Progress in three-particle scattering from LQCD

We present the status of our formalism for extracting three-particle scattering observables from lattice QCD (LQCD). The method relies on relating the discrete finite-volume spectrum of a quantum field theory with its scattering amplitudes. As the finite-volume spectrum can be directly determined in LQCD, this provides a method for determining scattering observables, and associated resonance properties, from the underlying theory. In a pair of papers published over the last two years, two of us have extended this approach to apply to relativistic three-particle scattering states. In this talk we summarize recent progress in checking and further extending this result. We describe an extension of the formalism to include systems in which two-to-three transitions can occur. We then present a check of the previously published formalism, in which we reproduce the known finite-volume energy shift of a three-particle bound state.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, proceedings for XIIth Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum (CONF12

Three-particle systems with resonant subprocesses in a finite volume

In previous work, we have developed a relativistic, model-independent three-particle quantization condition, but only under the assumption that no poles are present in the two-particle K matrices that appear as scattering subprocesses. Here we lift this restriction, by deriving the quantization condition for identical scalar particles with a G-parity symmetry, in the case that the two-particle K matrix has a pole in the kinematic regime of interest. As in earlier work, our result involves intermediate infinite-volume quantities with no direct physical interpretation, and we show how these are related to the physical three-to-three scattering amplitude by integral equations. This work opens the door to study processes such as $a_2 \to \rho \pi \to \pi \pi \pi$, in which the $\rho$ is rigorously treated as a resonance state.Comment: 46 pages, 9 figures, JLAB-THY-18-2819, CERN-TH-2018-21

Numerical study of the relativistic three-body quantization condition in the isotropic approximation

We present numerical results showing how our recently proposed relativistic three-particle quantization condition can be used in practice. Using the isotropic (generalized $s$-wave) approximation, and keeping only the leading terms in the effective range expansion, we show how the quantization condition can be solved numerically in a straightforward manner. In addition, we show how the integral equations that relate the intermediate three-particle infinite-volume scattering quantity, $\mathcal K_{\text{df},3}$, to the physical scattering amplitude can be solved at and below threshold. We test our methods by reproducing known analytic results for the $1/L$ expansion of the threshold state, the volume dependence of three-particle bound-state energies, and the Bethe-Salpeter wavefunctions for these bound states. We also find that certain values of $\mathcal K_{\text{df},3}$ lead to unphysical finite-volume energies, and give a preliminary analysis of these artifacts.Comment: 32 pages, 21 figures, JLAB-THY-18-2657, CERN-TH-2018-046; version 2: corrected typos, updated references, minor stylistic changes---consistent with published versio

Generalizing the relativistic quantization condition to include all three-pion isospin channels

We present a generalization of the relativistic, finite-volume, three-particle quantization condition for non-identical pions in isosymmetric QCD. The resulting formalism allows one to use discrete finite-volume energies, determined using lattice QCD, to constrain scattering amplitudes for all possible values of two- and three-pion isospin. As for the case of identical pions considered previously, the result splits into two steps: The first defines a non-perturbative function with roots equal to the allowed energies, $E_n(L)$, in a given cubic volume with side-length $L$. This function depends on an intermediate three-body quantity, denoted $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{df},3}$, which can thus be constrained from lattice QCD input. The second step is a set of integral equations relating $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{df},3}$ to the physical scattering amplitude, $\mathcal M_3$. Both of the key relations, $E_n(L) \leftrightarrow \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{df},3}$ and $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{df},3}\leftrightarrow \mathcal M_3$, are shown to be block-diagonal in the basis of definite three-pion isospin, $I_{\pi \pi \pi}$, so that one in fact recovers four independent relations, corresponding to $I_{\pi \pi \pi}=0,1,2,3$. We also provide the generalized threshold expansion of $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{df},3}$ for all channels, as well as parameterizations for all three-pion resonances present for $I_{\pi\pi\pi}=0$ and $I_{\pi\pi\pi}=1$. As an example of the utility of the generalized formalism, we present a toy implementation of the quantization condition for $I_{\pi\pi\pi}=0$, focusing on the quantum numbers of the $\omega$ and $h_1$ resonances.Comment: 46 pages, 4 figures. Updated to match erratum published in JHEP. Main conclusions and results unchange

Multiple-channel generalization of Lellouch-Luscher formula

We generalize the Lellouch-Luscher formula, relating weak matrix elements in finite and infinite volumes, to the case of multiple strongly-coupled decay channels into two scalar particles. This is a necessary first step on the way to a lattice QCD calculation of weak decay rates for processes such as D -> pi pi and D -> KK. We also present a field theoretic derivation of the generalization of Luscher's finite volume quantization condition to multiple two-particle channels. We give fully explicit results for the case of two channels, including a form of the generalized Lellouch-Luscher formula expressed in terms of derivatives of the energies of finite volume states with respect to the box size. Our results hold for arbitrary total momentum and for degenerate or non-degenerate particles.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures. v3: Added references, clarified relation to and corrected comments about previous work, and minor stylistic improvements. v4: Minor clarifications added, typos fixed, references updated---matches published versio