arXiv subjects

Sergio Scopetta

Publications and source records attributed to Sergio Scopetta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Solving the homogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equation with a quantum annealer

The homogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equation (hBSE), describing a bound system in a genuinely relativistic quantum-field theory framework, was solved for the first time by using a D-Wave quantum annealer. After applying standard techniques of discretization, the hBSE, in ladder approximation, can be formally transformed in a generalized eigenvalue problem (GEVP), with two square matrices: one symmetric and the other non symmetric. The latter matrix poses the challenge of obtaining a suitable formal approach for investigating the non symmetric GEVP by means of a quantum annealer, i.e to recast it as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization problem. A broad numerical analysis of the proposed algorithms, applied to matrices of dimension up to 64, was carried out by using both the proprietary simulated-anneaing package and the D-Wave Advantage 4.1 system. The numerical results very nicely compare with those obtained with standard classical algorithms, and also show interesting scalability features.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

$^3$He spin-dependent structure functions within the relativistic Light-Front Hamiltonian dynamics

$^3$He spin-dependent structure functions, $g^3_1(x)$ and $g^3_2(x)$, which parametrize the hadronic tensor in polarized deep-inelastic scattering, were evaluated within the Poincar\'e covariant light-front framework. The Bakamjian-Thomas construction of the Poincar\'e generators allows us to make use of a realistic $^3$He wave function, obtained from refined nuclear phenomenological potentials. The same approach was already successfully applied to the $^3$He and $^4$He unpolarized deep-inelastic scattering. To investigate the neutron polarized structure functions, $g^n_1$ and $g^n_2$, a readily implementable procedure, aimed at extracting the neutron spin structure functions from those of $^3$He, is shown to hold. Moreover, the first moment of $g^3_1(x)$ was evaluated, aiming at providing a valuable check of the Bjorken sum rule. The present analysis is relevant for experiments nvolving polarized beams planned at the future facilities, like the Electron Ion Colliders.

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arXiv2023

The EMC effect for few-nucleon bound systems in Light-Front Hamiltonian Dynamics

The light-front formalism for a covariant description of the European Muon Collaboration (EMC) effect, already applied to $^3$He, is formally extended to any nucleus, and used for actually calculating the $^3$H and $^4$He cases. The realistic and accurate nuclear description of few-nucleon bound systems, obtained with both phenomenological and chiral potentials, has been properly combined with the Poincare' covariance and macroscopic locality, automatically satisfying both number of particles and momentum sum rule. While retaining the on-mass-shell nucleon structure functions, one is then able to predict a sizable EMC effect for $^4$He, as already observed for $^3$He. Moreover, the impact on the EMC effect of both i) the short-range correlations, such as those generated by modern nuclear interactions, and ii) the ratio between the neutron and proton structure functions has been studied. The short-range correlations generated by retaining only the standard nuclear degrees of freedom act on the depth of the minimum in the EMC ratio, while the uncertainties linked to the ratio of neutron to proton structure functions are found to be very small. These light-front results facilitates ascribing deviations from experimental data due to genuine QCD effects, not included in a standard nuclear description, and initiating unbiased investigations.

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arXiv2022

The European Muon Collaboration effect in Light-Front Hamiltonian Dynamics

A rigorous light-front formalism for electron deep inelastic scattering on unpolarized nuclei, in Bjorken limit, is reported. It preserves Poincar\'e covariance, macroscopic locality, both number of particles and momentum sum rules. The scheme is applied to the A=3 iso-doublet, very relevant in view of the planned operation with unpolarized and polarized beams at the Electron-Ion Collider. At variance with previous light-front estimates, our procedure, including a realistic nuclear description and free-nucleon structure functions, predicts a sizeable European Muon Collaboration effect for $^3$He. This will allow to analyze deviations from the proposed baseline in terms of genuine QCD effects. The extension to heavier nuclei is straightforward, although numerically challenging.

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arXiv2021

Light-Front Transverse Momentum Distributions for ${\cal J}$=1/2 Hadronic Systems in Valence Approximation

The semi-inclusive correlator for a ${\cal J}$=1/2 bound-system, composed by A spin-1/2 fermions, is linearly expressed in terms of the light-front Poincaré covariant spin-dependent spectral function, in valence approximation. The light-front spin-dependent spectral function is fully determined by six scalar functions that allow for a complete description of the six T-even transverse-momentum distributions, suitable for a detailed investigation of the dynamics inside the bound system. The application of the developed formalism to a case with a sophisticated dynamical content, like $^3$He, reaches two goals: (i) to illustrate a prototype of an investigation path for gathering a rich wealth of information on the dynamics and also finding valuable constraints to be exploited from the phenomenological standpoint; (ii) to support for the three-nucleon system a dedicated experimental effort for obtaining a detailed 3D picture in momentum space. In particular, the orbital-angular momentum decomposition of the bound state can be studied through the assessment of relations among the transverse-momentum distributions, as well as the relevance of the relativistic effect generated by the implementation of macrocausality. A fresh evaluation of the longitudinal and transverse polarizations of the neutron and proton is also provided, confirming essentially the values used in the standard procedure for extracting the neutron structure functions from both deep-inelastic scattering and semi-inclusive reactions, in the same kinematical regime.

