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  • © 2019

Nuclear Lattice Effective Field Theory

An Introduction

  • Authored by leading researchers in the field
  • First comprehensive and tutorial description of this new computational method
  • Suitable as textbook for advanced courses or as self-study guide

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics (LNP, volume 957)

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Softcover Book USD 69.99
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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
  2. Introduction to Effective Field Theory

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 1-21
  3. Nuclear Forces in Chiral EFT

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 23-56
  4. Lattice Formulations

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 57-82
  5. Lattice Chiral Effective Field Theory

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 83-133
  6. Two and Three Nucleons on the Lattice

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 135-195
  7. Lattice Monte Carlo

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 197-251
  8. Light and Medium-Mass Nuclei on the Lattice

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 253-289
  9. Further Developments

    • Timo A. Lähde, Ulf-G. Meißner
    Pages 291-311
  10. Back Matter

    Pages 313-396

About this book

This primer begins with a brief introduction to the main ideas underlying Effective Field Theory (EFT) and describes how nuclear forces are obtained from first principles by introducing a Euclidean space-time lattice for chiral EFT. It subsequently develops the related technical aspects by addressing the two-nucleon problem on the lattice and clarifying how it fixes the numerical values of the low-energy constants of chiral EFT. In turn, the spherical wall method is introduced and used to show how improved lattice actions render higher-order corrections perturbative. The book also presents Monte Carlo algorithms used in actual calculations.

In the last part of the book, the Euclidean time projection method is introduced and used to compute the ground-state properties of nuclei up to the mid-mass region. In this context, the construction of appropriate trial wave functions for the Euclidean time projection is discussed, as well as methods for determining the energies of the low-lying excitations and their spatial structure. In addition, the so-called adiabatic Hamiltonian, which allows nuclear reactions to be precisely calculated, is introduced using the example of alpha-alpha scattering. In closing, the book demonstrates how Nuclear Lattice EFT can be extended to studies of unphysical values of the fundamental parameters, using the triple-alpha process as a concrete example with implications for the anthropic view of the Universe.

Nuclear Lattice Effective Field Theory offers a concise, self-contained, and introductory text suitable for self-study use by graduate students and newcomers to the field of modern computational techniques for atomic nuclei and nuclear reactions.

Reviews

“Nuclear Lattice Effective Field Theory … is a great practical advantage to the reader. … Lähde and Meißner’s helpful primer has the potential to stimulate increased efforts by serving newcomers as an essential guide to the field.” (Ruprecht Machleidt, Physics Today, Vol. 72 (10), October, 2019)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Institute for Advanced Simulation and Institute of Nuclear Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

    Timo A. Lähde

  • Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen-und Kernphysik (Theorie), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute for Advanced Simulation and Institute of Nuclear Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

    Ulf-G. Meißner

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access