Unit 3: Hadron – Hadron Interactions
We have been discussing Invariance principles, conservation laws and
symmetries à leading to P, C & T parity. Here, as the name of the unit
tells, we talk about the hadrons interactions and the importance of the
cross-section measurement and the factor of spin playing an important
role.
Intrinsic angular momentum or spin
Angular momentum is conserved, all elementary quantum systems must
be the eigenstates of angular momentum.
Let’s discuss the Experimental determination of the spin of the charged
pion.
It is found by comparing the rates for the reactions:
π+ + d à p + p and its reverse Ref to charged pion parity article
p + p à π+ + d where “d” is deuteron nucleus.
Assuming a reaction:
a + b ⇋ 𝑐 + 𝑑 which is invariant under time reversal.
A principal called the Principle of Detailed Balance holds for such bi-
directional equation. According to which,
!"
(!!! →!!!) !! ! (!!! !!)(!!! !!)
!!
!" =
(!!!→!!!) !! (!!! !!)(!!! !!)
!!
where Si is the spin of i=a,b,c,d, and pi, pf are the initial and final relative
momenta in the Center of Mass system in a + b à c + d reaction.
The Matrix elements [more later] for the forward & backward reactions
will be identical if the interactions are invariant under T & P operations.
Now going back to our reversible reaction,
Since, p & d have s=1/2 & s = 1 respectively, we have
!"
(!!! →!!!) !! ! (!!! !!)(!!! !!)
| !!
!" = , substituting the above spin
| !!
(!!!→!!!) !! (!!! !!)(!!! !!)
values
1
we get on RHS:
!! ! !
= !!
[CHECK]
!(!!! !!)
q = pion momentum
where p and q are the COM momenta of proton and pion respectively.
The cross-section for both processes have been measured at various
momenta and gave the result
S π+ = 0
Since π+ is the anti-particle of π-, it also has the same spin, spin zero.
[REASON]
SPIN OF THE NEUTRAL PION [DIY]
π0 is also believed to have spin 0, though evidence is more indirect. It
comes from (again!)
π0 à 2γ and
π0 à γ + γ
e+ e-
e+ e- P
J
Each photon decays into an electron-positron pair and each pair
production is defining a plane. It can be shown that if π0 has spin-parity
0+, these planes are parallel, whereas if it has 0- they are perpendicular.
Experimentally they are found to be perpendicular indicating spin-parity
0-.
So, π0 has the same spin as charged π, i.e ZERO.
2
ISOSPIN SYMMETRY
Heisenberg, in 1932, suggested that neutron & proton might be treated
as different charge sub-states of one particle, the nucleon.
1. A nucleon is ascribed a quantum number, isospin, I with value I =
½
2. There are two substates with IZ or I3 = ±1/2.
The charge is then given by Q/e = ½ + I3 , for I3 = +1/2 for proton and I3 =
-1/2 for neutron.
This is in complete analogy with that of a particle of ordinary spin ½ with
substates JZ = ±1/2 (in ℏ units).
Isospin is a useful concept because it is conserved quantum number in
Strong Interactions, consequently these depend on I and NOT on I3 .
The SI between nucleons are determined by I and we do not distinguish
between neutron and proton – they are degenerate states.
Iy I
Ix
Isospin space (I in 3D isospin space)
IZ
Isospin conservation corresponds to invariance of the length of this
vector under rotation of the coordinate axes in the isospin space. EM
Int. do not conserve Isospin & are not invariant under such rotation.
Because they couple to Electric Charge Q, they single out the I3 – axis in
the isospin space!