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arXiv2021

Deeply virtual Compton scattering off Helium nuclei with positron beams

Positron initiated deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) off $^4$He and $^3$He nuclei is described. The way the so-called $d-$term could be obtained from the real part of the relevant Compton form factor is summarized, and the importance and novelty of this measurement is discussed. The measurements addressed for $^3$He targets could be very useful even in a standard unpolarized target setup, measuring beam spin and beam charge asymmetries only. The unpolarized beam charge asymmetries for DVCS off $^3$He and $^4$He are also estimated, at JLab kinematics and, for $^4$He, also at a configuration typical at the future Electron-Ion Collider. Incoherent DVCS processes, in particular the ones with tagging the internal target by measuring slow recoiling nuclei, and the unique possibility offered by positron beams for the investigation of Compton form factors of higher twist, are also briefly addressed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Generalized parton distributions of light nuclei

The measurement of nuclear generalized parton distributions (GPDs) in hard exclusive processes, such as deeply virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS), will be one of the main achievements of a new generation of experiments at high luminosity, such as those under way at the Jefferson Laboratory (JLab) with the 12 GeV electron beam and, above all, those planned at the future Electron Ion Collider. The CLAS collaboration at JLab has recently demonstrated the possibility to disentangle the two different channels of nuclear DVCS, the coherent and incoherent ones, a first step towards the measurement of GPDs of nuclei and of bound nucleons, respectively, opening new exciting perspectives in the field. In this scenario, theoretical precise calculations, ultimately realistic, become mandatory. Light nuclei, for which realistic studies are affordable and conventional nuclear effects can be safely estimated, so that possible exotic effects can be exposed, play an important role. The status of the calculation of GPDs for light nuclei will be summarized, in particular for $^3$He and $^4$He, and some updates will be presented. The prospects for the next years, related to the new series of measurements at future facilities, will be addressed.

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arXiv2020

Incoherent deeply virtual Compton scattering off $^4$He

Very recently, for the first time, the two channels of nuclear deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS), the coherent and incoherent ones, have been separated by the CLAS collaboration at JLab, using a $^4$He target. The incoherent channel, which can provide a tomographic view of the bound proton and shed light on its elusive parton structure, is thoroughly analyzed here in Impulse Approximation (IA). A convolution formula for the cross sections in terms of those for the bound proton is derived. Novel scattering amplitudes for a bound moving nucleon have been obtained and used. A state-of-the-art nuclear spectral function, based on the AV18 potential, exact in the two-body part, with the recoiling system in its ground state, and modelled in the remaining contribution, with the recoiling system in an excited state, has been used. Different parametrizations of the generalized parton distributions of the struck proton have been tested. A good overall agreement with the data for the beam spin asymmetry (BSA) is obtained. It is found that the predicted conventional nuclear effects are relevant in DVCS and in the competing Bethe-Heitler mechanism, but they cancel each other to a large extent in their ratio, to which the measured asymmetry is proportional. Besides, the calculated ratio of the BSA of the bound proton to that of the free one does not describe that estimated by the experimental collaboration. This points to possible interesting effects beyond the IA analysis presented here. It is therefore clearly demonstrated that the comparison of the results of a conventional realistic approach, as the one presented here, with future precise data, has the potential to expose quark and gluon effects in nuclei. Interesting perspectives for the next measurements at high luminosity facilities, such as JLab at 12 GeV and the future EIC, are addressed.

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arXiv2020

Two-current correlations in the pion in the Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model

We present an analysis of two-current correlations for the pion in the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model, with Pauli--Villars regularization. We provide explicit expressions in momentum space for two-current correlations corresponding to the zeroth component of the vector Dirac bilinear in the quark vertices, which has been evaluated on the lattice. The numerical results show a remarkable qualitative agreement with recent lattice data. The factorization approximation into one-body currents is discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

EMC effect, few-nucleon systems and Poincaré covariance

An approach for a Poincaré covariant description of nuclear structure and of lepton scattering off nuclei is proposed within the relativistic Hamiltonian dynamics in the light-front form. Indeed a high level of accuracy is needed for a comparison with the increasingly precise present and future experimental data at high momentum transfer. Therefore, to distinguish genuine QCD effects or effects of medium modified nucleon structure functions from conventional nuclear structure effects, the commutation rules between the Poincaré generators should be satisfied. For the first time in this paper a proper hadronic tensor for inclusive deep inelastic scattering of electrons off nuclei is derived in the impulse approximation in terms of the single nucleon hadronic tensor. Our approach is based : i) on a light-front spectral function for nuclei, obtained taking advantage of the successful non-relativistic knowledge of nuclear interaction, and ii) on the free current operator that, if defined in the Breit reference frame with the momentum transfer, $\bf q$, parallel to the $z$ axis, fulfills Poincaré covariance and current conservation. Our results can be generalized : i) to exclusive processes or to semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering processes; ii) to the case where the final state interaction is considered through a Glauber approximation; iii) to finite momentum transfer kinematics. As a first test, the hadronic tensor is applied to obtain the nuclear structure function F$_2^A$ and to evaluate the EMC effect for $^3He$ in the Bjorken limit. Encouraging results including only the two-body part of the light-front spectral function are presented.

