arXiv subjects

D. J. Ernst

Publications and source records attributed to D. J. Ernst.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Extracting forward strong amplitudes from elastic differential cross sections

The feasibility of a model-independent extraction of the forward strong amplitude from elastic nuclear cross section data in the Coulomb-nuclear interference region is assessed for $π$ and $K^+$ scattering at intermediate energies. Theoretically-generated "data" are analyzed to provide criteria for optimally designing experiments to measure these amplitudes, whose energy dependence (particularly that of the real parts) is needed for disentangling various sources of medium modifications of the projectile-nucleon interaction. The issues considered include determining the angular region over which to make the measurements, the role of the most forward angles measured, and the effects of statistical and systematic errors. We find that there is a region near the forward direction where Coulomb-nuclear interference allows reliable extraction of the strong forward amplitude for both pions and the $K^+$ from .3 to 1 GeV/c.

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arXiv2001

Mesonic cloud contribution to the nucleon and delta masses

Pion-nucleon elastic scattering in the dominant $P_{33}$ channel is examined in the model in which the interaction is of the form $π+ N\leftrightarrow N, Δ(1232)$. New expressions are found for the elastic pion-nucleon scattering amplitude which differ from existing formula both in the kinematics and in the treatment of the renormalization of the nucleon mass and coupling constant. Fitting the model to the phase shifts in the $P_{33}$ channel does not uniquely fix the parameters of the model. The cutoff for the pion-nucleon form factor is found to lie in the range $β= 750\pm350$ MeV/c. The masses of the nucleon and the $Δ$ which would arise if there were no coupling to mesons are found to be $m_{_N}^{(0)}= 1200\pm 200$ MeV and $m_Δ^{(0)} = 1500\pm 200$ MeV. The difference in these bare masses, a quantity which would be accounted for by a residual gluon interaction, is found to be $δm^{(0)}=350\pm 100$ MeV.

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arXiv2000

Relativistic Heavy--Ion Collisions in the Dynamical String--Parton Model

We develop and extend the dynamical string parton model. This model, which is based on the salient features of QCD, uses classical Nambu-Gotō strings with the endpoints identified as partons, an invariant string breaking model of the hadronization process, and interactions described as quark-quark interactions. In this work, the original model is extended to include a phenomenological quantization of the mass of the strings, an analytical technique for treating the incident nucleons as a distribution of string configurations determined by the experimentally measured structure function, the inclusion of the gluonic content of the nucleon through the introduction of purely gluonic strings, and the use of a hard parton-parton interaction taken from perturbative QCD combined with a phenomenological soft interaction. The limited number of parameters in the model are adjusted to $e^+e^-$ and $p $--$p$ data. Utilizing these parameters, the first calculations of the model for $p $--$A$ and $A$--$A$ collisions are presented and found to be in reasonable agreement with a broad set of data.

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arXiv1999

(j,0)+(0,j) Covariant spinors and causal propagators based on Weinberg formalism

A pragmatic approach to constructing a covariant phenomenology of the interactions of composite, high-spin hadrons is proposed. Because there are no known wave equations without significant problems, we propose to construct the phenomenology without explicit reference to a wave equation. This is done by constructing the individual pieces of a perturbation theory and then utilizing the perturbation theory as the definition of the phenomenology. The covariant spinors for a particle of spin $j$ are constructed directly from Lorentz invariance and the basic precepts of quantum mechanics following the logic put forth originally by Wigner and developed by Weinberg. Explicit expressions for the spinors are derived for j=1, 3/2 and 2. Field operators are constructed from the spinors and the free-particle propagator is derived from the vacuum expectation value of the time-order product of the field operators. A few simple examples of model interactions are given. This provides all the necessary ingredients to treat at a phenomenological level and in a covariant manner particles of arbitrary spin.

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arXiv1997

Pion-nucleus elastic scattering on 12C, 40Ca, 90Zr, and 208Pb at 400 and 500 MeV

Pion-nucleus elastic scattering at energies above the Delta(1232) resonance is studied using both pi+ and pi- beams on 12C, 40Ca, 90Zr, and 208Pb. The present data provide an opportunity to study the interaction of pions with nuclei at energies where second-order corrections to impulse approximation calculations should be small. The results are compared with other data sets at similar energies, and with four different first-order impulse approximation calculations. Significant disagreement exists between the calculations and the data from this experiment.

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arXiv1994

Impact-Parameter Dependence of Multiple Lepton-pair Production from Electromagnetic Fields

In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, the strong Lorentz-contracted electromagnetic fields are capable of producing copious numbers of lepton pairs through the two-photon mechanism. Monte Carlo techniques have been developed that allow the exact calculation of production by this mechanism when a semi-classical approximation is made to the motion of the two ions. Here, we develop a hybrid Monte Carlo technique that enables us to calculate the impact parameter dependence of the two-photon mechanism for lepton-pair production, and by using this result, we obtain the probability distribution for multiple-pair production as a function of impact parameter. Computations are performed for S$+$Au and Pb$+$Pb systems at 200 A GeV and 160 A GeV, respectively. We also compare our results with the equivalent photon approximation and elucidate the differences.

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arXiv1992

Microscopic approach to pion-nucleus dynamics

Elastic scattering of pions from finite nuclei is investigated utilizing a contemporary, momentum--space first--order optical potential combined with microscopic estimates of second--order corrections. The calculation of the first--order potential includes:\ \ (1)~full Fermi--averaging integration including both the delta propagation and the intrinsic nonlocalities in the $π$-$N$ amplitude, (2)~fully covariant kinematics, (3)~use of invariant amplitudes which do not contain kinematic singularities, and (4)~a finite--range off--shell pion--nucleon model which contains the nucleon pole term. The effect of the delta--nucleus interaction is included via the mean spectral--energy approximation. It is demonstrated that this produces a convergent perturbation theory in which the Pauli corrections (here treated as a second--order term) cancel remarkably against the pion true absorption terms. Parameter--free results, including the delta--nucleus shell--model potential, Pauli corrections, pion true absorption, and short--range correlations are presented. (2 figures available from authors)

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arXiv1992

High-energy pion-nucleus elastic scattering

We investigate theoretical approaches to pion--nucleus elastic scattering at high energies (300 $\le T_π\le$ 1 GeV). A ``model--exact'' calculation of the lowest--order microscopic optical model, carried out in momentum space and including the full Fermi averaging integration, a realistic off--shell pion--nucleon scattering amplitude and fully covariant kinematics, is used to calibrate a much simpler theory. The simpler theory utilizes a local optical potential with an eikonal propagator and includes the Coulomb interaction and the first Wallace correction, both of which are found to be important. Comparisons of differential cross sections out to beyond the second minimum are made for light and heavy nuclei. Particularly for nuclei as heavy as $^{40}$Ca, the eikonal theory is found to be an excellent approximation to the full theory. (8 Figures available from authors)

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