Causality bounds for neutron-proton scattering

We consider the constraints of causality and unitarity for the low-energy interactions of protons and neutrons. We derive a general theorem that non-vanishing partial-wave mixing cannot be reproduced with zero-range interactions without violating causality or unitarity. We define and calculate interaction length scales which we call the causal range and the Cauchy-Schwarz range for all spin channels up to J = 3. For some channels we find that these length scales are as large as 5 fm. We investigate the origin of these large lengths and discuss their significance for the choice of momentum cutoff scales in effective field theory and universality in many-body Fermi systems.Comment: 36 pages, 10 figures, 7 tables, version to appear in Eur. Phys. J.