Hypernuclear single particle spectra based on in-medium chiral SU (3) dynamics

P. Finelli, N. Kaiser, D. Vretenar, W. Weise

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

A previously derived relativistic energy density functional for nuclei, based on low-energy in-medium chiral dynamics, is generalized to implement constraints from chiral SU (3) effective field theory and applied to Λ hypernuclei. Density-dependent central and spin-orbit mean fields are calculated for a Λ hyperon using the SU (3) extension of in-medium chiral perturbation theory to two-loop order. Long range ΛN interactions arise from kaon-exchange and from two-pion-exchange with a Σ hyperon in the intermediate state. Short-distance dynamics is encoded in contact interactions. They include scalar and vector mean fields reflecting in-medium changes of quark condensates, constrained by QCD sum rules. The Λ single particle orbitals are computed for a series of hypernuclei from 13ΛC to 208ΛPb. The role of a surface (derivative) term is studied. Its strength is found to be compatible with a corresponding estimate from in-medium chiral perturbation theory. Very good agreement with hypernuclear spectroscopic data is achieved. The smallness of the Λ-nuclear spin-orbit interaction finds a natural explanation in terms of an almost complete cancellation between short-range scalar/vector contributions and longer range terms generated by two-pion exchange.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)163-183
Number of pages21
JournalNuclear Physics, Section A
Volume831
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Dec 2009

Keywords

  • Chiral dynamics
  • Hypernuclei
  • Nuclear energy density functionals
  • QCD sum rules

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