arXiv subjects

N. N. Scoccola

Publications and source records attributed to N. N. Scoccola.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

The pion distribution amplitude and the pion-photon transition form factor in a nonlocal chiral quark model

We study the pion Distribution Amplitude (πDA) in the context of a nonlocal chiral quark model. The corresponding Lagrangian reproduces the phenomenological values of the pion mass and decay constant, as well as the momentum dependence of the quark propagator obtained in lattice calculations. It is found that the obtained πDA has two symmetric maxima, which arise from the new contributions generated by the nonlocal character of the interactions. This πDA is applied to leading order and next-to-leading order calculations of the pion-photon transition form factor. Implications of the results are discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Deconfinement and chiral restoration in nonlocal SU(3) chiral quark models

We study the features of nonlocal SU(3) chiral quark models with wave function renormalization. Model parameters are determined from meson phenomenology, considering different nonlocal form factor shapes. In this context we analyze the characteristics of the deconfinement and chiral restoration transitions at finite temperature, introducing the couplings of fermions to the Polyakov loop. We analyze the results obtained for various thermodynamical quantities considering different Polyakov loop potentials and nonlocal form factors, in comparison with data obtained from lattice QCD calculations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Mass dependence of the deconfinement and chiral restoration critical temperatures in nonlocal SU(2) PNJL models

In the framework of nonlocal SU(2) chiral quark models with Polyakov loop, we analyze the dependence of the deconfinement and chiral restoration critical temperatures on the explicit chiral symmetry breaking driven by the current quark mass. Our results are compared with those obtained within the standard local Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (PNJL) model and with lattice QCD calculations. For a wide range of pion masses, it is found that both deconfinement and chiral restoration critical temperatures turn out to be strongly entangled, in contrast with the corresponding results within the PNJL model. In addition, it is seen that the growth of the critical temperatures with the pion mass above the physical point is basically linear, with a slope parameter which is close to the existing lattice QCD estimates. On the other hand, within the present mean field calculation we find an early onset of the first order transition expected in the large quark mass limit.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Form factors of radiative pion decays in nonlocal chiral quark models

We study the radiative pion decay pi+ -> e+ nu_e gamma within nonlocal chiral quark models that include wave function renormalization. In this framework we analyze the momentum dependence of the vector form factor F_V(q^2), and the slope of the axial-vector form factor F_A(q^2) at threshold. Our results are compared with available experimental information and with the predictions given by the NJL model. In addition we calculate the low energy constants l_5 and l_6, comparing our results with the values obtained in chiral perturbation theory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Partial Decay Widths of Negative Parity Baryons in the 1/Nc Expansion

The partial decay widths of lowest lying negative parity baryons belonging to the 70-plet of SU(6) are analyzed in the framework of the 1/Nc expansion The channels considered are those with single pseudo-scalar meson emission. The analysis is carried out to sub-leading order in 1/Nc and to first order in SU(3) symmetry breaking. Conclusions about the magnitude of SU(3) breaking effects along with predictions for some unknown or poorly determined partial decay widths of known resonances are obtained.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Deconfinement and chiral restoration in nonlocal PNJL models at zero and imaginary chemical potential

We study the deconfinement and chiral restoration transitions in the context of non-local PNJL models, considering the impact of the presence of dynamical quarks on the scale parameter appearing in the Polyakov potential. We show that the corresponding critical temperatures are naturally entangled for both zero and imaginary chemical potential, in good agreement with lattice QCD results. We also analyze the Roberge Weiss transition, which is found to be first order at the associated endpoint.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Pion radiative weak decays in nonlocal chiral quark models

