Exercise 3: One-pion exchange

A simple parametrization of the nucleon-nucleon force is given by what is called the \( V_8 \) potential model, where we have kept eight different operators. These operators contain a central force, a spin-orbit force, a spin-spin force and a tensor force. Several features of the nuclei can be explained in terms of these four components. Without the Pauli matrices for isospin the final form of such an interaction model results in the following form: $$ V(\mathbf{r})= \left\{ C_c + C_\mathbf{\sigma} \mathbf{\sigma}_1\cdot\mathbf{\sigma}_2 + C_T \left( 1 + {3\over m_\alpha r} + {3\over\left(m_\alpha r\right)^2}\right) S_{12} (\hat r)\right. $$ $$ \left. + C_{SL} \left( {1\over m_\alpha r} + {1\over \left( m_\alpha r\right)^2} \right) \mathbf{L}\cdot \mathbf{S} \right\} \frac{e^{-m_\alpha r}}{m_\alpha r} $$ where \( m_{\alpha} \) is the mass of the relevant meson and \( S_{12} \) is the familiar tensor term. The various coefficients \( C_i \) are normally fitted so that the potential reproduces experimental scattering cross sections. By adding terms which include the isospin Pauli matrices results in an interaction model with eight operators.

The expectaction value of the tensor operator is non-zero only for \( S=1 \). We will show this in a forthcoming lecture, after that we have derived the Wigner-Eckart theorem. Here it suffices to know that the expectaction value of the tensor force for different partial values is (with \( l \) the orbital angular momentum and \( {\cal J} \) the total angular momentum in the relative and center-of-mass frame of motion) $$ \langle l {\cal J}S=1| S_{12} | l' {\cal J}S=1\rangle = -\frac{2{\cal J}({\cal J}+2)}{2{\cal J}+1} \hspace{0.5cm} l= {\cal J}+1 \hspace{0.1cm}\mathrm{and} \hspace{0.1cm} l'={\cal J}+1, $$ $$ \langle l {\cal J}S=1| S_{12} | l' {\cal J}S=1\rangle = \frac{6\sqrt{{\cal J}({\cal J}+1)}}{2{\cal J}+1} \hspace{0.5cm} l= {\cal J}+1 \hspace{0.1cm}\mathrm{and} \hspace{0.1cm} l'={\cal J}-1, $$ $$ \langle l {\cal J}S=1| S_{12} | l' {\cal J}S=1\rangle = \frac{6\sqrt{{\cal J}({\cal J}+1)}}{2{\cal J}+1} \hspace{0.5cm} l= {\cal J}-1 \hspace{0.1cm}\mathrm{and} \hspace{0.1cm} l'={\cal J}+1, $$ $$ \langle l {\cal J}S=1| S_{12} | l' {\cal J}S=1\rangle = -\frac{2({\cal J}-1)}{2{\cal J}+1} \hspace{0.5cm} l= {\cal J}-1 \hspace{0.1cm}\mathrm{and} \hspace{0.1cm} l'={\cal J}-1, $$ $$ \langle l {\cal J}S=1| S_{12} | l' {\cal J}S=1\rangle = 2 \hspace{0.5cm} l= {\cal J} \hspace{0.1cm}\mathrm{and} \hspace{0.1cm} l'={\cal J}, $$ and zero else.

In this exercise we will focus only on the one-pion exchange term of the nuclear force, namely $$ V_{\pi}(\mathbf{r})= -\frac{f_{\pi}^{2}}{4\pi m_{\pi}^{2}}\mathbf{ \tau}_1\cdot\mathbf{\tau}_2 \frac{1}{3}\left\{\mathbf{ \sigma}_1\cdot\mathbf{ \sigma}_2+\left( 1 + {3\over m_\pi r} + {3\over\left(m_\pi r\right)^2}\right) S_{12} (\hat r)\right\} \frac{e^{-m_\pi r}}{m_\pi r}. $$ Here the constant \( f_{\pi}^{2}/4\pi\approx 0.08 \) and the mass of the pion is \( m_\pi\approx 140 \) MeV/c${}^{2}$.

a) Compute the expectation value of the tensor force and the spin-spin and isospin operators for the one-pion exchange potential for all partial waves you found in exercise 9. Comment your results. How does the one-pion exchange part behave as function of different \( l \), \( {\cal J} \) and \( S \) values? Do you see some patterns?

b) For the binding energy of the deuteron, with the ground state defined by the quantum numbers \( l=0 \), \( S=1 \) and \( {\cal J}=1 \), the tensor force plays an important role due to the admixture from the \( l=2 \) state. Use the expectation values of the different operators of the one-pion exchange potential and plot the ratio of the tensor force component over the spin-spin component of the one-pion exchange part as function of \( x=m_\pi r \) for the \( l=2 \) state (that is the case \( l,l'={\cal J}+1 \)). Comment your results.