arXiv subjects

Johannes Kirscher

Publications and source records attributed to Johannes Kirscher.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A practical approach to perturbative corrections to few-body observables

We formulate two methods to facilitate the calculation of perturbative corrections to quantum few-body observables. Both techniques are designed for a numerical realization in combination with any tool that obtains either the entire spectrum or solely the eigenvalues of an operator corresponding to the observable of interest. We exemplify these methods in the context of the nuclear contact theory without pions (Pionless EFT) and benchmark them in the deuteron channel with available analytical, field-theoretical calculations, as well as in the triton and 3-helium channels through earlier extractions within the dibaryon formalism, where in all three systems the point-proton root-mean-square charge radius (rms) was the perturbed observable of choice. Beyond these $A\leq3$ consistency and accuracy checks, we employ the numerical methods to predict the rms of the 4-helium nuclear ground state to assess three different ways of integrating the Coulomb interaction into Pionless EFT. By comparing the respective results at leading and next-to-leading order for 3- and 4-helium, we find that the uncertainty due to the strong, short-range interaction is significantly larger compared with that due to the long-range Coulomb interaction for both bound states with their different binding momenta. Thereby, we provide strong support for simplifying extractions of bound-state observables by shutting off any Coulomb interaction if the strong part of the potential is considered only up to first order in the effective range expansion.

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arXiv2024

Scale-(in)dependence in quantum 4-body scattering

We investigate the multi-channel 4-body scattering system using regularized 2- and 3-body contact interactions. The analysis determines the sensitivity of bound-state energies, scattering phase shifts and cross sections on the cutoff parameter ($λ$), and the energy gaps between scattering thresholds. The latter dependency is obtained with a 2-body scale fixed to an unnaturally large value and a floating 3-body parameter. Specifically, we calculate the binding energies of the shallow 3- and 4-body states, dimer-dimer and trimer-atom scattering lengths, and the trimer-atom to dimer-dimer reaction rates. Employing a potential renormalized by a large 2-body scattering length and a 3-body scale, we find all calculated observables to remain practically constant over the range $6\textrm{fm}^{-2}<λ<10\textrm{fm}^{-2}$. Divergences in scattering lengths emerge for critical 3-body parameters at which thresholds are degenerate. Such threshold effects are found to be independent of the regulator cutoff. Furthermore, at those critical points where the dimer-dimer and trimer-atom thresholds overlap, we predict an enhancement of the inelastic over the elastic scattering event. Such an inversion between elastic- and rearrangement-collision probabilities indicates a strong sensitivity of the 4-body reaction dynamics on the 3-body parameter at finite 2-body scale. This phenomenon is absent in earlier studies which differ in the renormalization scheme. As this discrepancy arises for all considered cutoffs, a more comprehensive parametrization of short-distance structure is necessary: sole cutoff variation does not reveal non-perturbative change in reaction rates conjectured to be due to a combined effect of the finite 2-body range and the specific choice for the 3-body parameter.

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arXiv2023

Calculation of Dynamical Response Functions Using a Bound-state Method

We investigate a method to extract response functions (dynamical polarisabilities) directly from a bound-state approach applied to calculations of perturbation-induced reactions. The use of a square-integrable basis leads to a response in the form of a sum of $δ$ functions. We integrate this over energy and fit a smooth function to the resulting stepwise-continuous one. Its derivative gives the final approximation to the physical response function. We show that the method reproduces analytical results where known, and analyse the details for a variety of models. We apply it to some simple models, using the Stochastic Variational Method as the numerical method. Although we find that this approach, and other numerical techniques, have some difficulties with the threshold behaviour in coupled-channel problems with multiple thresholds, its stochastic nature allows us to extract robust results even for such cases.

