Isospin violation in pion-nucleon scattering

We construct the complete effective chiral pion-nucleon Lagrangian in the presence of virtual photons to one loop. As an application, we consider strong and electromagnetic isospin violation for scattering of neutral pions off nucleons. We show that for the scattering lengths these isospin violating terms are of the same size as the purely hadronic ones. We also analyze isospin-violating effects for the $\sigma$--term. These can be as large as 10% for the absolute value but are negligible for the shift to the Cheng-Dashen point.Comment: 13 pp, LaTeX, uses epsf, 1 fi

Generalized parton correlation functions for a spin-1/2 hadron

The fully unintegrated, off-diagonal quark-quark correlator for a spin-1/2 hadron is parameterized in terms of so-called generalized parton correlation functions. Such objects, in particular, can be considered as mother distributions of generalized parton distributions on the one hand and transverse momentum dependent parton distributions on the other. Therefore, our study provides new, model-independent insights into the recently proposed nontrivial relations between generalized and transverse momentum dependent parton distributions. We find that none of these relations can be promoted to a model-independent status. As a by-product we obtain the first complete classification of generalized parton distributions beyond leading twist. The present paper is a natural extension of our previous corresponding analysis for spin-0 hadrons.Comment: 41 pages, 3 figures; v2: added referenc

Chiral dynamics and B to 3 pi decay

I discuss our knowledge of the scalar sector of QCD and how it impacts the determination of the CKM angle \alpha from the isospin analysis of B\to \rho\pi decay.Comment: invited talk at International Workshop on Heavy Quarks and Leptons, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno, Italy, 27 May - 1 Jun 200

Strangeness S=-2 baryon-baryon interaction at next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory

The strangeness $S=-2$ baryon-baryon interaction is studied in chiral effective field theory up to next-to-leading order. The potential at this order consists of contributions from one- and two-pseudoscalar-meson exchange diagrams and from four-baryon contact terms without and with two derivatives. SU(3) flavor symmetry is imposed for constructing the interaction in the $S=-2$ sector. Specifically, the couplings of the pseudoscalar mesons to the baryons are fixed by SU(3) symmetry and, in general, also the contact terms are related via SU(3) symmetry to those determined in a previous study of the $S=-1$ hyperon-nucleon interaction. The explicit SU(3) symmetry breaking due to the physical masses of the pseudoscalar mesons ($\pi$, $K$, $\eta$) is taken into account. It is argued that the $\Xi N$ interaction has to be relatively weak to be in accordance with available experimental constraints. In particular, the published values and upper bounds for the $\Xi^- p$ elastic and inelastic cross sections apparently rule out a somewhat stronger attractive $\Xi N$ force and, specifically, disfavor any near-threshold deuteron-like bound states in that system.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Kaon-Deuteron Scattering at Low Energies

We review the experimental information on the K^+d reaction for K-meson momenta below 800 MeV/c. The data are analysed within the single scattering impulse approximation -- utilizing the Juelich kaon-nucleon model -- that allows to take into account effects due to the Fermi motion of the nucleons in the deuteron and the final three-body kinematics for the break-up and charge exchange reaction. We discuss the consistency between the data available for the K^+d -> K^+np, K^+d -> K^0pp and K^+d -> K^+d reactions and the calculations based on the spectator model formalism.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, to appear in J. Phys.

Isospin-violating nucleon-nucleon forces using the method of unitary transformation

Recently, we have derived the leading and subleading isospin-breaking three-nucleon forces using the method of unitary transformation. In the present work we extend this analysis and consider the corresponding two-nucleon forces using the same approach. Certain contributions to the isospin-violating one- and two-pion-exchange potential have already been discussed by various groups within the effective field theory framework. Our findings agree with the previously obtained results. In addition, we present the expressions for the subleading charge-symmetry-breaking two-pion exchange potential which were not considered before. These corrections turn out to be numerically important. Together with the three-nucleon force results presented in our previous work, the results of the present study specify completely isospin-violating nuclear forces up to the order $q^5/\Lambda^5$, where $q$ ($\Lambda$) denotes the soft (hard) scale.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure

Scattering of decuplet baryons in chiral effective field theory

A formalism for treating the scattering of decuplet baryons in chiral effective field theory is developed. The minimal Lagrangian and potentials in leading-order SU(3) chiral effective field theory for the interactions of octet baryons ($B$) and decuplet baryons ($D$) for the transitions $BB\to BB$, $BB\leftrightarrow DB$, $DB\to DB$, $BB\leftrightarrow DD$, $DB\leftrightarrow DD$, and $DD\to DD$ are provided. As an application of the formalism we compare with results from lattice QCD simulations for $\Omega\Omega$ and $N\Omega$ scattering. Implications of our results pertinent to the quest for dibaryons are discussed.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures; minor corrections in the text, references adde

Hyperons in nuclear matter from SU(3) chiral effective field theory

Brueckner theory is used to investigate the properties of hyperons in nuclear matter. The hyperon-nucleon interaction is taken from chiral effective field theory at next-to-leading order with SU(3) symmetric low-energy constants. Furthermore, the underlying nucleon-nucleon interaction is also derived within chiral effective field theory. We present the single-particle potentials of Lambda and Sigma hyperons in symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter computed with the continuous choice for intermediate spectra. The results are in good agreement with the empirical information. In particular, our calculation gives a repulsive Sigma-nuclear potential and a weak Lambda-nuclear spin-orbit force.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables; v2: published version, minor change

Lattice effective field theory calculations for A = 3,4,6,12 nuclei

We present lattice results for the ground state energies of tritium, helium-3, helium-4, lithium-6, and carbon-12 nuclei. Our analysis includes isospin-breaking, Coulomb effects, and interactions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, published version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett