Abstract
A density expansion of the pion self-energy for pions in nuclear matter is reexamined. It is shown that a single hole-line expansion of the self-energy (i) is equivalent to using a strongly quenched scattering amplitude in the medium, and (ii) results in an inconsistent treatment of the virtual pions necessarily present in a field-theoretic description of the problem. Exchange of intermediate pions gives rise to nucleon-nucleon, as well as pion-nucleon scattering diagrams that both contribute to the pion self-energy in an essential way. The nucleon-nucleon scattering proceeds, for instance, via a one-pion-exchange potential that is, however, highly nonstatic for energy transfers between nucleons close to the incident energy. Such interactions are singled out automatically for special treatment in a field-theory approach to the problem, and should not be introduced in an ad hoc manner as part of an empirical interaction in nuclear matter. We evaluate the coherent and charge exchange contributions to the pion-nucleus optical potential, proportional to the total density and the neutron-proton density difference, respectively. The Pauli principle is found to provide a small correction to the coherent part, both in the hole-line and density expansion formalisms. However, the charge exchange part of the potential is almost completely damped at low energies in the hole-line expansion, while the inclusion of backward-going graphs (random-phase-approximation correlations) restores it to its value based on free space charge exchange amplitudes (i.e., no net Pauli effect).
NUCLEAR REACTIONS Compared density and hole line expansions for pion-nucleus optical potential; influence of Pauli principle on effective amplitude.
- Received 14 June 1976
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.14.2211
©1976 American Physical Society