Nonlocal chiral quark models with wavefunction renormalization: Sigma properties and pi-pi scattering parameters.

We analyze the sigma meson mass and width together with the pion-pion scattering parameters in the context of nonlocal chiral quark models with wave function renormalization (WFR). We consider both nonlocal interactions based on the frequently used exponential form factor, and on fits to the quark mass and renormalization functions obtained in lattice calculations. In the case of the sigma properties, we obtain results which are less dependent on the parametrization than in the standard local Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model, and which are in reasonable agreement with the recently reported empirical values. We also show that the inclusion of the WFR tend to improve the description of the pi-pi scattering parameters, with the lattice inspired parametrization providing the best overall results. Finally, we analyze the connection of the nonlocal quark models discussed here with chiral perturbation theory, and present the model predictions for the low-energy constants relevant for pi-pi scattering to O(4) in the chiral expansion

Electromagnetic and weak hyperon properties in the Skyrme model

We report on the result of some investigations concerning the radiative decays of decuplet baryons and the non-leptonic weak decays of the octet baryons in the context of topological chiral soliton models. Our results are compared with those of alternative baryon models. For the radiative decays we find that the predictions are similar to those of quark models. In the case of the non-leptonic weak decays, we find that although the predicted S-wave amplitudes are in rather good agreement with the observed values, the model is not able to reproduce the empirical P-wave amplitudes. Thus, in contrast to previous expectations, the Skyrme model does not seem to provide a solution to the long-standing 'S-wave/P-wave puzzle'.Comment: 7 pages, 1 fig. Cont. to the Proc. of the "School on Electromagnetic probes and the structure of hadrons and nuclei". Erice, Italy. September 17- 24, 1999 to be published in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physic

Perturbative description of nuclear double beta decay transitions

A consistent treatment of intrinsic and collective coordinates is applied to the calculation of matrix elements describing nuclear double beta decay transitions. The method, which was developed for the case of nuclear rotations, is adapted to include isospin and number of particles degrees of freedom. It is shown that the uncertainties found in most models, in dealing with these decay modes, are largely due to the mixing of physical and spurious effects in the treatment of isospin dependent interactions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, RevTe

The Hyperon-Nucleon Interaction Potential in the Bound State Soliton Model: The ΛN\Lambda N Case

We develop the formalism to study the hyperon-nucleon interaction potential within the bound state approach to the SU(3) Skyrme model. The general framework is illustrated by applying it to the diagonal $\Lambda N$ potential. The central, spin-spin and tensor components of this interaction are obtained and compared with those derived using alternative schemes.Comment: source file, 4 ps figure

eta-^4He Bound States in the Skyrme Model

The rational map ansatz for light nuclei in the Skyrme model is shown to imply the existence of an \eta-^4He bound state, with a binding energy of ~ 30 KeV.Comment: 5 page

Chiral phase transition in a covariant nonlocal NJL model

The properties of the chiral phase transition at finite temperature and chemical potential are investigated within a nonlocal covariant extension of the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model based on a separable quark-quark interaction. We consider both the situation in which the Minkowski quark propagator has poles at real energies and the case where only complex poles appear. In the literature, the latter has been proposed as a realization of confinement. In both cases, the behaviour of the physical quantities as functions of T and \mu is found to be quite similar. In particular, for low values of T the chiral transition is always of first order and, for finite quark masses, at certain "end point" the transition turns into a smooth crossover. In the chiral limit, this "end point" becomes a "tricritical" point. Our predictions for the position of these points are similar, although somewhat smaller, than previous estimates. Finally, the relation between the deconfining transition and chiral restoration is also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures. Figures modified, minor changes in the text. To be published in Phys. Lett.

Pion radiative weak decays in nonlocal chiral quark models

We analyze the radiative pion decay pi+ -> e+ nu_e gamma within nonlocal chiral quark models that include wave function renormalization. In this framework we calculate the vector and axial-vector form factors FV and FA at q^2=0 --where q^2 is the (e+ \nu_e) squared invariant mass-- and the slope a of FV(q^2) at q^2 -> 0. The calculations are carried out considering different nonlocal form factors, in particular those taken from lattice QCD evaluations, showing a reasonable agreement with the corresponding experimental data. The comparison of our results with those obtained in the (local) NJL model and the relation of FV and a with the form factor in pi^0 -> gamma* gamma decays are discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, minor changes in text introduce

Predictive powers of chiral perturbation theory in Compton scattering off protons

We study low-energy nucleon Compton scattering in the framework of baryon chiral perturbation theory (B$\chi$PT) with pion, nucleon, and $\Delta$(1232) degrees of freedom, up to and including the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). We include the effects of order $p^2$, $p^3$ and $p^4/\varDelta$, with $\varDelta\approx 300$ MeV the $\Delta$-resonance excitation energy. These are all "predictive" powers in the sense that no unknown low-energy constants enter until at least one order higher (i.e, $p^4$). Estimating the theoretical uncertainty on the basis of natural size for $p^4$ effects, we find that uncertainty of such a NNLO result is comparable to the uncertainty of the present experimental data for low-energy Compton scattering. We find an excellent agreement with the experimental cross section data up to at least the pion-production threshold. Nevertheless, for the proton's magnetic polarizability we obtain a value of $(4.0\pm 0.7)\times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$, in significant disagreement with the current PDG value. Unlike the previous $\chi$PT studies of Compton scattering, we perform the calculations in a manifestly Lorentz-covariant fashion, refraining from the heavy-baryon (HB) expansion. The difference between the lowest order HB$\chi$PT and B$\chi$PT results for polarizabilities is found to be appreciable. We discuss the chiral behavior of proton polarizabilities in both HB$\chi$PT and B$\chi$PT with the hope to confront it with lattice QCD calculations in a near future. In studying some of the polarized observables, we identify the regime where their naive low-energy expansion begins to break down, thus addressing the forthcoming precision measurements at the HIGS facility.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, RevTeX4, revised version published in EPJ

Heavy Quark Solitons: Strangeness and Symmetry Breaking

We discuss the generalization of the Callan-Klebanov model to the case of heavy quark baryons. The light flavor group is considered to be $SU(3)$ and the limit of heavy spin symmetry is taken. The presence of the Wess-Zumino-Witten term permits the neat development of a picture , at the collective level, of a light diquark bound to a ``heavy" quark with decoupled spin degree of freedom. The consequences of $SU(3)$ symmetry breaking are discussed in detail. We point out that the $SU(3)$ mass splittings of the heavy baryons essentially measure the ``low energy" physics once more and that the comparison with experiment is satisfactory.Comment: 17 pages, RevTEX. Minor typos corrected and new references adde