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arXiv2023

Emergence of $^4$H $J^π=1^-$ resonance in contact theories

We obtain the $s$- and $p$-wave low-energy scattering parameters for n$^3$H elastic scattering and the position of the $^4$H $J^π=1^-$ resonance using the pionless effective field theory at leading order. Results are extracted with three numerical techniques: confining the system in a harmonic oscillator trap, solving the Faddeev-Yakubovsky equations in configuration space, and using an effective two-body cluster approach. The renormalization of the theory for the relevant amplitudes is assessed in a cutoff-regulator range between $1\,\text{fm}^{-1}$ and $10\,\text{fm}^{-1}$. Most remarkably, we find a cutoff-stable/RG-invariant resonance in the $^4$H $J^π=1^-$ system. This $p$-wave resonance is a universal consequence of a shallow two-body state and the introduction of a three-body $s$-wave scale set by the triton binding energy. The stabilization of a resonant state in a few-fermion system through pure contact interactions has a significant consequence for the powercounting of the pionless theory. Specifically, it suggests the appearance of similar resonant states also in larger nuclei, like 16-oxygen, in which the theory's leading order does not predict stable states. Those resonances would provide a starting state to be moved to the correct physical position by the perturbative insertion of sub-leading orders, possibly resolving the discrepancy between data and contact EFT.

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arXiv2023

Unitary interaction geometries in few-body systems

We consider few-body systems in which only a certain subset of the particle-particle interactions is resonant. We characterize each subset by a {\it unitary graph} in which the vertices represent distinguishable particles and the edges resonant 2-body interactions. Few-body systems whose unitary graph is connected will collapse unless a repulsive 3-body interaction is included. We find two categories of graphs, distinguished by the kind of 3-body repulsion necessary to stabilize the associated system. Each category is characterized by whether the graph contains a loop or not: for tree-like graphs (graphs containing a loop) the 3-body force renormalizing them is the same as in the 3-body system with two (three) resonant interactions. We show numerically that this conjecture is correct for the 4-body case as well as for a few 5-body configurations. We explain this result in the 4-body sector qualitatively by imposing Bethe-Peierls boundary conditions on the pertinent Faddeev-Yakubovsky~decomposition of the wave function.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2021

Emergent four-body parameter in universal two-species bosonic systems

The description of unitary few-boson systems is conceptually simple: only one parameter -- the three-body binding energy -- is required to predict the binding energies of clusters with an arbitrary number of bosons. Whether this correlation between the three- and many-boson systems still holds for two species of bosons for which only the inter-species interaction is resonant depends on how many particles of each species are in the system. For few-body clusters with species $A$ and $B$ and a resonant $AB$ interaction, it is known that the emergent $AAB$ and $ABB$ three-body scales are correlated to the ground-state binding energies of the $AAAB$ and $ABBB$ systems, respectively. We find that this link between three and four bodies is broken for the $AABB$ tetramer whose binding energy is neither constrained by the $AAB$ nor by the $ABB$ trimer. From this de-correlation, we predict the existence of a scale unique to the $AABB$ tetramer. In our explanation of this phenomenon, we understand the $AABB$ and $AAAB$/$ABBB$ tetramers as representatives of two different universal classes of $N$-body systems with distinct renormalization-group and discrete-scaling properties.

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arXiv2021

Two Particles with Zero-Range Interaction in a Magnetic Field

Energy levels are investigated for two charged particles possessing an attractive, momentum-independent, zero-range interaction in a uniform magnetic field. A transcendental equation governs the spectrum, which is characterized by a collective Landau-level quantum number incorporating both center-of-mass and relative degrees of freedom. Results are obtained for a system of one charged and one neutral particle, with the interaction chosen to produce a bound state in vanishing magnetic field. Beyond deriving the weak-field expansion of the energy levels, we focus on non-perturbative aspects. In the strong-field limit, or equivalently for a system in the unitary limit, a single bound level with universal binding energy exists. By contrast, excited states are resonances that disappear into the continuum as the magnetic field is raised beyond critical values. A hyperbola is derived that approximates the number of bound levels as a function of the field strength remarkably well.

