Non-Perturbative Study of the Light Pseudoscalar Masses in Chiral Dynamics

We perform a non-perturbative chiral study of the masses of the lightest pseudoscalar mesons. In the calculation of the self-energies we employ the S-wave meson-meson amplitudes taken from Unitary Chiral Perturbation Theory (UCHPT) that include the lightest nonet of scalar resonances. Values for the bare masses of pions and kaons are obtained, as well as an estimate of the mass of the \eta_8. The former are found to dominate the physical pseudoscalar masses. We then match to the self-energies from Chiral Perturbation Theory (CHPT) to O(p^4), and a robust relation between several O(p^4) CHPT counterterms is obtained. We also resum higher orders from our calculated self-energies. By taking into account values determined from previous chiral phenomenological studies of m_s/\hat{m} and 3L_7+L^r_8, we determine a tighter region of favoured values for the O(p^4) CHPT counterterms 2L^r_6-L^r_4 and 2L^r_8-L^r_5. This determination perfectly overlaps with the recent determinations to O(p^6) in CHPT. We warn about a likely reduction in the value of m_s/\hat{m} by higher loop diagrams and that this is not systematically accounted for by present lattice extrapolations. We also provide a favoured interval of values for m_s/\hat{m} and 3L_7+L^r_8.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures. Original new material is included. Major rewriting when comparing with lattice QC

Theoretical Study of the \gamma\gamma-->meson-meson Reaction

We present a unified picture which studies simultaneously the gamma gamma-->pi^+ pi^-, pi^0 pi^0, K^+ K^-, K^0 bar{K}^0, pi^0 eta reactions up to about sqrt(s)=1.4 GeV reproducing the experimental cross sections. The present work implements in an accurate way the final state interactions of the meson-meson system, which is shown to be essential in order to reproduce the data, particularly the L=0 channel. This latter channel is treated here following a recent theoretical work in which the meson-meson amplitudes are well reproduced and the f_0, a_0, sigma resonances show up clearly as poles of the t matrix. The present work, as done in earlier ones, also incorporates elements of chiral symmetry and exchange of vector and axial resonances in the crossed channels, as well as a direct coupling to the f_2(1270) and a_2(1320) resonances. We also evaluate the decay width of the f_0(980) and a_0(980) resonances into the gamma-gamma channel.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, LaTeX. Only significant change in the calculation of \gamma\gamma-->pi^+ pi^- from the more careful treatment of the tail of the f_2(1270) resonanc

N/D Description of Two Meson Amplitudes and Chiral Symmetry

The most general structure of an elastic partial wave amplitude when the unphysical cuts are neglected is deduced in terms of the N/D method. This result is then matched to lowest order, ${\mathcal{O}}(p^2)$, Chiral Perturbation Theory($\chi$PT) and to the exchange (consistent with chiral symmetry) of resonances in the s-channel. The extension of the method to coupled channels is also given. Making use of the former formalism, the $\pi\pi$ and $K\pi$(I=1/2) P-wave scattering amplitudes are described without free parameters when taking into account relations coming from the 1/$N_c$ expansion and unitarity. Next, the scalar sector is studied and good agreement with experiment up to $\sqrt{s}=1.4$ GeV is found. It is observed that the $a_0(980)$, $\sigma$ and $\kappa(900)$ resonances are meson-meson states originating from the unitarization of the ${\mathcal{O}}(p^2)$ $\chi$PT amplitudes. On the other hand, the $f_0(980)$ is a combination of a strong S-wave meson-meson unitarity effect and of a preexisting singlet resonance with a mass around 1 GeV. We have also studied the size of the contributions of the unphysical cuts to the $\pi\pi$(I=0) and $K\pi$(I=1/2) elastic S-wave amplitudes from $\chi$PT and the exchange of resonances in crossed channels up to $\sqrt{s}\approx 800$ MeV. The loops are calculated as in $\chi$PT at next to leading order. We find a small correction from the unphysical cuts to our calculated partial waves.Comment: 32 pages, LaTeX, 9 Figures. Estimations of the unphysical cuts have been done in a new section. Final versio