Radiative Semileptonic Kaon Decays

We evaluate the matrix elements for the radiative kaon decays $K^+ \to l^+\nu_l\gamma$, $l^+ \nu_l l'^+ l'^-$ and $K \to \pi l \nu_l\gamma$ \ ($l,\ l' = e,\mu$) to next-to-leading order in chiral perturbation theory. We calculate total rates and rates with several kinematical cuts and confront the results with existing data. Measurements at future kaon facilities will allow for a more detailed comparison between theory and experiment.Comment: LaTeX, 40 pages, 5 figures (not included), CERN-TH 6625/92, BUTP-92/3

On the pion decay constant

The pion decay constant f_pi plays a crucial role in many areas of low energy particle physics. Its value may e.g. be deduced from experimental data on leptonic pion decays. Here, we provide comments on several aspects of this evaluation. In particular, we point out that at the present level of experimental accuracy, the value of f_pi is sensitive to the value of the pion mass chosen in its chiral expansion.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

Isospin dependence of the three-nucleon force

We classify $A$--nucleon forces according to their isospin dependence and discuss the most general isospin structure of the three--nucleon force. We derive the leading and subleading isospin--breaking corrections to the three--nucleon force using the framework of chiral effective field theory.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure

The quark condensate from K_{e_4} decays

We show that, independently of the size of the quark condensate, chiral symmetry correlates the two S-wave \pi\pi scattering lengths. In view of this constraint, the new precision data on K_{e_4} decay allow a remarkably accurate determination of these quantities. The result confirms the hypothesis that the quark condensate is the leading order parameter.Comment: 4 pages (LaTex), 3 figure

Pion mass dependence of the Kl3K_{l3} semileptonic scalar form factor within finite volume

We calculate the scalar semileptonic kaon decay in finite volume at the momentum transfer $t_{m} = (m_{K} - m_{\pi})^2$, using chiral perturbation theory. At first we obtain the hadronic matrix element to be calculated in finite volume. We then evaluate the finite size effects for two volumes with $L = 1.83 fm$ and $L= 2.73 fm$ and find that the difference between the finite volume corrections of the two volumes are larger than the difference as quoted in \cite{Boyle2007a}. It appears then that the pion masses used for the scalar form factor in ChPT are large which result in large finite volume corrections. If appropriate values for pion mass are used, we believe that the finite size effects estimated in this paper can be useful for Lattice data to extrapolate at large lattice size.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in EPJ

Chiral two-loop pion-pion scattering parameters from crossing-symmetric constraints

Constraints on the parameters in the one- and two-loop pion-pion scattering amplitudes of standard chiral perturbation theory are obtained from explicitly crossing-symmetric sum rules. These constraints are based on a matching of the chiral amplitudes and the physical amplitudes at the symmetry point of the Mandelstam plane. The integrals over absorptive parts appearing in the sum rules are decomposed into crossing-symmetric low- and high-energy components and the chiral parameters are finally related to high-energy absorptive parts. A first application uses a simple model of these absorptive parts. The sensitivity of the results to the choice of the energy separating high and low energies is examined with care. Weak dependence on this energy is obtained as long as it stays below ~560 MeV. Reliable predictions are obtained for three two-loop parameters.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures in .eps files, Latex (RevTex), our version of RevTex runs under Latex2.09, submitted to Phys. Rev. D,minor typographical corrections including the number at the end of the abstract, two sentences added at the end of Section 5 in answer to a referee's remar

Critical Analysis of Baryon Masses and Sigma-Terms in Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory

We present an analysis of the octet baryon masses and the $\pi N$ and $KN$ $\sigma$--terms in the framework of heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory. At next-to-leading order, ${\cal O}(q^3)$, knowledge of the baryon masses and $\sigma_{\pi N}(0)$ allows to determine the three corresponding finite low--energy constants and to predict the the two $KN$ $\sigma$--terms $\sigma^{(1,2)}_{KN} (0)$. We also include the spin-3/2 decuplet in the effective theory. The presence of the non--vanishing energy scale due to the octet--decuplet splitting shifts the average octet baryon mass by an infinite amount and leads to infinite renormalizations of the low--energy constants. The first observable effect of the decuplet intermediate states to the baryon masses starts out at order $q^4$. We argue that it is not sufficient to retain only these but no other higher order terms to achieve a consistent description of the three--flavor scalar sector of baryon CHPT. In addition, we critically discuss an SU(2) result which allows to explain the large shift of $\sigma_{\pi N}(2M_\pi^2) - \sigma_{\pi N}(0)$ via intermediate $\Delta (1232)$ states.Comment: 18 pp, TeX, BUTP-93/05 and CRN-93-0

Isospin Violation in Chiral Perturbation Theory and the Decays \eta \ra \pi \ell \nu and \tau \ra \eta \pi \nu

I discuss isospin breaking effects within the standard model. Chiral perturbation theory presents the appropriate theoretical framework for such an investigation in the low--energy range. Recent results on the electromagnetic contributions to the masses of the pseudoscalar mesons and the $K_{\ell 3}$ amplitudes are reported. Using the one--loop formulae for the $\eta_{\ell 3}$ form factors, rather precise predictions for the decay rates of $\eta \rightarrow \pi \ell \nu$ can be obtained. Finally, I present an estimate of the \tau \ra \eta \pi \nu branching ratio derived from the dominant meson resonance contributions to this decay.Comment: 10 pages, latex, one figure available upon reques