arXiv subjects

Adam Freese

Publications and source records attributed to Adam Freese.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum stress and torsion distributions in the deuteron

Stress distributions in the deuteron are related to form factors of the asymmetric energy-momentum tensor through three-dimensional Fourier transforms. There are eleven such form factors, which we calculate in an impulse approximation. We compare the obtained form factors to prior results for the six form factors that have been previously calculated. We then elaborate on the formalism for relating the form factors to internal distributions of mass, mass flux, momentum, stresses, and forces, and obtain results for all of these distributions. We obtain the principal stresses for the symmetric part of the stress tensor, and show that the antisymmetric part describes reorientation of fermion spin by torsion stress when the nucleon moves between the S- and D-waves. Force distributions in the nucleons depend on the so-called non-conserved form factors through the Cauchy momentum equation, and are non-radial owing to the presence of tensor forces and spin-orbit coupling.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Reflections on Noether's second theorem and the energy-momentum tensor

Through symmetry of the action under global spacetime translations, Noether's first theorem infamously entails an energy-momentum tensor (EMT) that is neither symmetric nor gauge-invariant. In a prior work [Phys. Rev. D 106, 125012 (2022)], I had obtained a symmetric and gauge-invariant EMT by using Noether's second theorem instead, with local spacetime translations as the symmetry group. However, the derivation therein was flawed, containing a faulty assumption about the transformation rule for spinor fields. In this work, I revisit the derivation of [Phys. Rev. D 106, 125012 (2022)], both correcting the faulty step and simplifying the derivation for broader accessibility. The end result is an EMT for quantum chromodynamics that is gauge-invariant, but not symmetric.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Mechanical form factors and densities of non-relativistic fermions

The hadron physics community has been actively debating the interpretation of so-called mechanical properties of hadrons. Non-relativistic quantum-mechanical systems like the hydrogen atom have been appealed to in these debates as analogies. Since such appeals are likely to continue, it is important to have Galilei-covariant expressions for matrix elements of the energy-momentum tensor. In this work, I obtain Galilei-covariant breakdowns of such matrix elements into mechanical form factors, with a special focus on spin-half states. I additionally study the spatial densities associated with these form factors, using the pilot wave interpretation to guide their breakdown into contributions from internal structure and from quantum-mechanical effects such as wave packet dispersion. For completeness, I also obtain non-relativistic Breit frame densities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Quantum stresses in the hydrogen atom

Gravitational form factors are often interpreted as providing access to stresses inside hadrons, in particular through Fourier transforms of the form factors $D$ and $\bar{c}$. Some researchers, however, have expressed skepticism of this interpretation. I revisit the question, and argue that it is indeed appropriate to interpret these quantities as stress distributions. I consider the hydrogen atom's ground state as a familiar example, and use the pilot wave interpretation of quantum mechanics to give the distributions a clear meaning. A striking result is that $\bar{c}$ -- rather than $D$ -- quantifies the force law binding the system, which can be understood through Cauchy's first law of motion.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Perturbative results of matrix elements of the axial current and their relation with the axial anomaly

In the Standard Model of particle physics, the axial current is not conserved, due both to fermion masses and to the axial anomaly. Using perturbative quantum chromodynamics, we calculate matrix elements of the local and non-local axial current for a gluon target, clarifying their connection with the axial anomaly. In so doing, we also reconsider classic results obtained in the context of the nucleon spin sum rule as well as recent results for off-forward kinematics. An important role is played by the infrared regulator, for which we put a special emphasis on the nonzero quark mass. We highlight cancellations that take place between contributions from the axial anomaly and the quark mass, and we elaborate on the relation of those cancellations with the conservation of angular momentum.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Synchronization effects on rest frame energy and momentum densities in the proton

We obtain two-dimensional relativistic densities and currents of energy and momentum in a proton at rest. These densities are obtained at surfaces of fixed light front time, which physically corresponds to using an alternative synchronization convention. Mathematically, this is done using tilted light front coordinates, which consist of light front time and ordinary spatial coordinates. In this coordinate system, all sixteen components of the energy-momentum tensor obtain clear physical interpretations, and the nine Galilean components reproduce results from standard light front coordinates. We find angular modulations in several densities that are absent in the corresponding instant form results, which are explained as optical effects arising from using fixed light front time when motion is present within the target. Additionally, transversely-polarized spin-half targets exhibit an energy dipole moment -- which evaluates to $-1/4$ for all targets if the Belinfante EMT is used, but which is target dependent and vanishes for pointlike fermions if the asymmetric EMT is instead used.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

