arXiv subjects

J. Gasser

Publications and source records attributed to J. Gasser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

On the mass difference between proton and neutron

The Cottingham formula expresses the electromagnetic part of the mass of a particle in terms of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude. At large photon momenta, this amplitude is dominated by short distance singularities associated with operators of spin 0 and spin 2. In the difference between proton and neutron, chiral symmetry suppresses the spin 0 term. Although the angular integration removes the spin 2 singularities altogether, the various pieces occurring in the standard decomposition of the Cottingham formula do pick up such contributions. These approach asymptotics extremely slowly because the relevant Wilson coefficients only fall off logarithmically. We rewrite the formula in such a way that the leading spin 2 contributions are avoided ab initio. Using a sum rule that follows from Reggeon dominance, the numerical evaluation of the e.m. part of the mass difference between proton and neutron yields $m_{QED}^{p-n}=0.58\pm 0.16\,$MeV. The result indicates that the inelastic contributions are small compared to the elastic ones.

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arXiv2020

Sum rule for the Compton amplitude and implications for the proton-neutron mass difference

The Cottingham formula expresses the leading contribution of the electromagnetic interaction to the proton-neutron mass difference as an integral over the forward Compton amplitude. Since quarks and gluons reggeize, the dispersive representation of this amplitude requires a subtraction. We assume that the asymptotic behaviour is dominated by Reggeon exchange. This leads to a sum rule that expresses the subtraction function in terms of measurable quantities. The evaluation of this sum rule leads to $m_{QED}^{p-n}=0.58\pm 0.16\,\mbox{MeV}$.

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arXiv2020

Cottingham formula and nucleon polarizabilities

The difference between the electromagnetic self-energies of proton and neutron can be calculated with the Cottingham formula, which expresses the self-energies as an integral over the electroproduction cross sections---provided the nucleon matrix elements of the current commutator do not contain a fixed pole. We show that, under the same proviso, the subtraction function occurring in the dispersive representation of the virtual Compton forward scattering amplitude is determined by the cross sections. The representation in particular leads to a parameter-free sum rule for the nucleon polarizabilities. We evaluate the sum rule for the difference between the electric polarizabilities of proton and neutron by means of the available parameterizations of the data and compare the result with experiment.

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arXiv2010

On the pion decay constant

The pion decay constant f_pi plays a crucial role in many areas of low energy particle physics. Its value may e.g. be deduced from experimental data on leptonic pion decays. Here, we provide comments on several aspects of this evaluation. In particular, we point out that at the present level of experimental accuracy, the value of f_pi is sensitive to the value of the pion mass chosen in its chiral expansion.

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arXiv2009

Hadronic Atoms

We review the theory of hadronic atoms in QCD+QED. The non-relativistic effective Lagrangian approach, used to describe this type of bound states, is illustrated with the case of pi+pi- atoms. In addition, we discuss the evaluation of isospin-breaking corrections to hadronic atom observables by invoking chiral perturbation theory.

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arXiv2009

Hadronic atoms in QCD + QED

We review the theory of hadronic atoms in QCD + QED, based on a non-relativistic effective Lagrangian framework. We first provide an introduction to the theory, and then describe several applications: meson-meson, meson-nucleon atoms and meson-deuteron compounds. Finally, we compare the quantum field theory framework used here with the traditional approach, which is based on quantum-mechanical potential scattering.

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arXiv2008

Radiative corrections in K --> 3 pi decays

We investigate radiative corrections to K --> 3 pi decays. In particular, we extend the non-relativistic framework developed recently to include real and virtual photons and show that, in a well-defined power counting scheme, the results reproduce corrections obtained in the relativistic calculation. Real photons are included exactly, beyond the soft-photon approximation, and we compare the result with the latter. The singularities generated by pionium near threshold are investigated, and a region is identified where standard perturbation theory in the fine structure constant alpha may be applied. We expect that the formulae provided allow one to extract S-wave pi pi scattering lengths from the cusp effect in these decays with high precision.

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arXiv2007

Cusps in K_L --> 3 pi decays

The pion mass difference generates a pronounced cusp in K --> 3 pi decays, the strength of which is related to the pi pi S-wave scattering lengths. We apply an effective field theory framework developed earlier to evaluate the amplitudes for K_L --> 3 pi decays in a systematic manner, where the strictures imposed by analyticity and unitarity are respected automatically. The amplitudes for the decay eta --> 3 pi are also given.

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arXiv2007

Theoretical progress on cusp effect and Kl4 decays

The cusp effect in K \to 3πand data on K_e4 decays allow one to extract experimental information on the elastic ππscattering amplitude near threshold, and to confront the outcome of the analyses with predictions made in the framework of QCD. In my talk I pointed out that these predictions concern an isospin symmetric world, while experiments are carried out in the real world, where isospin breaking effects -- generated by electromagnetic interactions and by the mass difference of the up and down quarks -- are always present. I discussed the corrections required to account for these, so that a meaningful comparison with the predictions becomes possible. In particular, I pointed out that there is a spectacular isospin breaking effect in K_e4 decays, overlooked so far. Once it is taken into account, the previous discrepancy between NA48/2 data on K_e4 decays and the prediction of ππscattering lengths disappears.

