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Gerald A. Miller

Publications and source records attributed to Gerald A. Miller.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2017

Validity of the Weizsäcker-Williams Approximation and the Analysis of Beam Dump Experiments: Production of an axion, a dark photon, or a new axial-vector boson

Beam dump experiments have been used to search for new particles, $ϕ$, with null results interpreted in terms of limits on masses $m_ϕ$ and coupling constants $ε$. However these limits have been obtained by using approximations [including the Weizsäcker-Williams (WW) approximation] or Monte-Carlo simulations. We display methods to obtain the cross section and the resulting particle production rates without using approximations on the phase space integral or Monte-Carlo simulations. In our previous work we examined the case of the new scalar boson production; in this paper we explore all possible new spin-0 and spin-1 particles. We show that the approximations cannot be used to obtain accurate values of cross sections. The corresponding exclusion plots differ by substantial amounts when seen on a linear scale. Furthermore, a new region ($m_ϕ<2m_e$) of parameter space can be explored without using one of the common approximations, $m_ϕ\gg m_e$. We derive new expressions for the three photon decays of dark photon and four photon decays of new axial-vector bosons. As a result, the production cross section and exclusion region of different low mass ($m_ϕ<2m_e$) bosons are very different. Moreover, our method can be used as a consistency check for Monte-Carlo simulations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2017

Can nuclear physics explain the anomaly observed in the internal pair production in the Beryllium-8 nucleus?

Recently the experimentalists in [PRL 116, 042501 (2016)] announced observing an unexpected enhancement of the electron-positron pair production signal in one of the Beryllium-8 nuclear transitions. The following studies have been focused on possible explanations based on introducing new types of particle. In this work, we improve the nuclear physics modeling of the reaction by studying the pair emission anisotropy and the interferences between different multipoles in an effective field theory inspired framework, and examine their possible relevance to the anomaly. The connection between the previously measured on-shell photon production and the pair production in the same nuclear transitions is established. These improvements, absent in the original experimental analysis, should be included in extracting new particle's properties from the experiment of this type. We then study the possibility of using the nuclear transition form factor to explain the anomaly. The reduction of the anomaly's significance by simply rescaling our predicted event count is also investigated.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2017

The Validity of the Weizsacker-Williams Approximation and the Analysis of Beam Dump Experiments: Production of a New Scalar Boson

Beam dump experiments have been used to search for new particles with null results interpreted in terms of limits on masses $m_ϕ$ and coupling constants $ε$. However these limits have been obtained by using approximations [including the Weizsäcker-Williams (WW) approximation] or Monte-Carlo simulations. We display methods, using a new scalar boson as an example, to obtain the cross section and the resulting particle production numbers without using approximations or Monte-Carlo simulations. We show that the approximations cannot be used to obtain accurate values of cross sections. The corresponding exclusion plots differ by substantial amounts when seen on a linear scale. In the event of a discovery, we generate pseudodata (assuming given values of $m_ϕ$ and $ε$) in the currently allowed regions of parameter space. The use of approximations to analyze the pseudodata for the future experiments is shown to lead to considerable errors in determining the parameters. Furthermore, a new region of parameter space can be explored without using one of the common approximations, $m_ϕ\gg m_e$. Our method can be used as a consistency check for Monte-Carlo simulations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2016

Electrophobic Scalar Boson and Muonic Puzzles

A new scalar boson which couples to the muon and proton can simultaneously solve the proton radius puzzle and the muon anomalous magnetic moment discrepancy. Using a variety of measurements, we constrain the mass of this scalar and its couplings to the electron, muon, neutron, and proton. Making no assumptions about the underlying model, these constraints and the requirement that it solve both problems limit the mass of the scalar to between about 100 keV and 100 MeV. We identify two unexplored regions in the coupling constant-mass plane. Potential future experiments and their implications for theories with mass-weighted lepton couplings are discussed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2016