The case for an EIC Theory Alliance: Theoretical Challenges of the EIC

We outline the physics opportunities provided by the Electron Ion Collider (EIC). These include the study of the parton structure of the nucleon and nuclei, the onset of gluon saturation, the production of jets and heavy flavor, hadron spectroscopy and tests of fundamental symmetries. We review the present status and future challenges in EIC theory that have to be addressed in order to realize this ambitious and impactful physics program, including how to engage a diverse and inclusive workforce. In order to address these many-fold challenges, we propose a coordinated effort involving theory groups with differing expertise is needed. We discuss the scientific goals and scope of such an EIC Theory Alliance.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Shedding light on shadow generalized parton distributions

The feasibility of extracting generalized parton distributions (GPDs) from deeply-virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) data has recently been questioned because of the existence of an infinite set of so-called ''shadow GPDs'' (SGPDs). These SGPDs depend on the process and manifest as multiple solutions (at a fixed scale $Q^2$) to the inverse problem that needs to be solved to infer GPDs from DVCS data. SGPDs therefore pose a significant challenge for extracting GPDs from DVCS data. With this motivation we study the extent to which QCD evolution can provide constraints on SGPDs. This is possible because the known classes of SGPDs begin to contribute to observables after evolution, and can then be constrained (at the input scale $Q^2_0$) by data that has a finite $Q^2$ range. The impact that SGPDs could have on determining the total angular momentum, pressure and sheer force distributions, and tomography is also discussed. Our key finding is that scale evolution, coupled with data over a wide range of skewness $\xi$ and $Q^2$, can constrain the class of SGPDs that we studied and potentially make possible the extraction of GPDs from DVCS data over a limited range in the GPD variables.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Light front synchronization and rest frame densities of the proton: Electromagnetic densities

We clarify the physical origin and meaning of the two-dimensional relativistic densities of the light front formalism. The densities are shown to originate entirely from the use of light front time instead of instant form time, which physically corresponds to using an alternative synchronization convention. This is shown by using tilted light front coordinates, which consist of light front time and ordinary spatial coordinates, and which are also used to show that the obtained densities describe a system at rest rather than at infinite momentum. These coordinates allow all four components of the electromagnetic current density to be given clear physical meanings. We explicate the formalism for spin-half targets, obtaining charge and current densities of the proton and neutron using empirical form factor parametrizations, as well as up and down quark densities and currents. Angular modulations in the densities of transversely-polarized states are explained as originating from redshifts and blueshifts due to quarks moving in different longitudinal directions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

The gravitational form factors of the electron in quantum electrodynamics

We calculate the gravitational form factors of the electron at one loop in quantum electrodynamics, decomposing these into contributions from the electron and photon parts of the energy-momentum tensor. Ultraviolet divergences are removed through renormalization in the $\overline{\text{MS}}$ scheme. Infrared divergences are isolated and results are given in both dimensional regularization and photon-mass regularization. The form factors contain information about the electron's energy and angular momentum structure in QED, as well as its mass radius. Whenever possible, we compare our results with the existing literature.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

A convolution formalism for defining spatial densities of hadrons

We clarify the meaning of spatial densities of hadrons. A physical density is given by the expectation value of a local operator for a physical state, and depends on both internal structure and the hadron's wave packet. In some particular cases, the physical density can be written as a convolution between a density function that depends on internal structure but not wave packet, and a smearing function that depends on wave packet but not internal structure. We show that the light front densities often encountered in the literature have this property but that instant form densities do not. For hadrons prepared in broad wave packets, physical instant form densities approximately obey such a convolution relation, with Breit frame densities as the apparent internal densities. However, there is an infinite series of relativistic corrections to this convolution formula.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Mass decomposition of the pion in the 't Hooft model

We obtain the energy-momentum tensor (EMT) in the 't Hooft model of two-dimensional quantum chromodynamics. The EMT is decomposed into contributions from quark and gluon fields, with all of the (plus component of) the light front momentum being carried by the quark field. The energy is split between quark and gluon fields, with the gluon field carrying the self-energy of the dressed quarks. We consider the pion in the limit of small but non-zero quark masses -- which has previously withstood numerical treatment -- as as a concrete example. We solve for the pion wave function using a variational method and obtain numerical results for its energy breakdown into quark and gluon contributions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Spatial densities of momentum and forces in spin-one hadrons