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arXiv2020

Catching a glimpse of the parton structure of the bound proton

A new generation of experiments is expected to shed light on the elusive parton structure of the bound proton. One of the most promising directions is incoherent deeply virtual Compton scattering, which can provide a tomographic view of the bound proton. The first measurement has been recently performed, using $^4$He targets at Jefferson Lab. In the work presented here, a rigorous Impulse Approximation analysis of this process is proposed. As ingredients, state-of-the-art models of the nuclear spectral function and of the parton structure of the struck proton, together with novel scattering amplitudes expressions for a bound moving nucleon, have been used. A good overall agreement with the data is obtained, in particular at high values of the photon virtuality. The observed big difference between results for the bound proton and those for the free one turns out to be due in small part to modifications of the parton structure, and rather it should be related to kinematical nuclear effects. The analysis demonstrates that the comparison of the results of this approach, based on a conventional description, with future precise data, has the potential to expose exotic quark and gluon effects in nuclei.

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arXiv2020

Probing Nucleons and Nuclei in High Energy Collisions

This volume is a collection of contributions for the 7-week program "Probing Nucleons and Nuclei in High Energy Collisions" that was held at the Institute for Nuclear Theory in Seattle, WA, USA, from October 1 until November 16, 2018. The program was dedicated to the physics of the Electron Ion Collider (EIC), the world's first polarized electron-nucleon (ep) and electron-nucleus (eA) collider to be constructed in the USA. These proceedings are organized by chapters, corresponding to the weeks of the program: Week I, Generalized parton distributions; Week II, Transverse spin and TMDs; Week III, Longitudinal spin; Week IV, Symposium week; Weeks V & VI, eA collisions; Week VII, pA and AA collisions. We hope these proceedings will be useful to readers as a compilation of EIC-related science at the end of the second decade of the XXI century.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Theoretical study of deeply virtual Compton scattering off $^4$He

An interesting breakthrough in understanding the elusive inner content of nuclear systems in terms of partonic degrees of freedom is represented by deeply virtual Compton scattering processes. In such a way, tomographic view of nuclei and bound nucleons in coordinate space could be achieved for the first time. Moreover, nowadays experimental results for such a process considering $^4$He targets recently released at Jefferson Lab are available. In this talk, the recent results of our rigorous Impulse Approximation for DVCS off $^4$He, in terms of state-of-the-art models of the nuclear spectral function and of the parton structure of the bound proton, able to explain present data, has been shown.

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arXiv2019

Coherent deeply virtual Compton scattering off He nuclei

The status of realistic calculations of nuclear generalized parton distributions, entering the theoretical description of coherent deeply virtual Compton scattering off nuclei, is reviewed for trinucleons and for $^4$He, also in view of forthcoming measurements at the Jefferson Laboratory and at the future Electron Ion Collider.

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arXiv2019

Deeply virtual Compton Scattering off $^4$He

Deeply virtual Compton scattering is a fascinating process which can provide a tomographic view of nuclei and bound nucleons. The first experimental results for $^4$He targets, recently released at Jefferson Lab, have been analyzed here in a rigorous Impulse Approximation scenario. For both the coherent and incoherent channels of the process, the main experimental observables have been written in terms of state-of-the-art models of the nuclear spectral function and of the parton structure of the bound proton. A good overall agreement with the data is obtained. The calculation shows that a comparison of our conventional results with future precise data can expose novel quark and gluon effects in nuclei.

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arXiv2019

Double parton distributions in the pion in the Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model

Two-parton correlations in the pion, a non perturbative information encoded in double parton distribution functions, are investigated in the Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model. It is found that double parton distribution functions expose novel dynamical information on the structure of the pion, not accessible through one-body parton distributions, as it happens in several estimates for the proton target and in a previous evaluation for the pion, in a light-cone framework. Expressions and predictions are given for double parton distributions corresponding to leading-twist Dirac operators in the quark vertices, and to different regularization methods for the Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model. These results are particularly relevant in view of forthcoming lattice data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Poincare' covariant light-front spectral function and transverse momentum distribution

In valence approximation the fermion correlator is simply related to the light-front spectral function. Then the leading twist time-reversal even transverse momentum distributions can be explicitly obtained from the light-front wave function of the system and the twist-three distributions are linear combinations of the transverse distributions at leading twist.

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arXiv2018

A model calculation of double parton distribution functions of the pion

Two-parton correlations in the pion are investigated in terms of double parton distribution functions. A Poincaré covariant Light-Front framework has been adopted. As non perturbative input, the pion wave function obtained within the so-called soft-wall AdS/QCD model has been used. Results show how novel dynamical information on the structure of the pion, not accessible through one-body parton distribution, are encoded in double parton distribution functions.

hep-ph↗