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J. Gasser

Publications and source records attributed to J. Gasser.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Decays of the pi+ pi- atom

We construct an effective non-relativistic quantum field theory that describes bound states of pi+ pi- pairs and their hadronic decays. We then derive a general expression for the lifetime of the ground state at next-to-leading order in isospin breaking. Chiral perturbation theory allows one to relate the decay rate to the two S-wave pi pi scattering lengths and to several low-energy constants that occur in the chiral Lagrangian. Recent predictions for the scattering lengths give tau = (2.9 \pm 0.1) * 10^{-15} sec. This result may be confronted with pi+ pi- lifetime measurements, like the one presently carried out at CERN.

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ππscattering

We demonstrate that, together with the available experimental information, chiral symmetry determines the low energy behaviour of the $ππ$ scattering amplitude to within very small uncertainties. In particular, the threshold parameters of the S-, P-, D- and F-waves are predicted, as well as the mass and width of the $ρ$ and of the broad bump in the S-wave. The implications for the coupling constants that occur in the effective Lagrangian beyond leading order and also show up in other processes, are discussed. Also, we analyze the dependence of various observables on the mass of the two lightest quarks in some detail, in view of the extrapolations required to reach the small physical masses on the lattice. The analysis relies on the standard hypothesis, according to which the quark condensate is the leading order parameter of the spontaneously broken symmetry. Our results provide the basis for an experimental test of this hypothesis, in particular in the framework of the ongoing DIRAC experiment: The prediction for the lifetime of the ground state of a $π^+π^-$ atom reads $τ=(2.90\pm 0.10)10^{-15} sec$.

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The quark condensate from K_{e_4} decays

We show that, independently of the size of the quark condensate, chiral symmetry correlates the two S-wave ππscattering lengths. In view of this constraint, the new precision data on K_{e_4} decay allow a remarkably accurate determination of these quantities. The result confirms the hypothesis that the quark condensate is the leading order parameter.

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The pi pi S-wave scattering lengths

We match the known chiral perturbation theory representation of the pi pi scattering amplitude to two loops with a phenomenological description that relies on the Roy equations. On this basis, the corrections to Weinberg's low energy theorems for the S-wave scattering lengths are worked out to second order in the expansion in powers of the quark masses. The resulting predictions, a00=0.220 \pm 0.005, a20=-0.0444 \pm 0.0010, contain remarkably small uncertainties and thus allow a very sensitive experimental test of the hypothesis that the quark condensate is the leading order parameter of the spontaneously broken chiral symmetry.

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Roy equation analysis of pi pi scattering

We analyze the Roy equations for the lowest partial waves of elastic pi pi scattering and demonstrate that the two S-wave scattering lengths a_0^0 and a_0^2 are the essential parameters in the low energy region: Once these are known, the available experimental information determines the behaviour near threshold to within remarkably small uncertainties. An explicit numerical representation for the energy dependence of the S- and P-waves is given and it is shown that the threshold parameters of the D- and F-waves are also fixed very sharply in terms of a_0^0 and a^2_0. In agreement with earlier work, which is reviewed in some detail, we find that the Roy equations admit physically acceptable solutions only within a band of the (a_0^0,a_0^2) plane. We show that the data on the reactions e+e- -> pi pi and tau -> pi pi nu reduce the width of this band quite significantly. Furthermore, we discuss the relevance of the decay K -> pi pi e nu in restricting the allowed range of a_0^0, preparing the grounds for an analysis of the forthcoming precision data on this decay and on pionic atoms. We expect these to reduce the uncertainties in the two basic low energy parameters very substantially, so that a meaningful test of the chiral perturbation theory predictions will become possible.

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Effective Lagrangians in bound state calculations

In order to investigate specific aspects of bound state calculations in a non-relativistic framework, we consider the energy-levels of a massive scalar particle, which moves in an external field and interacts in addition with a massless scalar particle. The discussion includes the following topics: dimensionally regularized bound-state calculations, ultraviolet finiteness of bound-state observables and their independence of the off-mass-shell behavior of Green functions, non-renormalizable interactions, structure of the non-relativistic two-point function, power counting and matching.

