We perform Bayesian model calibration of two-nucleon ($NN$) low-energy constants (LECs) appearing in an $NN$ interaction based on pionless effective field theory (EFT). The calibration is carried out for potentials constructed using naive dimensional analysis in $NN$ relative momenta ($p$) up to next-to-leading order [NLO, $O(p^2)$] and next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order [N3LO, $O(p^4)$]. We consider two classes of pionless EFT potential: one that acts in all partial waves and another that is dominated by $s$-wave physics. The two classes produce broadly similar results for calibrations to $NN$ data up to $E_{\rm lab}=5$ MeV. Our analysis accounts for the correlated uncertainties that arise from the truncation of the pionless EFT. We simultaneously estimate both the EFT LECs and the parameters that quantify the truncation error. This permits the first quantitative estimates of the pionless EFT breakdown scale, $Λ_b$: the 95% intervals are $Λ_b \in [50.11,63.03]$ MeV at NLO and $Λ_b \in [72.27, 88.54]$ MeV at N3LO. Invoking naive dimensional analysis for the $NN$ potential, therefore, does not lead to consistent results across orders in pionless EFT. This exemplifies the possible use of Bayesian tools to identify inconsistencies in a proposed EFT power counting.
In this dissertation we apply the pionless effective field theory to low energy neutron deuteron elastic scattering process. We calculated some of the polarization observables in neutron deuteron scattering to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading-order, in particular the transverse asymmetry $A_y$. All of the previous calculations have the same characteristic feature of under-predicting this observable, this is known as the $A_y$-puzzle. At this order of the pionless EFT new two-body $P$-wave interaction terms enter into the Lagrangian. This interaction terms give crucial contributions to the $A_y$…
We analyze magnetic and axial two-nucleon contact terms in a combined large-$N_c$ and pionless effective field theory expansion. These terms play important roles in correctly describing, e.g., the low-energy cross section of radiative neutron capture and the deuteron magnetic moment. We show that the large-$N_c$ expansion hints towards a hierarchy between the two leading-order magnetic terms that matches that found in phenomenological fits. We also comment on the issue of naturalness in different Lagrangian bases.
We calculate the electric dipole moments (EDMs) of three-nucleon systems at leading order in pionless effective field theory. The one-body contributions that arise from permanent proton and neutron EDMs and the two-body contributions that arise from CP-odd nucleon-nucleon interactions are taken into account. Neglecting the Coulomb interaction, we consider the triton and ${}^3$He, and also investigate them in the Wigner-SU(4) symmetric limit. We also calculate the electric dipole form factor and find numerically that the momentum dependence of the electric dipole form factor in the Wigner limit…
This work implements pionless effective field theory with the two-nucleon system expanded around the unitarity limit at second order perturbation theory. The expansion is found to converge well. All Coulomb effects are treated in perturbation theory, including two-photon contributions at next-to-next-to-leading order. After fixing a three-nucleon force to the 3He binding energy at this order, proton-deuteron scattering in the doublet S-wave channel is calculated for moderate center-of-mass momenta.
