Effective Field Theory for Few-Nucleon Systems

We review the effective field theories (EFTs) developed for few-nucleon systems. These EFTs are controlled expansions in momenta, where certain (leading-order) interactions are summed to all orders. At low energies, an EFT with only contact interactions allows a detailed analysis of renormalization in a non-perturbative context and uncovers novel asymptotic behavior. Manifestly model-independent calculations can be carried out to high orders, leading to high precision. At higher energies, an EFT that includes pion fields justifies and extends the traditional framework of phenomenological potentials. The correct treatment of QCD symmetries ensures a connection with lattice QCD. Several tests and prospects of these EFTs are discussed.Comment: 55 pages, 18 figures, to appear in Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 52 (2002

Spectral Theory for Schrödinger Operators with δ\delta-Interactions Supported on Curves in R3\mathbb{R}^3

The main objective of this paper is to systematically develop a spectral and scattering theory for selfadjoint Schr\"odinger operators with $\delta$-interactions supported on closed curves in $\mathbb R^3$. We provide bounds for the number of negative eigenvalues depending on the geometry of the curve, prove an isoperimetric inequality for the principal eigenvalue, derive Schatten--von Neumann properties for the resolvent difference with the free Laplacian, and establish an explicit representation for the scattering matrix.Comment: to appear in Annales Henri Poincar