We analyze the radiative pion decay pi+ -> e+ nu_e gamma within nonlocal chiral quark models that include wave function renormalization. In this framework we calculate the vector and axial-vector form factors FV and FA at q^2=0 --where q^2 is the (e+ ν_e) squared invariant mass-- and the slope a of FV(q^2) at q^2 -> 0. The calculations are carried out considering different nonlocal form factors, in particular those taken from lattice QCD evaluations, showing a reasonable agreement with the corresponding experimental data. The comparison of our results with those obtained in the (local) NJL model and the relation of FV and a with the form factor in pi^0 -> gamma* gamma decays are discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Nonlocal Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model with wavefunction renormalization at finite temperature and chemical potential

We study the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter in the framework of a non-local SU(2) chiral quark model which includes wave function renormalization and coupling to the Polyakov loop. Both non-local interactions based on the frequently used exponential form factor, and on fits to the quark mass and renormalization functions obtained in lattice calculations are considered. Special attention is paid to the determination of the critical points, both in the chiral limit and at finite quark mass. In particular, we study the position of the Critical End Point as well as the value of the associated critical exponents for different model parameterizations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Deconfinement transition in protoneutron stars: analysis within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model

We study the effect of color superconductivity and neutrino trapping on the deconfinement transition of hadronic matter into quark matter in a protoneutron star. To describe the strongly interacting matter a two-phase picture is adopted. For the hadronic phase we use different parameterizations of a non-linear Walecka model which includes the whole baryon octet. For the quark matter phase we use an $SU(3)_f$ Nambu-Jona-Lasinio effective model which includes color superconductivity. We impose color and flavor conservation during the transition in such a way that just deconfined quark matter is transitorily out of equilibrium with respect to weak interactions. We find that deconfinement is more difficult for small neutrino content and it is easier for lower temperatures although these effects are not too large. In addition they will tend to cancel each other as the protoneutron star cools and deleptonizes, resulting a transition density that is roughly constant along the evolution of the protoneutron star. According to these results the deconfinement transition is favored after substantial cooling and contraction of the protoneutron star.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2009

Analysis of 56-plet positive parity baryon decays in the 1/Nc expansion

The partial decay widths of positive parity baryons belonging to 56-plets of SU(6) are analyzed in the framework of the 1/Nc expansion. The channels considered are those with emission of a single pion, K or K-bar mesons, and the analysis is carried out to subleading order in 1/Nc and to first order in SU(3) symmetry breaking. The results for the multiplet [56,0+], to which the Roper resonance belongs, indicate a poor description at leading order, requiring important next to leading order corrections. For the multiplet [56,2+], the P-wave decays in the non-strange sector are well described at leading order, while the F-wave decays require the next to leading order corrections, which turn out to be of natural magnitude. SU(3) breaking effects are poorly determined, because only few decays with K meson in final state are established, and their widths are not known with sufficient accuracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Deconfinement of neutron star matter within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model

We study the deconfinement transition of hadronic matter into quark matter under neutron star conditions assuming color and flavor conservation during the transition. We use a two-phase description. For the hadronic phase we use different parameterizations of a non-linear Walecka model which includes the whole baryon octet. For the quark matter phase we use an SU(3)_f Nambu-Jona-Lasinio effective model including color superconductivity. Deconfinement is considered to be a first order phase transition that conserves color and flavor. It gives a short-lived transitory colorless-quark-phase that is not in beta-equilibrium, and decays to a stable configuration in tau ~ tau_{weak} ~ 10^{-8} s. However, in spite of being very short lived, the transition to this intermediate phase determines the onset of the transition inside neutron stars. We find the transition free-energy density for temperatures typical of neutron star interiors. We also find the critical mass above which compact stars should contain a quark core and below which they are safe with respect to a sudden transition to quark matter. Rather independently on the stiffness of the hadronic equation of state (EOS) we find that the critical mass of hadronic stars (without trapped neutrinos) is in the range of ~ 1.5 - 1.8 solar masses. This is in coincidence with previous results obtained within the MIT Bag model.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Heavy quark skyrmions