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arXiv2021

Multi-fermion systems with contact theories

We address the question of minimal requirements for the existence of quantum bound states. In particular, we demonstrate that a few-body system with zero-range momentum-independent two-body interactions is unstable against decay into clusters, if mixed-symmetry of its wave function is enforced. We claim that any theory in which the two-body scattering length is much larger than any other scale involved exhibits such instability. We exemplify this with the inability of the leading-order pionless effective field theory to describe stable states of $A>4$ nuclei. A finite interaction range is identified as a sufficient condition for a bound mixed-symmetry system. The minimal value of this range depends on the proximity of a system to unitarity, on the number of constituents, and on the particular realization of discrete scale invariance of the three-body spectrum.

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arXiv2021

Triple-X and beyond: hadronic systems of three and more X(3872)

The $X(3872)$ resonance has been conjectured to be a $J^{PC} = 1^{++}$ charm meson-antimeson two-body molecule. Meanwhile, there is no experimental evidence for larger, few-body compounds of multiple charm meson-antimeson pairs which would resemble larger molecules or nuclei. Here, we investigate such multi-meson states to the extent of what can be deduced theoretically from essentials of the interaction between uncharged $D^{0}$ and $D^{*0}$ mesons. From a molecular $X(3872)$, we predict a $4X$ ($4^{++}$) octamer with a binding energy \mbox{$B_{4X} > 2.08\,{\rm MeV}$,} assuming a $D^{*0} \bar{D}^0$ system close to the unitary limit (as suggested by the mass of the $X(3872)$). If we consider heavy-quark spin symmetry explicitly, the $D^{*0} \bar{D}^{*0}$ ($2^{++}$) system is close to unitarity, too. In this case, we predict a bound $3X$ ($3^{++}$) hexamer with $B_{3X} > 2.29\,{\rm MeV}$ and a more deeply bound $4X$ octamer with $B_{4X} > 11.21\,{\rm MeV}$. These results exemplify with hadronic molecules a more general phenomenon of equal-mass two-species Bose systems comprised of equal number of either type: the emergence of unbound four- and six-boson clusters in the limit of a short-range two-body interaction which acts only between bosons of different species. Finally, we also study the conditions under which a $2X$ ($2^{++}$) tetramer might form.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Four-Body Scale in Universal Few-Boson Systems

The role of an intrinsic four-body scale in universal few-boson systems is the subject of active debate. We study these systems within the framework of effective field theory. For systems of up to six bosons we establish that no four-body scale appears at leading order (LO). However, we find that at next-to-leading (NLO) order a four-body force is needed to obtain renormalized results for binding energies. With the associated parameter fixed to the binding energy of the four-boson system, this force is shown to renormalize the five- and six-body systems as well. We present an original ansatz for the short-distance limit of the bosonic $A$-body wave function from which we conjecture that new $A$-body scales appear at N$^{A-3}$LO. As a specific example, calculations are presented for clusters of helium atoms. Our results apply more generally to other few-body systems governed by a large scattering length, such as light nuclei and halo states, the low-energy properties of which are independent of the detailed internal structure of the constituents.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2018

Asymmetric regularization of the ground and excited state of the helium-4 nucleus

We find the threshold structure of the two- and three-nucleon systems, with the deuteron and 3H/3He as the only bound nuclei, sufficient to predict a pair of four-nucleon states: a deeply bound state which is identified with the helium-4 ground state, and a shallow, unstable state at an energy 0.38(25) MeV above the triton-proton threshold which is consistent with data on the first excited state of helium-4. The analysis employs the framework of Pionless EFT at leading order with a generalized regulator prescription which probes renormalization-group invariance of the two states with respect to higher-order perturbations including asymmetrical disturbances of the short-distance structure of the interaction. In addition to this invariance of the bound-state spectrum and the diagonal triton-proton 1S0 phase shifts in the helium-4 channel with respect to the short-distance structure of the nuclear interaction, our multi-channel calculations with a resonating-group method demonstrate the increasing sensitivity of nuclei to the neutron-proton P-wave interaction. We show that two-nucleon phase shifts, the triton channel, and three-nucleon negative-parity channels are less sensitive with respect to enhanced two-nucleon P-wave attraction than the four-nucleon triton-proton 1S0 phase shifts.