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Sigma-term physics

We consider sigma-terms in $ππ$, $πN$ and $K N$ scattering. While the state of the art in $ππ$ is in principle crystal clear, the kaon-nucleon case is largely unexplored. The pion-nucleon system is in-between. We propose a list of topics to be investigated in kaon-nucleon scattering, in order to make optimal use of the precision data expected from DEAR.

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Chiral perturbation theory

I present an outline of chiral perturbation theory and discuss some recent developments in the field.

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HadAtom99

These are the proceedings of the workshop "HadAtom99", held at the Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Universitaet Bern, October 14-15, 1999. The main topics discussed at the workshop were the physics of hadronic atoms and in this context recent results from Chiral Perturbation Theory. Included here are the program, the list of participants and a short summary provided by the speakers.

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Spectrum and Decays of Hadronic Atoms

Using non relativistic effective Lagrangian techniques, we analyze the hadronic decay of the pi+pi- atom and the strong energy-level shift of pionic hydrogen in the ground state. We derive general formulae for the width and level shift, valid at next-to-leading order in isospin breaking. The result is expressed in terms of hadronic threshold amplitudes that include isospin-breaking effects. In order to extract isospin symmetric scattering lengths from the data, we invoke chiral perturbation theory, that allows one to relate the scattering lengths to the threshold amplitudes.

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Hadronic Atoms in QCD

We propose a non relativistic effective Lagrangian approach to study hadronic atom observables in the framework of QCD (including photons). We apply our formalism to derive a general expression for the width of the pi+pi- atom decaying into two neutral pions. It contains all terms at leading and next-to-leading order in isospin breaking. The result allows one to evaluate the combination a0-a2 of pi-pi S-wave scattering lengths from pi+pi- atom lifetime measurements, like the one presently performed by the DIRAC expeiment at CERN.

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Numerical analysis of the pi+pi- atom lifetime in ChPT

We apply Chiral Perturbation Theory at one loop to analyze the general formula for the pi+pi- atom lifetime derived recently in the framework of QCD. The corresponding analytic expression is investigated numerically, and compared with recent work in the literature.

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Chiral Dynamics

After a short summary of my talk, I discuss $K_{l3}$ decays and elastic $ππ$ scattering in the framework of chiral perturbation theory.

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On the Lifetime of the pi+pi- Atom

The pi+pi- atom decays -in the ground state - predominantly into two neutral pions. We present a general expression for the corresponding decay width in the framework of QCD (including photons). It contains all terms at leading and next-to-leading order in isospin breaking. The result allows one to evaluate the combination |a_0-a_2| of pi-pi S-wave scattering lengths from pi+pi- lifetime measurements, like the one presently performed by the DIRAC experiment at CERN.

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One-channel Roy equations revisited

The Roy equation in the single channel case is a nonlinear, singular integral equation for the phase shift in the low-energy region. We first investigate the infinitesimal neighborhood of a given solution, and then present explicit expressions for amplitudes that satisfy the nonlinear equation exactly. These amplitudes contain free parameters that render the non-uniqueness of the solution manifest. They display, however, an unphysical singularity at the upper end of the interval considered. This singularity disappears and uniqueness is achieved if one uses analyticity properties of the amplitudes that are not encoded in the Roy equation.

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The one-loop functional as a Berezinian

We employ notions familiar from supersymmetry for constructing the one-loop functional of general quantum field theories with bosons and fermions (spin < 1). To demonstrate the advantages of such an approach for calculating one-loop divergences, we analyse a simple Yukawa theory with two different versions of a super-heat-kernel expansion. These methods also simplify the calculation of one-loop divergences for non-renormalizable meson--baryon Lagrangians occurring in chiral perturbation theory.

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Two--loop integrals in chiral perturbation theory

We consider chiral perturbation theory in the meson sector at order $E^6$. In the terminology of the external field technique, the two--loop graphs so generated are of the sunset type. We discuss the evaluation of several of these in the case where the masses of the particles running in the loops are equal. In particular, we present integral representations that are suitable for the evaluation of diagrams in kinematical regions where branch points and cuts are present.

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