The symmetries of the Standard Model dictate that for very low energies, where nucleon dynamics can be described in terms of a pionless effective field theory, the leading-order parity-violating nucleon-nucleon Lagrangian contains five independent unknown low-energy constants (LECs). We find that imposing the approximate symmetry of QCD that appears when the number of colors N(c) becomes large reduces the number of independent LECs to two at leading order in the combined pionless effective field theory and large-N(c) expansions. We also find a relation between the two isoscalar LECs in the lar…
In this article I summarize recent progress in the effective field theory approach to low energy nuclear systems, with a focus on the power counting issue. In the pionless sector, where the power counting is quite well understood at the nucleon-nucleon (NN) level, I discuss some recent developments toward few- and many-body calculations. In the pionful sector, I focus on the actively debated issue of power counting in the NN sector and some recent developments toward a model-independent NN interaction. Finally, the scenario that the power counting might depend on the number of particles is dis…
Recent proposals for the use of light nuclei as dark matter direct detection targets necessitate a strong theoretical understanding of the nuclear physics involved. We perform relevant calculations for dark matter-light nucleus scattering in a combined pionless effective field theory and large-$N_c$ expansion, where $N_c$ is the number of quark colors. We include a general set of one-nucleon currents that have been used in other effective theories, as well as novel two-nucleon contact currents. First, we obtain constraints for the relative sizes of the dark matter couplings to the one- and two…
Pionless effective field theory in a finite volume (FVEFT$_{π\!/}$) is investigated as a framework for the analysis of multi-nucleon spectra and matrix elements calculated in lattice QCD (LQCD). By combining FVEFT$_{π\!/}$ with the stochastic variational method, the spectra of nuclei with atomic number $A\in\{2,3\}$ are matched to existing finite-volume LQCD calculations at heavier-than-physical quark masses corresponding to a pion mass $m_π=806$ MeV, thereby enabling infinite-volume binding energies to be determined using infinite-volume variational calculations. Based on the variational wave…
In this thesis, which is in the field of few-body systems, I am studying low-energy electro-weak interactions in light nuclear systems whose number of nucleons, $A$, is smaller than 4 ({\it i.e.,} $d$, $^3$H, $^3$He), where the main purpose of this work is to calculate the proton-proton ($pp$) fusion rate.
In this paper, we establish a general framework for calculating pionless matrix elements between $A=3$ bound-states up to next-to-leading-order. This framework is useful for pionless calculations of electroweak observables, such as $^3$H,$^3$He magnetic moments and $^3$H $β$ decay. Starting from a Bethe-Salpeter equation, we prove that for a bound-state, the three-nucleon wave-function normalization can be expressed diagrammatically in a way that is equivalent to the unit operator between two identical three-nucleon bound-states. This diagrammatic form of the identity matrix element is the fou…
A method to calculate the form factor for an external current with non-derivative coupling for the three-body system in an effective field theory (EFT) of short-range interactions is shown. Using this method the point charge radius of ${}^3\mathrm{He}$ is calculated to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in pionless EFT ($\mathrm{EFT}(\not{\!π})$), and the magnetic moment and magnetic radius of ${}^3\mathrm{H}$ and ${}^3\mathrm{He}$ are calculated to next-to-leading order (NLO). For the ${}^3\mathrm{He}$ charge and magnetic form factors Coulomb interactions are ignored. The ${}^3\mathrm{He}$ …
Finite-volume pionless effective field theory provides an efficient framework for the extrapolation of nuclear spectra and matrix elements calculated at finite volume in lattice QCD to infinite volume, and to nuclei with larger atomic number. In this work, it is demonstrated how this framework may be implemented via a set of correlated Gaussian wavefunctions optimised using differentiable programming and via solution of a generalised eigenvalue problem. This approach is shown to be significantly more efficient than a stochastic implementation of the variational method based on the same form of…
We analyze two-derivative two-nucleon interactions in a combined pionless effective field theory and large-$N_c$ expansion. At leading order in the large-$N_c$ expansion, relationships among low-energy constants emerge. We find these to be consistent with experiment. However, it is critical to correctly address the subtraction-point dependence of the low-energy constants. These results provide additional confidence that the dual-expansion procedure is useful for analyzing low-energy few-body observables.