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arXiv2017

Emergence of a Brunnian neutron state

We discuss a quantum-statistical feature of non-relativistic identical fermions whose interaction is predominantly attractive at low energies. Specifically, we consider exotic, multi-neutron nuclei. From the enhancement of an arbitrarily small P-wave interaction between two nucleons, we infer the existence of a particle-stable nucleus composed entirely of neutrons. While we cannot specify the number of neutrons in the system, we predict that none of its substructures is bound. The independence of this deduction from the short-distance structure of the nuclear interaction and its consistency with deuteron, triton, and helium-4 properties is established.

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arXiv2017

Electromagnetic characteristics of $A \leq 3$ physical and lattice nuclei

We analyze the quark-mass dependence of electromagnetic properties of two and three-nucleon states. To that end, we apply the pionless effective field theory to experimental data and numerical lattice calculations which simulate QCD at pion masses of 450~MeV and 806~MeV. At the physical pion mass, we postdict the magnetic moment of helium-3, $μ_{^3He}=-2.13~$nNM, and the magnetic polarizability of deuterium, $β_D=7.33~10^{-2}~$fm$^3$. Magnetic polarizabilities of helium-3, $β_{^3He}=9.7~10^{-4}~$fm$^3$, and the triton, $β_{^3H}=8.2~10^{-4}~$fm$^3$, are predictions. Postdictions of the effective theory for the magnetic moments are found consistent with QCD simulations at 806~MeV pion mass while our EFT result $β_D=2.92~10^{-2}~$fm$^3$ was not extracted from the lattice. The deuteron would thus be relatively pliable compared to a three-nucleon state for which we postdict $β_{^3H}=3.9~10^{-5}~$fm$^3$. At $m_π=450~$MeV, the magnetic moment of the triton is predicted, $μ_{^3He}=-2.15(5)~$nNM, based on a conjecture of its binding energy, $B_{^3H}\cong 30$~MeV. For all three pion masses, we compare the point-charge radii of the two and three-nucleon bound states. The sensitivity of the electromagnetic properties to the Coulomb interaction between protons is studied in anticipation of lattice calculations with dynamical QED.

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arXiv2016

Matching effective few-nucleon theories to QCD

The emergence of complex macroscopic phenomena from a small set of parameters and microscopic concepts demonstrates the power and beauty of physical theories. A theory which relates the wealth of data and peculiarities found in nuclei to the small number of parameters and symmetries of quantum chromodynamics is by that standard of exceptional beauty. Decade-long research on computational physics and on effective field theories facilitate the assessment of the presumption that quark masses and strong and electromagnetic coupling constants suffice to parameterize the nuclear chart. By presenting the current status of that enterprise, this article touches the methodology of predicting nuclei by simulating the constituting quarks and gluons and the development of effective field theories as appropriate representations of the fundamental theory. While the nuclear spectra and electromagnetic responses analyzed computationally so far with lattice QCD are in close resemblance to those which intrigued experimentalists a century ago, they also test the theoretical understanding which was unavailable to guide the nuclear pioneers but developed since then. This understanding is shown to be deficient in terms of correlations amongst nuclear observables and their sensitivity to fundamental parameters. By reviewing the transition from one effective field theory to another, from QCD to pionful chiral theories to pionless and eventually to cluster theories, we identify some of those deficiencies and conceptual problems awaiting a solution before QCD can be identified as the high-energy theory from which the nuclear landscape emerges.

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arXiv2015

Spectra and Scattering of Light Lattice Nuclei from Effective Field Theory

An effective field theory is used to describe light nuclei, calculated from quantum chromodynamics on a lattice at unphysically large pion masses. The theory is calibrated at leading order to two available data sets on two- and three-body nuclei for two pion masses. At those pion masses we predict the quartet and doublet neutron-deuteron scattering lengths, and the alpha-particle binding energy. For $m_π=510~$MeV we obtain, respectively, $^4a_{\rm nD}=2.3\pm 1.3~$fm, $^2a_{\rm nD}=2.2\pm 2.1~$fm, and $B_α^{}=35\pm 22~$MeV, while for $m_π=805~$MeV $^4a_{\rm nD}=1.6\pm 1.3~$fm, $^2a_{\rm nD}=0.62\pm 1.0~$fm, and $B_α^{}=94\pm 45~$MeV are found. Phillips- and Tjon-like correlations to the triton binding energy are established. Higher-order effects on the respective correlation bands are found insensitive to the pion mass. As a benchmark, we present results for the physical pion mass, using experimental two-body scattering lengths and the triton binding energy as input. Hints of subtle changes in the structure of the triton and alpha particle are discussed.

