Allowed Eta Decay Modes and Chiral Symmetry

Recently, the development of chiral perturbation theory has allowed the generation of rigorous low energy theorems for various hadronic processes based only on the chiral invariance of the underlying QCD Lagrangian. Such techniques are highly developed and well tested in the domain of pionic and kaonic reactions. In this note we point out that with the addition of a few additional and reasonable assumptions similar predictive power is available for processes involving the eta meson.Comment: Contribution to Eta Physics Handbook, Workshop on Eta Physics, Uppsala 2001, 28 page latex file with 9 figure

Weak Hypernuclear Decay

Because of Pauli suppression effects the $N\pi$ decay of the free $\Lambda$ is not of importance in hypernuclei with $A\geq 10$. Rather the decay of such hypernuclei proceeds via the nucleon-stimulated mode $\Lambda N\rightarrow NN$, analysis of which presents a considerable theoretical challenge and about which there exists only a limited amount of experimental information. Herein we confront existing data wih various theoretical analyses which have been developed.Comment: 19 page standard Latex file; invited talk at 2nd DAFNE Workshop, April, 199

Introduction to Effective Field Theory

An introduction to methods of effective field theory is given. Examples are presented, including Rayleigh scattering from nonrelativistic quantum mechnics, chiral perturbation theory/QCD as well as electromagnetic and weak interactions of nucleons.Comment: 12 page latex file, Talk given at European Few Body Physics Meeting, Evora, Portugal, September 200

Hadronic Parity Violation: an Analytic Approach

Using a recent reformulation of the analysis of nuclear parity-violation (PV) within the framework of effective field theory (EFT), we show how predictions for parity-violating observables in low-energy light hadronic systems can be understood in an analytic fashion. It is hoped that such an analytic approach may encourage additional experimental work as well as add to the understanding of such parity-violation phenomena, which is all too often obscured by its description in terms of numerical results obtained from complex two-body potential codes.Comment: 49 pages, 4 figures, dedicated to the memory of Dubravko Tadi

Low Energy Tests of Chiral Symmetry

The present status of low energy test of chiral invariance via chiral perturbation theory is reviewed, both in the meson and baryon sectors, and future prospects are discussed.Comment: Invited talk given at PANIC 96, Standard 8 page Latex fil

Nucleon Polarizabilities

The subject of nucleon polarizabilities in real, virtual, and doubly virtual Compton scattering is discussed with respect to what is known and how such quantities can be extracted from data.Comment: 13 page Latex file; Talk given at Chiral Dynamics 2000 Workshop, Jefferson Lab, July 200

Is SU(3) Chiral Perturbation Theory an Effective Field Theory?

We argue that the difficulties associated with the convergence properties of conventional SU(3) chiral perturbation theory can be ameliorated by use of a cutoff, which suppresses the model-dependent short distance effects in such calculations.Comment: Talk given at Workshop on Quark-Hadron Degrees of Freedom, CSSM, Adelaide, March 199

GDH2000 Convenor's Report: Spin Polarizabilities

The subject of low energy polarized Compton scattering from the proton, which is characterized by phenomenological spin-polarizabilities, is introduced and connection is made to new theoretical and experimental developments which were reported to this meeting.Comment: 13 page Latex file, Talk given at GDH2000 Workshop, Mainz, June, 200

Hyperon Physics-a Personal Overview

A range of issues in the field of hyperon physics is presented, together with an assessment of where important challenges remain.Comment: Introductory talk given at FNAL Hyperon99 Workshop--6pg latex fil