N^* electroproduction amplitudes in a model with dynamical confinement

The Roper resonance is described in a chiral version of the chromodielectric model as a cluster of three quarks in radial-orbital configuration (1s)$^2$(2s)$^1$, surrounded by $\pi$ and $\sigma$-meson clouds and by a chromodielectric field which assures quark dynamical confinement. Radial profiles for all fields are determined self-consistently for each baryon. Transverse $A_{1/2}$ and scalar $S_{1/2}$ helicity amplitudes for the nucleon-Roper transition are calculated. The contribution of glueball and $\sigma$-meson vibrations is estimated; although small for N(1440), the $\sigma$ contribution can be large for N(1710).Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, uses elsevier macro

Roper Electroproduction Amplitudes in a Chiral Confinement Model

A description of the Roper using the chiral chromodielectric model is presented and the transverse $A_{1/2}$ and the scalar $S_{1/2}$ helicity amplitudes for the electromagnetic Nucleon--Roper transition are obtained for small and moderate $Q^2$. The sign of the amplitudes is correct but the model predictions underestimate the data at the photon point. Our results do not indicate a change of sign in any amplitudes up to $Q^2\sim1$ GeV$^2$. The contribution of the scalar meson excitations to the Roper electroproduction is taken into account but it turns out to be small in comparison with the quark contribution. However, it is argued that mesonic excitations may play a more prominent role in higher excited states.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, uses World Scientific macros. Talk presented at EMI2001 in Osaka, Japa

Metallic slabs: Perturbative treatments based on jellium

We examine first-order perturbative results based on jellium for the surface energy of slabs of simple metals, using various local pseudopotentials (Ashcroft, Heine-Abarenkov and evanescent core). The difference between the pseudopotential and the jellium potential is averaged along the plane parallel to the surface. We compare these perturbative results with those of the stabilized jellium model (a modification of the regular jellium model in which the perturbation appears in the energy functional right from the outset) and with the output of other perturbative and non-perturbative calculations.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Prog. Surf. Sc

Dynamical nature of the nuclear pseudospin and its isospin asymmetry

Pseudospin symmetry in nuclei is investigated by solving the Dirac equation with Woods-Saxon scalar and vector radial potentials. We relate the pseudospin interaction with a pseudospin-orbit term in a Schroedinger-like equation for the lower component of the Dirac spinor. We show that this term gives a large contribution to the energy splittings of pseudospin partners, so that the near pseudospin degeneracy arises from a significant cancellation among the different terms in that equation. This is a manifestation of the dynamical character of this symmetry in the nucleus. We analyze the isospin dependence of the pseudospin symmetry in a nuclear isotope chain by including a vector-isovector potential V_rho and a Coulomb potential and conclude that V_rho gives the main contribution to the observed pseudospin isospin asymmetry.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, uses World Scientific style file. Contribution presented at the VIII International Workshop on Hadron Physics, Bento Goncalves, RS, Brazil, April 14-19, 2002. To be published by World Scientific in the proceedings of the "International Workshop on Hadron Physics 2002

Investigation of the existence of hybrid stars using Nambu-Jona-Lasinio models

We investigate the hadron-quark phase transition inside neutron stars and obtain mass-radius relations for hybrid stars. The equation of state for the quark phase using the standard NJL model is too soft leading to an unstable star and suggesting a modification of the NJL model by introducing a momentum cutoff dependent on the chemical potential. However, even in this approach, the instability remains. In order to remedy the instability we suggest the introduction of a vector coupling in the NJL model, which makes the EoS stiffer, reducing the instability. We conclude that the possible existence of quark matter inside the stars require high densities, leading to very compact stars.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; prepared for IV International Workshop on Astronomy and Relativistic Astrophysics (IWARA 2009), Maresias, 4-8 Oct 200

Small quark stars in the chromodielectric model

Equations of state for strange quark matter in beta equilibrium at high densities are used to investigate the structure (mass and radius) of compact objects. The chromodielectric model is used as a general framework for the quark interactions, which are mediated by chiral mesons, $\sigma$ and $\vec \pi$, and by a confining chiral singlet dynamical field, $\chi$. Using a quartic potential for $\chi$, two equations of state for the same set of model parameters are obtained, one with a minimum at around the nuclear matter density $\rho_0$ and the other at $\rho \sim 5 \rho_0$. Using the latter equation of state in the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations we found solutions corresponding to compact objects with $R\sim 5 - 8$ km and $M\sim M_\odot$. The phenomenology of recently discovered X-ray sources is compatible with the type of quark stars that we have obtained.Comment: 8 pages, AIP macros; Talk delivered at the Pan American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) Conference "New States of Matter in Hadronic Interactions", Campos do Jordao, Brazil, January 200

Spin and pseudospin symmetries in the antinucleon spectrum of nuclei

Spin and pseudospin symmetries in the spectra of nucleons and antinucleons are studied in a relativistic mean-field theory with scalar and vector Woods-Saxon potentials, in which the strength of the latter is allowed to change. We observe that, for nucleons and antinucleons, the spin symmetry is of perturbative nature and it is almost an exact symmetry in the physical region for antinucleons. The opposite situation is found in the pseudospin symmetry case, which is better realized for nucleons than for antinucleons, but is of dynamical nature and cannot be viewed in a perturbative way both for nucleons and antinucleons. This is shown by computing the spin-orbit and pseudospin-orbit couplings for selected spin and pseudospin partners in both spectra.Comment: 8 figures, uses revtex 4.1 macro