A Euclidean bridge to the relativistic constituent quark model

${\bf Background}$ Knowledge of nucleon structure is today ever more of a precision science, with heightened theoretical and experimental activity expected in coming years. At the same time, a persistent gap lingers between theoretical approaches grounded in Euclidean methods (e.g., lattice QCD, Dyson-Schwinger Equations [DSEs]) as opposed to traditional Minkowski field theories (such as light-front constituent quark models). ${\bf Purpose}$ Seeking to bridge these complementary worldviews, we explore the potential of a Euclidean constituent quark model (ECQM). This formalism enables us to study the gluonic dressing of the quark-level axial-vector vertex, which we undertake as a test of the framework. ${\bf Method}$ To access its indispensable elements with a minimum of inessential detail, we develop our ECQM using the simplified quark $+$ scalar diquark picture of the nucleon. We construct a hyperspherical formalism involving polynomial expansions of diquark propagators to marry our ECQM with the results of Bethe-Salpeter Equation (BSE) analyses, and constrain model parameters by fitting electromagnetic form factor data. ${\bf Results}$ From this formalism, we define and compute a new quantity --- the Euclidean density function (EDF) --- an object that characterizes the nucleon's various charge distributions as functions of the quark's Euclidean momentum. Applying this technology and incorporating information from BSE analyses, we find the dressing effect on the proton's axial-singlet charge to be small in magnitude and consistent with zero. ${\bf Conclusions}$ The scalar quark $+$ diquark ECQM is a step toward a realistic quark model in Euclidean space, and urges additional refinements. The small size we obtain for the impact of the dressed vertex on the axial-singlet charge suggests that models without this effect are on firm ground to neglect it.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2016

The Role of Nucleon Strangeness in Supernova Explosions

Recent hydrodynamical simulations of supernova (SN) evolution have highlighted the importance of a thorough control over microscopic physics responsible for such internal processes as neutrino heating. In particular, it has been suggested that modifications to the neutrino-nucleon elastic cross section can potentially play a crucial role in producing successful supernova explosions. One possible source of such corrections can be found in a nonzero value for the nucleon's strange helicity content $Δs$. In the present analysis, however, we show that theoretical and experimental progress over the past decade has suggested a comparatively small magnitude for $Δs$, such that its sole effect is not sufficient to provide the physics leading to supernova explosions.

astro-ph.HE↗
arXiv2016

Meaning of the nuclear wave function

Background The intense current experimental interest in studying the structure of the deuteron and using it to enable accurate studies of neutron structure motivate us to examine the four-dimensional space-time nature of the nuclear wave function, and the various approximations used to reduce it to an object that depends only on three spatial variables. Purpose: The aim is to determine if the ability to understand and analyze measured experimental cross sections is compromised by making the reduction from four to three dimensions. Method: Simple, exactly-calculable, covariant models of a bound-state wave state wave function (a scalar boson made of two constituent-scalar bosons) with parameters chosen to represent a deuteron are used to investigate the accuracy of using different approximations to the nuclear wave function to compute the quasi-elastic scattering cross section. Four different versions of the wave function are defined (light-front spectator, light-front, light-front with scaling and non-relativistic) and used to compute the cross sections as a function of how far off the mass-shell (how virtual) is the struck constituent. Results: We show that making an exact calculation of the quasi-elastic scattering cross section involves using the light-front spectator wave function. All of the other approaches fail to reproduce the model exact calculation if the value of Bjorken $x$ differs from unity. The model is extended to consider an essential effect of spin to show that constituent nucleons cannot be treated as being on their mass shell even when taking the matrix element of a `good' current. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop realistic light-front spectator wave functions to meet the needs of current and planned experiments.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2016

