A. Nogga

Is nuclear matter perturbative with low-momentum interactions?

Abstract The nonperturbative nature of inter-nucleon interactions is explored by varying the momentum cutoff of a two-nucleon potential. Conventional force models, which have large cutoffs, are nonperturbative because of strong short-range repulsion, the iterated tensor interaction, and the presence of bound or nearly-bound states. But for low-momentum interactions with cutoffs around 2 fm −1 , the softened potential combined with Pauli blocking leads to corrections in nuclear matter in the particle-particle channel that are well converged at second order in the potential, suggesting that perturbation theory can be used in place of Brueckner resummations. Calculations of nuclear matter using the low-momentum two-nucleon force V low k with a corresponding leading-order three-nucleon (3N) force from chiral effective field theory (EFT) exhibit nuclear binding in the Hartree–Fock approximation, and become less cutoff dependent with the inclusion of the dominant second-order contributions. The role of the 3N force is essential to obtain saturation, and the contribution to the total potential energy is compatible with EFT power-counting estimates.

Hyperon–nucleon interaction at next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory

Abstract Results for the ΛN and ΣN interactions obtained at next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory are reported. At the order considered there are contributions from one- and two-pseudoscalar-meson exchange diagrams and from four-baryon contact terms without and with two derivatives. SU(3) flavor symmetry is imposed for constructing the hyperon–nucleon interaction, however, the explicit SU(3) symmetry breaking by the physical masses of the pseudoscalar mesons (π, K, η) and of the involved baryons is taken into account. An excellent description of the hyperon–nucleon system can be achieved at next-to-leading order. It is on the same level of quality as the one obtained by the most advanced phenomenological hyperon–nucleon interaction models.

Signatures of three-nucleon interactions in few-nucleon systems

Recent experimental results in three-body systems have unambiguously shown that calculations based only on nucleon-nucleon forces fail to accurately describe many experimental observables and one needs to include effects which are beyond the realm of the two-body potentials. This conclusion owes its significance to the fact that experiments and calculations can both be performed with high accuracy. In this review, both theoretical and experimental achievements of the past decade will be underlined. Selected results will be presented. The discussion on the effects of the three-nucleon forces is, however, limited to the hadronic sector. It will be shown that despite the major successes in describing these seemingly simple systems, there are still clear discrepancies between data and the state-of-the-art calculations.

Systematic study of three-nucleon force effects in the cross section of the deuteron-proton breakup at 130 MeV

High-precision cross-section data of the deuteron-proton breakup reaction at 130 MeV are presented for 72 kinematically complete configurations. The data cover a large region of the available phase space, divided into a systematic grid of kinematical variables. They are compared with theoretical predictions, in which the full dynamics of the three-nucleon (3N) system is obtained in three different ways: realistic nucleon-nucleon (NN) potentials are combined with model 3N forces (3NFs) or with an effective 3NF resulting from explicit treatment of the Delta-isobar excitation. Alternatively, the chiral perturbation theory approach is used at the next-to-next-to-leading order with all relevant NN and 3N contributions taken into account. The generated dynamics is then applied to calculate cross-section values by rigorous solution of the 3N Faddeev equations. The comparison of the calculated cross sections with the experimental data shows a clear preference for the predictions in which the 3NFs are included. The majority of the experimental data points are well reproduced by the theoretical predictions. The remaining discrepancies are investigated by inspecting cross sections integrated over certain kinematical variables. The procedure of global comparisons leads to establishing regularities in disagreements between the experimental data and the theoretically predicted values of the cross sections. They indicate deficiencies still present in the assumed models of the 3N system dynamics.

