The quantum mechanical theory of collisions

textLecture notes by Roy Glauber, Department of Physics, Harvard University. Cours professe a l'Ecole d'ete de physique theorique. Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, FranceEcole d'ete de physique theorique. Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, FrancePhysic

Coulomb-nuclear interference in pion-nucleus bremsstrahlung

Pion-nucleus bremsstrahlung offers a possibility of measuring the structure functions of pion-Compton scattering from a study of the small-momentum-transfer region where the bremsstrahlung reaction is dominated by the single-photon-exchange mechanism. The corresponding cross-section distribution is characterized by a sharp peak at small momentum transfers. But there is also a hadronic contribution which is smooth and constitutes an undesired background. In this communication the modification of the single-photon exchange amplitude by multiple-Coulomb scattering is investigated as well as the Coulomb-nuclear interference term.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures. Eqs.(51,52) corrected; some new figure

A remark on the Primakoff effect

The coherent-nuclear reaction a + A -> a* + A is in the small-angle region dominated by the one-photon-exchange mechanism, often referred to as the Primakoff effect. In this region information about the electromagnetic decay a* -> a + gamma can be obtained. Well-known examples are the two-photon decays of the pi- and eta-mesons. Also decays of charged hadrons can be studied. For charged hadrons the one-photon-exchange amplitude comes with a Coulomb-phase factor and a Coulomb-form factor, which depend on the ratio between transverse- and logitudinal-momentum transfers, the latter being fixed. At the peak of the cross-section distribution, where the two momentum transfers are equal, the form factor could cut down the cross-section value by as much as 40 %. Consequently, a determination of a radiative-decay rate that relies on the peak value becomes sensitive to a proper treatment of the Coulomb-form factor.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Slow Proton Production in Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering off Deuteron and Complex Nuclei: Hadronization and Final State Interaction Effects

The effects of the final state interaction in slow proton production in semi inclusive deep inelastic scattering processes off nuclei, A(e,e'p)X, are investigated in details within the spectator and target fragmentation mechanisms; in the former mechanism, the hard interaction on a nucleon of a correlated pair leads, by recoil, to the emission of the partner nucleon, whereas in the latter mechanism proton is produced when the diquark, which is formed right after the visrtual photon-quark interaction, captures a quark from the vacuum. Unlike previous papers on the subject, particular attention is paid on the effects of the final state interaction of the hadronizing quark with the nuclear medium within an approach based upon an effective time-dependent cross section which combines the soft and hard parts of hadronization dynamics in terms of the string model and perturbative QCD, respectively. It is shown that the final state interaction of the hadronizing quark with the medium plays a relevant role both in deuteron and complex nuclei; nonetheless, kinematical regions where final state interaction effects are minimized can experimentally be selected, which would allow one to investigate the structure functions of nucleons embedded in the nuclear medium; likewise, regions where the interaction of the struck hadronizing quark with the nuclear medium is maximized can be found, which would make it possible to study non perturbative hadronization mechanisms.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures, accepted for pubblication in Phys. Rev.

Title Quantum Optics and Heavy Ion Physics

I shall try to say a few words about two particular ways in which my own work has a certain relation to your work with heavy ions. My title is therefore "Quantum Optics and Heavy Ion Physics".Comment: Invited paper delivered at Quark Matter 2005 Conference, Budapest, Hungary, August 4, 2005, 11 pages, 5 figure

Yoctosecond metrology through HBT correlations from a quark-gluon plasma

Expansion dynamics at the yoctosecond timescale affect the evolution of the quark gluon plasma (QGP) created in heavy ion collisions. We show how these dynamics are accessible through Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) intensity interferometry of direct photons emitted from the interior of the QGP. A detector placed close to the beam axis is particularly sensitive to early polar momentum anisotropies of the QGP. Observing a modification of the HBT signal at the proposed FoCal detector of the LHC ALICE experiment would allow to measure the isotropization time of the plasma and could provide first experimental evidence for photon double pulses at the yoctosecond timescale.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Dynamic radiation force of acoustic waves on solid elastic spheres

The present study concerns the dynamic radiation force on solid elastic spheres exerted by a plane wave with two frequencies (bichromatic wave) considering the nonlinearity of the fluid. Our approach is based on solving the wave scattering for the sphere in the quasilinear approximation within the preshock wave range. The dynamic radiation force is then obtained by integrating the component of the momentum flux tensor at the difference of the primary frequencies over the boundary of the sphere. Results reveal that effects of the nonlinearity of the fluid plays a major role in dynamic radiation force leading it to a parametric amplification regime. The developed theory is used to calculate the dynamic radiation force on three different solid spheres (aluminium, silver, and tungsten). Resonances are observed in the spectrum of the force on the spheres. They have larger amplitude and better shape than resonances present in static radiation force.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review