Densities associated with the energy-momentum tensor are calculated for spin-one targets. These calculations are done in a light front formalism, which accounts for relativistic effects due to boosts and allows for arbitrary spatial localization of the target. These densities include the distribution of momentum, angular momentum, and pressures over a two-dimensional plane transverse to the light front. Results are obtained for both longitudinally and transversely polarized targets, and the formalism is tailored to allow the possibility of massless targets. The momentum density and pressure distributions are calculated for a deuteron target in a light cone convolution model, with which the properties of this model (such as helicity dependence of the densities) is illustrated.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Spatial densities of the photon on the light front

The light front densities of momentum, angular momentum, and intrinsic pressure are calculated for the photon, both in the free case and at leading order in quantum electrodynamics. In the latter case, we moreover decompose the form factors into photon and electron contributions. Circularly and linearly polarized photons are both considered, with the latter containing significant azimuthal modulations in both the momentum density and in intrinsic stresses. We find that the D-term of the photon is positive instead of negative, and accordingly the intrinsic radial pressure of the photon is negative. Despite this, the radiation pressure exerted by the photon is positive. We illustrate through explicit calculation how the intrinsic pressure associated with the D-term and the radiation pressure exerted by the photon are different quantities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Noether's theorems and the energy-momentum tensor in quantum gauge theories

Noether's first and second theorems both imply conserved currents that can be identified as an energy-momentum tensor (EMT). The first theorem identifies the EMT as the conserved current associated with global spacetime translations, while the second theorem identifies it as a conserved current associated with local spacetime translations. This work obtains an EMT for quantum electrodynamics and quantum chromodynamics through the second theorem, which is automatically symmetric in its indices and invariant under the expected symmetries (e.g., BRST invariance) without the need for introducing an ad hoc improvement procedure.

hep-th↗

arXiv2021

Unified formalism for electromagnetic and gravitational probes: densities

The use of light front coordinates allows a fully relativistic description of a hadron's spatial densities to be obtained. These densities must be two-dimensional and transverse to a chosen spatial direction. We explore their relationship to the three-dimensional, non-relativistic densities, with a focus on densities associated with the energy momentum tensor. The two-dimensional non-relativistic densities can be obtained from the light front densities through a non-relativistic limit, and can subsequently be transformed into three-dimensional non-relativistic densities through an inverse Abel transform. However, this operation is not invertible, and moreover the application of the inverse Abel transform to the light front densities does not produce a physically meaningful result. We additionally find that the Abel transforms of so-called Breit-frame densities generally differ significantly from the true light front densities. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the various differences between the light front, Breit frame, and non-relativistic treatment of densities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Genuine empirical pressure within the proton

A phenomenological extraction of pressure within the proton has recently been performed using JLab CLAS data (arXiv:2104.02031 [nucl-ex]). The extraction used a 3-dimensional Breit frame description in which the initial and final proton states have different momenta. Instead, we obtain the two-dimensional transverse light front pressure densities that incorporate relativistic effects arising from the boosts that cause the initial and final states to differ. The mechanical radius is then determined to be $0.518~ \pm 0.062_{\mathrm{fit}} \pm 0.126_{\mathrm{sys}}~\mathrm{fm}$, which is smaller than the electric charge radius and larger than the light front momentum radius. The forces within the proton are shown to be predominantly repulsive at distances less than $0.43~\pm 0.12~\mathrm{fm}$ from the center, and predominantly attractive further out.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Intrinsic Glue and Wilson lines within Dressed Quarks

We construct a quark target model (QTM) to incorporate intrinsic glue into effective low-energy models of QCD, which often contain only quark degrees of freedom. This method guarantees the gauge invariance of observables order-by-order in the strong coupling. The quark and gluon PDFs for the dressed quarks are obtained in the QTM at leading order. We demonstrate gauge invariance of the results by comparing both covariant and light cone gauges, with the former including an explicit Wilson line contribution. A key finding is that in covariant gauges the Wilson line can carry a significant amount of the light cone momentum. With coupling strength $\alpha_s = 0.5$ and dressed quark mass $M_q = 0.4\,$GeV, we find quark and gluon momentum fractions of $\left _q = 0.81$ and $\left _g = 0.19$, where the Wilson line contribution to the quark momentum fraction is $-0.18$. We use the on-shell renormalization scheme and find that at one-loop this Wilson line contribution does not depend on the covariant gauge but does vanish in light cone gauge as expected. This result demonstrates that it is crucial to account for Wilson line contributions when calculating quantum correlation functions in covariant gauges. We also consider the impact of a gluon mass using the gauge invariant formalism proposed by Cornwall, and combine these QTM results with two quark-level models to obtain quark and gluon PDFs for the pion.

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