Two-Pion Exchange in Proton-Proton Scattering

The contribution of the box and crossed two-pion-exchange diagrams to proton-proton scattering at 90$^{\circ}_{c.m.}$ is calculated in the laboratory momentum range up to 12 GeV/c. Relativistic form factors related to the nucleon and pion size and representing the pion source distribution based on the quark structure of the hadronic core are included at each vertex of the pion-nucleon interaction. These form factors depend on the four-momenta of the exchanged pions and scattering nucleons. Feynman-diagram amplitudes calculated without form factors are checked against those derived from dispersion relations. In this comparison, one notices that a very short-range part of the crossed diagram, neglected in dispersion-relation calculations of the two-pion-exchange nucleon-nucleon potential, gives a sizable contribution. In the Feynman-diagram calculation with form factors the agreement with measured spin-separated cross sections, as well as amplitudes in the lower part of the energy range considered, is much better for pion-nucleon pseudo-vector vis \`a vis pseudo-scalar coupling. While strengths of the box and crossed diagrams are comparable for laboratory momenta below 2 GeV/c, the crossed diagram dominates for larger momenta, largely due to the kinematics of the crossed diagram allowing a smaller momentum transfer in the nucleon center of mass. An important contribution arises from the principal-value part of the integrals which is non-zero when form factors are included. It seems that the importance of the exchange of color singlets may extend higher in energy than expected

Analysis of NN Amplitudes up to 2.5 GeV: An Optical Model and Geometric Interpretation

We analyse the SM97 partial wave amplitudes for nucleon--nucleon (NN) scattering to 2.5 GeV, in which resonance and meson production effects are evident for energies above pion production threshold. Our analyses are based upon boson exchange or quantum inversion potentials with which the sub-threshold data are fit perfectly. Above 300 MeV they are extrapolations, to which complex short ranged Gaussian potentials are added in the spirit of the optical models of nuclear physics and of diffraction models of high energy physics. The data to 2.5 GeV are all well fit. The energy dependences of these Gaussians are very smooth save for precise effects caused by the known $\Delta$ and N$^\star$ resonances. With this approach, we confirm that the geometrical implications of the profile function found from diffraction scattering are pertinent in the regime 300 MeV to 2.5 GeV and that the overwhelming part of meson production comes from the QCD sector of the nucleons when they have a separation of their centres of 1 to 1.2 fm. This analysis shows that the elastic NN scattering data above 300 MeV can be understood with a local potential operator as well as has the data below 300 MeV.Comment: 49 pages, including 23 figures, LaTeX2e/RevTeX/ps fil

Nucleon-Nucleon Optical Model for Energies to 3 GeV

Several nucleon-nucleon potentials, Paris, Nijmegen, Argonne, and those derived by quantum inversion, which describe the NN interaction for T-lab below 300$ MeV are extended in their range of application as NN optical models. Extensions are made in r-space using complex separable potentials definable with a wide range of form factor options including those of boundary condition models. We use the latest phase shift analyses SP00 (FA00, WI00) of Arndt et al. from 300 MeV to 3 GeV to determine these extensions. The imaginary parts of the optical model interactions account for loss of flux into direct or resonant production processes. The optical potential approach is of particular value as it permits one to visualize fusion, and subsequent fission, of nucleons when T-lab above 2 GeV. We do so by calculating the scattering wave functions to specify the energy and radial dependences of flux losses and of probability distributions. Furthermore, half-off the energy shell t-matrices are presented as they are readily deduced with this approach. Such t-matrices are required for studies of few- and many-body nuclear reactions.Comment: Latex, 40 postscript pages including 17 figure

Spin dependence of the antinucleon-nucleon interaction

The status of our present knowledge on the antinucleon-nucleon interaction at low and medium energies is discussed. Special emphasis is put on aspects related to its spin dependence which are relevant for experiments planned by the PAX collaboration. Predictions for the spin-dependent antiproton-proton cross sections sigma_1 and sigma_2 are presented, utilizing antinucleon-nucleon potential models developed by the Juelich group, and compared to results based on the amplitudes of the Nijmegen partial-wave analysis.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 19th International Spin Physics Symposium, September 27 - October 2, 2010, Juelich, German

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Constraints on Hadronically and Electromagnetically Decaying Relic Neutral Particles

Big Bang nucleosynthesis in the presence of decaying relic neutral particles is examined in detail. All non-thermal processes important for the determination of light-element abundance yields of 2H, 3H, 3He, 4He, 6Li, and 7Li are coupled to the thermonuclear fusion reactions to obtain comparatively accurate results. Predicted light-element yields are compared to observationally inferred limits on primordial light-element abundances to infer constraints on the abundances and properties of relic decaying particles with decay times in the interval 0.01 sec < tau < 10^(12) sec. Decaying particles are typically constrained at early times by 4He or 2H, at intermediate times by 6Li, and at large times by the 3He/2H ratio. Constraints are shown for a large number of hadronic branching ratios and decaying particle masses and may be applied to constrain the evolution of the early Universe.Comment: 24 pages (revtex), 11 figures, title changed, matches published versio