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arXiv2005

Radiative Ke3 decays revisited

Motivated by recent experimental results and ongoing measurements, we review the chiral perturbation theory prediction for radiative Ke3 decays (neutral kaons). Special emphasis is given on the stability of the inner bremsstrahlung-dominated relative branching ratio vs. the Ke3 form factors, and on the separation of the structure dependent amplitude in differential distributions over the phase space. For the structure dependent terms, an assessment of the order p^6 corrections is given. In particular, a full next-to-leading order calculation of the axial component is performed. The experimental analysis of the photon energy spectrum is discussed, and other potentially useful distributions are introduced.

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arXiv2005

Scalar form factors of light mesons

The scalar radius of the pion plays an important role in CHPT, because it is related to one of the basic effective coupling constants, viz. the one which controls the quark mass dependence of F_pi at one loop. In a recent paper, Yndurain derives a {\it robust lower bound} for this radius, which disagrees with earlier determinations. We show that such a bound does not exist: the "derivation" relies on an incorrect claim. Moreover, we discuss the physics of the form factors associated with the operators \ubar u, \dbar d and \sbar s and show that their structure in the vicinity of the K \Kbar threshold is quite different. Finally, we draw attention to the fact that the new data on the slope of the scalar K_l3 form factor confirm a recent, remarkably sharp theoretical prediction.

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arXiv2004

Kaonic atoms in QCD

In this talk, I comment on the theoretical and experimental status of kaonic atoms, in particular, \bar Kπand \bar Kp bound states.

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arXiv2004

HadAtom03

These are the proceedings of the workshop "HadAtom03," held at the European Centre for Theoretical Nuclear Physics and Related Studies (ECT*), Trento (Italy), October 13 - 17, 2003. The main topics discussed at the workshop were the physics of hadronic atoms and in this context recent results in experiment and theory. Included here are the list of participants, the scientific program and a short contribution from each speaker.

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arXiv2003

Electromagnetic corrections in hadronic processes

In quantum field theory, the splitting of the Hamiltonian into a strong and an electromagnetic part cannot be performed in a unique manner. We propose a convention for disentangling these two effects: one matches the parameters of two theories -- with and without electromagnetic interactions -- at a given scale mu_1, referred to as the matching scale. This procedure enables one to analyze the separation of strong and electromagnetic contributions in a transparent manner. We illustrate the method -- in the framework of the loop expansion -- in a Yukawa model, as well as in the linear sigma model, where we also investigate the corresponding low-energy effective theory.

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arXiv2003

On the precision of the theoretical predictions for pi pi scattering

In a recent paper, Pelaez and Yndurain evaluate some of the low energy observables of pi pi scattering and obtain flat disagreement with our earlier results. The authors work with unsubtracted dispersion relations, so that their results are very sensitive to the poorly known high energy behaviour of the scattering amplitude. They claim that the asymptotic representation we used is incorrect and propose an alternative one. We repeat their calculations on the basis of the standard, subtracted fixed-t dispersion relations, using their asymptotics. The outcome fully confirms our earlier findings. Moreover, we show that the Regge parametrization proposed by these authors for the region above 1.4 GeV violates crossing symmetry: Their ansatz is not consistent with the behaviour observed at low energies.

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arXiv2003

Neutrino Physics - Theory

We discuss recent developments in neutrino physics and focus, in particular, on neutrino oscillations and matter effects of three light active neutrinos. Moreover, we discuss the difference between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos, neutrinoless $ββ$-decay, absolute neutrino masses and electromagnetic moments. Basic mechanisms and a few models for neutrino masses and mixing are also presented.

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arXiv2002

Ground-state energy of pionic hydrogen to one loop

We investigate the ground-state energy of the pi- p atom (pionic hydrogen) in the framework of QCD+QED. In particular, we evaluate the strong energy-level shift. We perform the calculation at next-to-leading order in the low-energy expansion in the framework of the relevant effective field theory. The result provides a relation between the strong energy shift and the pion-nucleon S-wave scattering lengths - evaluated in pure QCD - at next-to-leading order in isospin breaking and in the low-energy expansion. We compare our result with available model calculations.

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arXiv2001

HadAtom01

These are the proceedings of the workshop "HadAtom01", held at the Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Universitaet Bern, October 11 - 12, 2001. The main topics discussed at the workshop were the physics of hadronic atoms and in this context recent results in experiment and theory. Included here are the list of participants, the scientific program and a short contribution from each speaker.

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