Residual interaction effects on deeply bound pionic states in Sn and Pb isotopes

We have studied the residual interaction effects theoretically on the deeply bound pionic states in Pb and Sn isotopes. We need to evaluate the residual interaction effects carefully in order to deduce the nuclear medium effects for pion properties, which are believed to provide valuable information on nuclear chiral dynamics. The s- and p-wave $\pi-N$ interactions are used for the pion-nucleon residual interactions. We show that the complex energy shifts are around [(10-20)+i(2-7)]keV for 1s states in Sn, which should be taken into account in the analyses of the high precision data of deeply bound pionic $1s$ states in Sn isotopes.Comment: REVTEX4, 6 pages, 5 tables, Submitted to Phys. Rev. C, Some explanations are added in Version

Nuclear Quadrupole Effects in Deeply Bound Pionic Atoms

We have studied nuclear quadrupole deformation effects in deeply bound pionic atoms theoretically. We have evaluated the level shifts and widths of the hyperfine components using the first order perturbation theory and compared them with the effects of neutron skin. We conclude that the nuclear quadrupole deformation effects for deeply bound $1s$ and $2p$ states are very difficult to observe and that the effects could be observed for $3d$ states. We also conclude that the deformation effects are sensitive to the parameters of the pion-nucleus optical potential.Comment: Latex 11pages, Figures available on reques

Pionic atom unveils hidden structure of QCD vacuum

Modern theories of physics tell that the vacuum is not an empty space. Hidden in the vacuum is a structure of anti-quarks $\bar{q}$ and quarks $q$. The $\bar{q}$ and $q$ pair has the same quantum number as the vacuum and condensates in it since the strong interaction of the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is too strong to leave it empty. The $\bar{q}q$ condensation breaks the chiral symmetry of the vacuum. The expectation value $$ is an order parameter. For higher temperature or higher matter-density, $||$ decreases reflecting the restoration of the symmetry. In contrast to these clear-cut arguments, experimental evidence is so far limited. First of all, the $\bar{q}q$ is nothing but the vacuum itself. It is neither visible nor perceptible. In this article, we unravel this invisible existence by high precision measurement of pionic atoms, $\pi^-$-meson-nucleus bound systems. Using the $\pi^-$ as a probe, we demonstrate that $||$ is reduced in the nucleus by a factor of 58 $\pm$ 4% compared with that in the vacuum. This reduction indicates that the chiral symmetry is partially restored due to the extremely high density of the nucleus. The present experimental result clearly exhibits the existence of the hidden structure, the chiral condensate, in the vacuum