Precise method for the determination of the neutron electric form factor based on a relativistic analysis of the process $d(e,e'n)p

We generalize the recoil polarization method for the determination of the proton form factor to the case of the disintegration of vector polarized deuterons by longitudinally polarized electrons, $\vec d(\vec e, e'n)p$. We suggest to measure for this reaction, in the kinematics of quasi-elastic $en$-scattering, the ratio $R_{xz}=A_x/A_z$ of the asymmetries induced by the $x$- and $z$-components of the deuteron vector polarization. In the framework of the relativistic impulse approximation the ratio $R_{xz}$ is sensitive to $G_{En}$ in a wide interval of momentum transfer squared, whereas it depends weakly on the details of the $np$-interaction and on the choice of the deuteron wave function. Moreover, in the range $0.5\le Q^2\le$1.5 GeV$^2$, the ratio $R_{xz}$ shows a smooth dependence on $Q^2$, making the analysis simpler.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figs, 1 tabl

Lambda^0 polarization as a probe for production of deconfined matter in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We study the polarization change of Lambda^0's produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions with respect to the polarization observed in proton-proton collisions as a signal for the formation of a Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Assuming that, when the density of participants in the collision is larger than the critical density for QGP formation, the Lambda^0 production mechanism changes from recombination type processes to the coalescence of free valence quarks, we find that the Lambda^0 polarization depends on the relative contribution of each process to the total number of Lambda^0's produced in the collision. To describe the polarization of Lambda^0's in nuclear collisions for densities below the critical density for the QGP formation, we use the DeGrand-Miettinen model corrected for the effects introduced by multiple scattering of the produced Lambda^0 within the nuclear environment.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, uses ReVTeX and epsfig.st

The p(d,p)d and p(d,p)pn reactions as a tool for the study of the short range internal structure of the deuteron

In recent time the deuteron structure at short distances is often treated from the point of view nonnucleonic degrees of freedom. In this paper the measurements of T-odd polarization observables using tensor polarized deuteron beam and polarized proton target or proton polarimeter are proposed to search the quark configurations inside the deuteron.Comment: 12 pages, 8 Postscript figures, submitted in Phys.Atom.Nuc

Constraints on Parity-Even Time Reversal Violation in the Nucleon-Nucleon System and Its Connection to Charge Symmetry Breaking

Parity-even time reversal violation (TRV) in the nucleon-nucleon interaction is reconsidered. The TRV $\rho$-exchange interaction on which recent analyses of measurements are based is necessarily also charge-symmetry breaking (CSB). Limits on its strength $\bar{g}_\rho$ relative to regular $\rho$-exchange are extracted from recent CSB experiments in neutron-proton scattering. The result $\bar{g}_\rho\le 6.7\times 10^{-3}$ (95% CL) is considerably lower than limits inferred from direct TRV tests in nuclear processes. Properties of $a_1$-exchange and limit imposed by the neutron EDM are briefly discussed.Comment: RevTex, 8 pages. Factor ten error in cited neutron EDM corrected, discussion and two references adde

Dilepton production in proton-proton collisions at BEVALAC energies

The dilepton production in elementary ${pp\to e^{+}e^{-}X}$ reactions at BEVALAC energies $T_{lab}=1\div 5$ GeV is investigated. The calculations include direct ${e^{+}e^{-}}$ decays of the vector mesons $\rho ^{0}$, $\omega$, and $\phi$, Dalitz decays of the $\pi ^{0}$-, $\eta$-, $$-, $\omega$-, and $\phi$-mesons, and of the baryon resonances $$ $...$ . The subthreshold vector meson production cross sections in $pp$ collisions are treated in a way sufficient to avoid double counting with the inclusive vector meson production. The vector meson dominance model for the transition form factors of the resonance Dalitz decays $R\to e^{+}e^{-}N$ is used in an extended form to ensure correct asymptotics which are in agreement with the quark counting rules. Such a modification gives an unified and consistent description of both $R\to N\gamma$ radiative decays and $R\to N\rho (\omega)$ meson decays. The effect of multiple pion production on the experimental efficiency for the detection of the dilepton pairs is studied. We find the dilepton yield in reasonable agreement with the experimental data for the set of intermediate energies whereas at the highest energy $T_{lab}=4.88$ GeV the number of dilepton pairs is likely to be overestimated experimentally in the mass range $M=300\div 700$ MeV.Comment: 25 pages (IOP style), 5 figures, revised manuscript accepted for publication in JP