The description of the heavy baryons as heavy-meson--soliton bound systems is reviewed. We outline how such bound systems arise from effective lagrangians that respect both chiral symmetry and heavy quark symmetry. Effects due to finite heavy quark masses are also discussed, and the resulting heavy baryon spectra are compared with existing quark model and empirical results. Finally, we address some issues related to a possible connection between the usual bound state approach to strange hyperons and that for heavier baryons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Color neutrality effects in the phase diagram of the PNJL model

The phase diagram of a two-flavor Polyakov loop Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model is analyzed imposing the constraint of color charge neutrality. Main effects of this constraint are a shrinking of the chiral symmetry breaking (chiSB) domain in the T-mu plane, a shift of the critical point to lower temperatures and a coexistence of chiSB and two-flavor superconducting phases. The effects can be understood in view of the presence of a nonvanishing color chemical potential mu_8, which is necessary to compensate the color charge density rho_8 induced by the nonvanishing Polyakov-loop mean field phi_3.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Nonlocal chiral quark models with wavefunction renormalization: sigma properties and π-πscattering parameters

We analyze the sigma meson mass and width together with the pion-pion scattering parameters in the context of non-local chiral quark models with wave-function renormalization (WFR). We consider both non-local interactions based on the frequently used exponential form factor, and on fits to the mass and renormalization functions obtained in lattice calculations. In the case of the sigma properties we obtain results which are less dependent on the parameterization than in the standard local NJL model, and which are in reasonable agreement with the recently reported empirical values. We also show that the inclusion of the WFR tend to improve the description of the $π-π$ scattering parameters, with the lattice inspired parameterization providing the best overall results. Finally, we analyze the connection of the non-local quark models discussed here with Chiral Perturbation Theory, and present the model predictions for the low energy constants relevant for $π-π$ scattering to O(4) in the chiral expansion.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Analysis of Negative Parity Baryon Photoproduction Amplitudes in the $1/N_c$ Expansion

We study the photoproduction helicity amplitudes of negative parity baryons in the context of the $1/N_c$ expansion of QCD. A complete analysis to next-to-leading order is carried out. The results show sub-leading effects to be within the magnitude expected from the $1/N_c$ power counting. They also show significant deviations from the quark model, in particular the need for 2-body effects.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Skyrmions in the presence of isospin chemical potential

We analyze the existence of localized finite energy topological excitations on top of the perturbative pion vacuum within the Skyrme model at finite isospin chemical potential and finite pion mass. We show that there is a critical isospin chemical potential $μ_I^c$ above which such solutions cease to exist. We find that $μ_I^c$ is closely related to the value of the pion mass. In particular for vanishing pion mass we obtain $μ_I^c=0$ in contradiction with some results recently reported in the literature. We also find that below $\mui^c$ the skyrmion mass and baryon radius show, at least for the case of the hedgehog ansatz, only a mild dependence on the isospin chemical potential.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Equation of state for hybrid compact stars with a nonlocal chiral quark model

We study the thermodynamics of two flavor color superconducting (2SC) quark matter within a nonlocal chiral quark model, using both instantaneous and covariant nonlocal interactions. For applications to compact stars, we impose conditions of electric and color charge neutrality as well as beta equilibrium and construct a phase transition to the hadronic matter phase described within the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DBHF) approach. We obtain mass-radius relations for hybrid star configurations which fulfill modern observational constraints, including compact star masses above 2 M_sun.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Hybrid stars within a covariant, nonlocal chiral quark model

We present a hybrid equation of state (EoS) for dense matter in which a nuclear matter phase is described within the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DBHF) approach and a two-flavor quark matter phase is modelled according to a recently developed covariant, nonlocal chiral quark model. We show that modern observational constraints for compact star masses (M ~ 2 M_sun) can be satisfied when a small vector-like four quark interaction is taken into account. The corresponding isospin symmetric EoS is consistent with flow data analyses of heavy ion collisions and points to a deconfinement transition at about 0.55 fm^-3.

nucl-th↗