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arXiv2015

Pionless Effective Field Theory in Few-Nucleon Systems

A systematic description of low-energy observables in light nuclei is presented. The effective field theory formalism without pions is extended to: i) predictions with next-to-leading-order (non-perturbatively) accuracy for the 4-helium binding energy B(α), the triton charge radius, and the 3-helium-neutron scattering length; ii) phase shifts for neutron-deuteron scattering and α-neutron low-energy scattering at leading order; iii) the ground states of the 5-helium (with and without Coulomb interaction) and 6-helium isotopes up to next-to-leading order; The convergence from leading- to next-to-leading order of the theory is demonstrated for correlations between: i) the triton binding energy B(t) and the triton charge radius; ii) B(t) and the 4-helium binding energy B(α); Furthermore, a correlation between B(t) and the scattering length in the singlet S-wave channel of neutron-helium-3 scattering is discovered, and a model-independent estimate for the trinucleon binding energy splitting is provided. The results provide evidence for the usefulness of the applied power-counting scheme, treating next-to-leading-order interactions nonperturbatively and four-nucleon interactions as, at least, one order higher. The 5- and 6-helium ground states are analyzed with a power-counting scheme which includes the momentum-dependent next-to-leading order vertices perturbatively. All calculations include a full treatment of the Coulomb interaction. The assessment of numerical uncertainties associated with the solution of the few-body equation of motion through the Resonating Group Method parallels the report of the results for light nuclei in order to establish this method as practical for the analysis of systems with up to six particles interacting via short-range interactions.

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arXiv2011

Constraining the neutron-neutron scattering length with \eftnopi

We compute a model-independent correlation between the difference of neutron-neutron and proton-proton scattering lengths |a(nn)-a^C(pp)| and the splitting in binding energies between Helium-3 and tritium nuclei. We use the effective field theory without explicit pions to show that this correlation relies only on the existence of large scattering lengths in the NN system. Our leading-order calculation, taken together with experimental values for binding energies and a^C(pp), yields a(nn)=-22.9 \pm 4.1 fm.

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arXiv2011

Zero-energy neutron-triton and proton-Helium-3 scattering with \eftnopi

Model-independent constraints for the neutron-triton and proton-Helium-3 scattering lengths are calculated with a leading-order interaction derived from an effective field theory without explicit pions. Using the singlet neutron-proton scattering length, the deuteron, and the triton binding energy as input, the predictions $\ants=9.2\pm2.6 $fm, $\antt=7.6\pm1.6 $fm, $\aphes=3.6\pm0.32 $fm, and $\aphet=3.1\pm 0.23 $fm are obtained. The calculations employ the resonating group method and include the Coulomb interaction when appropriate. The theoretical uncertainty is assessed via a variation of the regulator parameter of the short-distance interaction from $400 $MeV to $1.6 $GeV. The phase-shift and scattering-length results for the proton-Helium-3 system are consistent with a recent phase shift analysis and with model calculations. For neutron-triton, the results for the scattering lengths in both singlet and triplet channels are significantly smaller than suggested by R-matrix and partial-wave-analysis extractions from data. For a better understanding of this discrepancy, the sensitivity of the low-energy four-body scattering system to variations in the neutron-neutron and proton-proton two-nucleon scattering lengths is calculated. Induced by strong charge-symmetry-breaking contact interactions, this dependence is found insignificant. In contrast, a strong correlation between the neutron-triton scattering length and the triton binding energy analogous to the Phillips line is found.

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