On the proton charge extensions

We examine how corrections to $S$-state energy levels, $ E_{nS}$, in hydrogenic atoms due to the finite proton size are affected by moments of the proton charge distribution. The corrections to $E_{nS}$ are computed moment by moment. The results demonstrate that the next-to-leading order term in the expansion is of order $r_p / a_B $ times the size of the leading order $ \langle r_p^2 \rangle $ term. Our analysis thus dispels any concern that the larger relative size of this term for muonic hydrogen versus electronic hydrogen might account for the current discrepancy of proton radius measurements extracted from the two systems. Furthermore, the next-to-leading order term in powers of $r_p / a_B $ that we derive from a dipole proton form factor is proportional to $\langle r_p^3 \rangle $, rather than $\langle r_p^4 \rangle$ as would be expected from the scalar nature of the form factor. The dependence of the finite-size correction on $\langle r_p^3 \rangle $ and higher odd-power moments is shown to be a general result for any spherically symmetric proton charge distribution. A method for computing the moment expansion of the finite-size correction to arbitrary order is introduced and the results are tabulated for principal quantum numbers up to $n=7$.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2015

Probing short-range nucleon-nucleon interactions with an Electron-Ion Collider

We derive the cross-section for exclusive vector meson production in high energy deeply inelastic scattering off a deuteron target that disintegrates into a proton and a neutron carrying large relative momentum in the final state. This cross-section can be expressed in terms of a novel gluon Transition Generalized Parton Distribution (T-GPD); the hard scale in the final state makes the T-GPD sensitive to the short distance nucleon-nucleon interaction. We perform a toy model computation of this process in a perturbative framework and discuss the time scales that allow the separation of initial and final state dynamics in the T-GPD. We outline the more general computation based on the factorization suggested by the toy computation: in particular, we discuss the relative role of "point-like" and "geometric" Fock configurations that control the parton dynamics of short range nucleon-nucleon scattering. With the aid of exclusive $J/Ψ$ production data at HERA, as well as elastic nucleon-nucleon cross-sections, we estimate rates for exclusive deuteron photo-disintegration at a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). Our results, obtained using conservative estimates of EIC integrated luminosities, suggest that center-of-mass energies $s_{NN}\sim 12$ GeV$^2$ of the neutron-proton subsystem can be accessed. We argue that the high energies of the EIC can address outstanding dynamical questions regarding the short-range quark-gluon structure of nuclear forces by providing clean gluon probes of such "knockout" exclusive reactions in light and heavy nuclei.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2015

Polarized Lepton-Nucleon Elastic Scattering and a Search for a Light Scalar Boson

Lepton-nucleon elastic scattering, using the one-photon and one-scalar-boson exchange mechanisms considering all possible polarizations, is used to study searches for a new scalar boson and suggest new measurements of the nucleon form factors. A new light scalar boson, which feebly couples to leptons and nucleons, may account for the proton radius and muon $g-2$ puzzles. We show that the scalar boson produces relatively large effects in certain kinematic region when using sufficient control of lepton and nucleon spin polarization. We generalize current techniques to measure the ratio $G_E/G_M$ and present a new method to separately measure $G_M^2$ and $G_E^2$ using polarized incoming and outgoing muons.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2015

Constraining nucleon strangeness

Determining the nonperturbative $s\bar{s}$ content of the nucleon has attracted considerable interest and been the subject of numerous experimental searches. These measurements used a variety of reactions and place important limits on the vector form factors observed in parity-violating (PV) elastic scattering and the parton distributions determined by deep inelastic scattering (DIS). In spite of this progress, attempts to relate information obtained from elastic and DIS experiments have been sparse. To ameliorate this situation, we develop an interpolating model using light-front wave functions capable of computing both DIS and elastic observables. This framework is used to show that existing knowledge of DIS places significant restrictions on our wave functions. The result is that the predicted effects of nucleon strangeness on elastic observables are much smaller than those tolerated by direct fits to PV elastic scattering data alone. Using our model, we find $-0.024 \le μ_s \le 0.035$, and $-0.137 \le ρ^D_s \le 0.081$ for the strange contributions to the nucleon magnetic moment and charge radius. The model we develop also independently predicts the nucleon's strange spin content $Δs$ and scalar density $\langle N| \bar{s}s | N \rangle$, and for these we find agreement with previous determinations.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2015

