Spectra and Scattering of Light Lattice Nuclei from Effective Field Theory


Abstract in English

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 $m_pi=510~$MeV we obtain, respectively, $^4a_{rm nD}=2.3pm 1.3~$fm, $^2a_{rm nD}=2.2pm 2.1~$fm, and $B_{alpha}^{}=35pm 22~$MeV, while for $m_pi=805~$MeV $^4a_{rm nD}=1.6pm 1.3~$fm, $^2a_{rm nD}=0.62pm 1.0~$fm, and $B_{alpha}^{}=94pm 45~$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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