We present a study of the two-photon-exchange ($2γ$-exchange) corrections to the $S$-levels in muonic ($μ$D) and ordinary (D) deuterium within the pionless effective field theory (pionless EFT). Our calculation proceeds up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) in the pionless EFT expansion. The only unknown low-energy constant entering the calculation at this order corresponds to the coupling of a longitudinal photon to the nucleon-nucleon system. To minimise its correlation with the deuteron charge radius, it is extracted using the information about the hydrogen-deuterium isotope sh…
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…
In chiral effective field theory the leading order (LO) nucleon-nucleon potential includes two contact terms, in the two spin channels $S=0,1$, and the one-pion-exchange potential. When the pion degrees of freedom are integrated out, as in the pionless effective field theory, the LO potential includes two contact terms only. In the three-nucleon system, the pionless theory includes a three-nucleon contact term interaction at LO whereas the chiral effective theory does not. Accordingly arbitrary differences could be observed in the LO description of three- and four-nucleon binding energies. We …
The s-wave nucleon-nucleon (NN) scattering matrix ($S$-matrix) exhibits UV/IR symmetries which are hidden in the effective field theory (EFT) action and scattering amplitudes, and which explain some generic features of the phase shifts. These symmetries offer clarifying interpretations of existing pionless EFT expansions, and suggest starting points for novel expansions. The leading-order (LO) $S$-matrix obtained in the pionless EFT with scattering lengths treated exactly is shown to have a UV/IR symmetry which leaves the sum of s-wave phase shifts invariant. A new scheme, which treats effecti…
Current models of inter-nucleon interactions are built within the frame of Effective Field Theories (EFTs). Contrary to traditional nuclear potentials, EFT interactions require a renormalization of their parameters in order to derive meaningful estimations of observable. In this paper, a renormalization procedure is designed in connection with many-body approximations applicable to large-A systems and formulated within the frame of many-body perturbation theory. The procedure is shown to generate counterterms that are independent of the targeted A-body sector. As an example, the procedure is a…
We calculate the forward unpolarised doubly-virtual Compton scattering (VVCS) off the deuteron in the framework of pionless effective field theory, up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) for the longitudinal and next-to-leading order (NLO) for the transverse amplitude. The charge elastic form factor of the deuteron, obtained from the residue of the longitudinal VVCS amplitude, is used to extract the value of the single unknown two-nucleon one-photon contact coupling that enters the longitudinal amplitude at N3LO. We also study the lowest spin-independent generalised polarisabilitie…
We provide a detailed discussion of the low-energy proton-deuteron system in pionless effective field theory, considering both the spin-quartet and doublet S-wave channels. Extending and amending our previous work on the subject, we calculate the 3He-3H binding energy difference both perturbatively (using properly normalized trinucleon wave functions) and non-perturbatively by resumming all O(alpha) Coulomb diagrams in the doublet channel. Our nonperturbative result agrees well with a calculation that involves the full off-shell Coulomb T-matrix. Carefully examining the cutoff-dependence in th…
We address the $Λ$-hypernuclear `overbinding problem' in light hypernuclei which stands for a 1--3 MeV excessive $Λ$ separation energy calculated in $_Λ^5$He. This problem arises in most few-body calculations that reproduce ground-state $Λ$ separation energies in the lighter $Λ$ hypernuclei within various hyperon-nucleon interaction models. Recent pionless effective field theory nuclear few-body calculations are extended in this work to $Λ$ hypernuclei. At leading order, the $ΛN$ low-energy constants are associated with $ΛN$ scattering lengths and the $ΛNN$ low-energy constants are fitted to $…
We calculate the muon capture rate on the deuteron to next-to-next-to-leading order in the pionless effective field theory. The result can be used to constrain the two-nucleon isovector axial coupling L_{1,A} to +/- 2 fm^3 if the muon capture rate is measured to 2% level. From this, one can determine the neutrino-deuteron break up reactions and the pp-fusion cross section in the sun to a same level of accuracy.