Non-Perturbative Lepton Sea Fermions in the Nucleon and the Proton Radius Puzzle

A potential explanation [U.~D.~Jentschura, Phys.\ Rev.\ A {\bf 88}, 062514 (2013)] of the proton radius puzzle originating from the non-perturbative lepton-pair content of the proton is studied. Well-defined quantities that depend on this lepton-pair content are evaluated. Each is found to be of the order of $10({α\over π})^2$, so that we find such a lepton-pair content exists in the proton. However, we argue that this relatively large result and general features of loop diagrams rule out the possibility of lepton-pair content as an explanation of the proton radius puzzle. In addition, the contributions of a class of explanations of the proton radius puzzle (for which the dependence on the $μp$ relative distance is as a contact interaction) is determined.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2014

Charge Symmetry Breaking and Parity Violating Electron-Proton Scattering

Charge symmetry breaking contributions to the proton's neutral weak form factors must be understood in order for future measurements of parity violating electron-proton scattering to be definitively interpreted as evidence of proton strangeness. We calculate these charge symmetry breaking form factor contributions using chiral perturbation theory with resonance saturation estimates for unknown low-energy constants. The uncertainty of the leading-order resonance saturation estimates is reduced by incorporating nuclear physics constraints. Higher-order contributions are investigated through phenomenological vertex form factors. We predict that charge symmetry breaking form factor contributions are an order of magnitude larger than expected from naive dimensional analysis but are still an order of magnitude smaller than current experimental bounds on proton strangeness. This is consistent with previous calculations using chiral perturbation theory with resonance saturation.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2014

Hidden Color and the $b_1$ structure function of the deuteron

The $b_1$ structure function is an observable feature of a spin-1 system sensitive to non-nucleonic components of the target nuclear wave function. A simple model for hidden-color, six-quark configurations is proposed and found to give substantial contributions for values of $ x>0.2$. Good agreement with Hermes data is obtained. Predictions are made for an upcoming JLab experiment.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2014

Charge Symmetry Breaking in the Nucleon and Parity Violating Elastic Electron-Proton Scattering

The basic facts of charge symmetry breaking (CSB) phenomena are reviewed. The relevance of CSB to parity-violating electron-proton scattering experiments that seek to extract strange elastic form factors is discussed. Experimentalists have stated and written that the current uncertainty in our knowledge of CSB limits the ability to push further on the strange form factors. I discuss recent calculations using relativistic chiral perturbation theory and realistic values of strong coupling constants which show that the uncertainties due to lack of knowledge of CSB are at least ten times smaller than present experimental uncertainties. Estimates of CSB effects are made for the JLab Qweak and Mainz P2 experiments.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2014

Electron Structure: Shape, Size and GPDs in QED

The shape of the electron is studied using lowest-order perturbation theory. Quantities used to probe the structure of the proton: form factors, generalized parton distributions, transverse densities, Wigner distributions and the angular momentum content are computed for the electron-photon component of the electron wave function. The influence of longitudinally polarized photons, demanded by the need for infrared regularization via a non-zero photon mass, is included. The appropriate value of the photon mass depends on experimental conditions, and consequently the size of the electron (as defined by the slope of its Dirac form factor) bound in a hydrogen atom is found to be about four times larger than when the electron is free. The shape of the electron, as determined from the transverse density and generalized parton distributions is shown to not be round, and the free electron is shown to be far less round than the bound electron. An electron distribution function (analogous to the quark distribution function) is defined, and that of the bound electron is shown to be suppressed compared to that of the free electron. If the relative transverse momentum of the virtual electron and photon is large compared with the electron mass, the virtual electron and photon each carry nearly the total angular momentum of the physical electron (1/2), with the orbital angular momentum being nearly (-1/2). Including the non-zero photon mass leads to the suppression of end-point contributions to form factors. Implications for proton structure and color transparency are discussed.

hep-ph↗