large external momentum, |p|≃ (Mm _π)^−1/2, with M and m _π the nucleon and the pion mass, respectively. We furthermore investigate the reaction pp→pnπ⁺ near threshold within the same approach. We extract from the data the triplet threshold amplitude as B = (2.8 −i1.5) fm⁴. Its real part can be well understood from (relativistic) tree level meson–exchange diagrams. In addition, we investigate the process pp→ppη near threshold. We use a simple factorization ansatz for the ppη final–state interaction and extract from the data the modulus of the threshold amplitude, |C|= 1.32 fm⁴. With g _ηN= 5.3, this value can be reproduced by (relativistic) tree level meson–exchange diagrams and η–rescattering, whose strength is fixed by the ηN scattering length. We also comment on the recent near threshold data for η^′–production. Received: 27 November 1998     

πNN coupling determined beyond the chiral limit

Within the conventional QCD sum rules, we calculate the πNN coupling constant, g _πN, beyond the chiral limit using two-point correlation function with a pion. For this purpose, we consider the Dirac structure, iγ₅, at m _π ² order in the expansion of the correlator in terms of the pion momentum. For a consistent treatment of the sum rule, we include the linear terms in quark mass as they constitute the same chiral order as m _π ². In this sum rule, we obtain g _πN= 13.3 ± 1.2, which is very close to the empirical πNN coupling. This demonstrates that going beyond the chiral limit is crucial in determining the coupling. Received: 8 July 1999 / Revised version: 20 August 1999     

Exclusive meson production at HERMES

Hard exclusive production of mesons in deep-inelastic scattering allows one to probe the so-far unknown Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) of the nucleon. The HERMES experiment has measured several different observables in exclusive meson production by scattering the 27.6GeV HERA lepton beam off an internal fixed gaseous target. Recent results on exclusive π ⁺, ρ ⁰ and pion pair production will be presented.     

Study of η -production reaction πp → ηn in the near-threshold region⋆

The differential cross-sections (DCS) of the η -production reaction π^- p → ηn are measured at momenta of incident π^- mesons (700, 710 and 720MeV/c) close to the threshold of this reaction. The experiment is carried out at the pion channel of the PNPI synchrocyclotron (with the momentum spread of the pion beam equal to 1.5%) using the Neutral Meson Spectrometer (NMS) designed and created at the Meson Physics Laboratory for detecting two photons from the decay η → 2γ . This spectrometer consisting of two electromagnetic total absorption calorimeter (24 CsI(Na) crystals in each calorimeter) allowed to obtain the DCS in the whole angular range from 0^° to 180^° in the c.m.s. It is shown that at 700MeV/c the DCS angular dependence is isotropic, indicating on the S -wave character of the η -production process while at higher momenta a significant contribution of the D -wave has led to the anisotropic angular dependence having a bowl-like shape.