Work

Mechanical form factors and densities of nonrelativistic fermions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The hadron physics community has been actively debating the interpretation of so-called mechanical properties of hadrons. Nonrelativistic 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 nonrelativistic Breit frame densities.

Source: Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

DOI: 10.1103/k3hd-3lqv

Author: Adam Freese

Institution: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

Award: G2263355576