Precision calculation of the π−d scattering length and its impact on threshold πN scattering

We present a calculation of the pi^- d scattering length with an accuracy of a few percent using chiral perturbation theory. For the first time isospin-violating corrections are included consistently. Using data on pionic deuterium and pionic hydrogen atoms, we extract the isoscalar and isovector pion-nucleon scattering lengths and obtain a^+=(7.6 +/- 3.1) x 10^{-3} mpi^{-1} and a^-=(86.1 +/- 0.9) x 10^{-3} mpi^{-1}. Via the Goldberger-Miyazawa-Oehme sum rule, this leads to a charged-pion-nucleon coupling constant g_c^2/4 pi = 13.69 +/- 0.20.

Precision calculation of threshold π−d scattering, πN scattering lengths, and the GMO sum rule

Abstract We use chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) to calculate the π − d scattering length with an accuracy of a few percent, including isospin-violating corrections in both the two- and three-body sectors. In particular, we provide the technical details of a recent letter (Baru et al., 2011) [1] , where we used data on pionic deuterium and pionic hydrogen atoms to extract the isoscalar and isovector pion–nucleon scattering lengths a + and a − . We study isospin-breaking contributions to the three-body part of a π − d due to mass differences, isospin violation in the πN scattering lengths, and virtual photons. This last class of effects is ostensibly infrared enhanced due to the smallness of the deuteron binding energy. However, we show that the leading virtual-photon effects that might undergo such enhancement cancel, and hence the standard ChPT counting provides a reliable estimate of isospin violation in a π − d due to virtual photons. Finally, we discuss the validity of the Goldberger–Miyazawa–Oehme sum rule in the presence of isospin violation, and use it to determine the charged-pion–nucleon coupling constant.

Electron and photon scattering on three-nucleon bound states

Abstract A big spectrum of processes induced by real and virtual photons on the 3He and 3H nuclei is theoretically investigated through many examples based on nonrelativistic Faddeev calculations for bound and continuum states. The modern nucleon–nucleon potential AV18 together with the three-nucleon force UrbanaIX is used. The single nucleon current is augmented by explicit π - and ρ -like two-body currents which fulfill the current continuity equation together with the corresponding parts of the AV18 potential. We also employ the Siegert theorem, which induces many-body contributions to the current operator. The interplay of these different dynamical ingredients in the various electromagnetic processes is studied and the theory is compared to the experimental data. Overall we find fair to good agreement but also cases of strong disagreement between theory and experiment, which calls for improved dynamics. In several cases we refer the reader to the work of other groups and compare their results with ours. In addition we list a number of predictions for observables in different processes which would challenge this dynamical scenario even more stringently and systematically.

Three- and Four-Nucleon Systems from Chiral Effective Field Theory

Recently developed chiral nucleon-nucleon (NN) forces at next-to-leading order (NLO), that describe NN phase shifts up to about 100 MeV fairly well, have been applied to 3N and 4N systems. Faddeev-Yakubovsky equations have been solved rigorously. The resulting 3N and 4N binding energies are in the same range as found using standard NN potentials. In addition, low-energy 3N scattering observables are very well reproduced as for standard NN forces. The long-standing A(y) puzzle is absent at NLO. The cutoff dependence of the scattering observables is rather weak.

Coupled-cluster theory for three-body Hamiltonians

We derive coupled-cluster equations for three-body Hamiltonians. The equations for the one- and two-body cluster amplitudes are presented in a factorized form that leads to an efficient numerical implementation. We employ low-momentum two- and three-nucleon interactions and calculate the binding energy of {sup 4}He. The results show that the main contribution of the three-nucleon interaction stems from its density-dependent zero-, one-, and two-body terms that result from the normal ordering of the Hamiltonian in coupled-cluster theory. The residual three-body terms that remain after normal ordering can be neglected.

Resolving the Discrepancy of 135 MeV pd Elastic Scattering Cross Sections and Relativistic Effects

Three precise measurements for elastic pd scattering at 135 MeV/A have been performed with the three different experimental setups. The cross sections are described well by the theoretical predictions based on modern nucleon-nucleon forces combined with three-nucleon forces. Relativistic Faddeev calculations show that relativistic effects are restricted to backward angles. This result supports the two measurements recently reported by RIKEN and contradicts the KVI data.