Applications of Chiral Perturbation Theory in Reactions with Heavy Particles

Author: Stewart, Iain W.

Year: 1999

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Wise, Mark B.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/w8fe-ww63

Abstract

Effective field theory techniques are used to describe the interaction of heavy hadrons in a model independent way. Predictability is obtained by exploiting the symmetries of QCD. Heavy hadron chiral perturbation theory is reviewed and used to describe D* decays. The phenomenologically important D*Dπ coupling is extracted from data working to first order in the chiral and heavy quark symmetry breaking parameters. A method is described for determining |Vub| from exclusive semileptonic B and D decays with 10% uncertainty. An effective field theory for two-nucleon systems is then discussed. The large S-wave scattering lengths necessitate expanding around a non-trivial fixed point. A detailed discussion of the interplay between renormalization and the power of counting is given. In power counting pion interactions with nucleons it is useful to consider three classes of pion: potential, radiation, and soft. A power counting for massive radiation is developed. Finally, it is shown that the leading terms in the effective theory for nucleon-nucleon interactions are invariant under Wigner's SU(4) spin-isospin symmetry in the infinite scattering length limit.

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