$ηNNN$ and $ηNNNN$ bound states are explored in stochastic variational method (SVM) calculations within a pionless effective field theory (EFT) approach at leading order. The theoretical input consists of regulated $NN$ and $NNN$ contact terms, and a regulated energy dependent $ηN$ contact term derived from coupled-channel models of the $N^{\ast}(1535)$ nucleon resonance plus a regulated $ηNN$ contact term. A self consistency procedure is applied to deal with the energy dependence of the $ηN$ subthreshold input, resulting in a weak dependence of the calculated $η$-nuclear binding energies on t…
Two-neutrino double-beta decay of certain nuclear isotopes is one of the rarest Standard Model processes observed in nature. Its neutrinoless counterpart is an exotic lepton-number nonconserving process that is widely searched for to determine if the neutrinos are Majorana fermions. In order to connect the rate of these processes to the Standard Model and beyond the Standard Model interactions, it is essential that the corresponding nuclear matrix elements are constrained reliably from theory. Lattice quantum chromodynamics (LQCD) and low-energy effective field theories (EFTs) are expected to …
We provide a systematic assessment of the order-$α^5$ nuclear contributions to the Lamb shift of muonic deuterium, including the accompanying radiative corrections due to vacuum polarization, up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) within the pionless effective field theory (EFT). We also evaluate higher-order corrections due to the single-nucleon structure, which are expected to be the most important corrections beyond N3LO. We find a correlation between the deuteron charge and Friar radii, which can be useful to judge the quality of charge form factor parametrisations. We refine t…
Machine learning the single-$Λ$ hypernuclei with neural-network quantum states
Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Ion-beam Application (MOE), Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University（复旦大学现代物理研究所核物理与离子束应用教育部重点实验室）；State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University（北京大学物理学院核物理与技术国家重点实验室）；Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics（中国工程物理研究院研究生部）；Shanghai Research Center for Theoretical Nuclear Physics, NSFC and Fudan University（上海理论核物理研究中心（国家自然科学基金委与复旦大学））
We present a new perturbative expansion for pionless effective field theory with Coulomb interactions in which at leading order the spin-singlet nucleon-nucleon channels are taken in the unitarity limit. Presenting results up to next-to-leading order for the Phillips line and the neutron-deuteron doublet-channel phase shift, we find that a perturbative expansion in the inverse 1S0 scattering lengths converges rapidly. Using a new systematic treatment of the proton-proton sector that isolates the divergence due to one-photon exchange, we renormalize the corresponding contribution to the 3H-3He …
We compare the subtractive renormalization and the Wilsonian renormalization group approaches in the context of an effective field theory for the two-nucleon system. Based on an exactly solvable model of contact interactions, we observe that the standard Wilsonian renormalization group approach with a single cutoff parameter does not cover the whole space spanned by the renormalization scale parameters of the subtractive formalism. In particular, renormalization schemes corresponding to Weinberg's power counting in the case of an unnaturally large scattering length are beyond the region covere…
We study the $N_c$ scalings of pion-nucleon and nucleon-nucleon scatterings and find that a consistent large $N_c$ counting can be established if we assume Witten's counting rules are applied to matrix elements or scattering amplitudes which use the relativistic normalization for the nucleons. With the pionless effective field theory, we also find that the $S$-wave nucleon-nucleon interaction is so strong that it should be treated nonperturbatively at the leading order in the $1/N_c$ expansion. By summing all the leading order diagrams, we find that the deuteron binding energy is of order $1/N…
We present our studies of the forward unpolarised doubly-virtual Compton scattering (VVCS) off the deuteron and the closely related two-photon-exchange ($2γ$-exchange) corrections to the Lamb shift of muonic deuterium. The deuteron VVCS amplitude is calculated in the framework of pionless effective field theory, up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) for the longitudinal and next-to-leading order (NLO) for the transverse amplitude. The charge elastic form factor of the deuteron, obtained from the residue of the longitudinal VVCS amplitude, is used to extract the value of the single…
在建立手征核有效场论（EFT）的一致功率计数的基础上，以重整化群不变性为约束条件，讨论了核子-核子散射单重态通道中的次主导接触相互作用，即反项.我们认为，相当大的截止误差的领先幅度要求O（Q）的EFT扩展是非零的，相反，温伯格的原始功率计数。这一点，再加上扭曲波膨胀中两π介子交换的紫外发散，导致1 S 0反项的增强，并导致单重态通道的无π介子理论般的功率计数。
