Two-pion exchange contributions to nuclear charge asymmetry

An explicit 2π exchange (TPE) potential based on non-relativistic πNN and πΔN vertices with the baryon mass differences taken into account in the vertices is extended to the study of mirror nuclear systems. For the latter study, one must also include baryon mass differences in the intermediate state energy denominators. The TPE potential includes box and crossed box diagrams with two nucleons and those with one nucleon and one Δ. Nuclear charge asymmetry is characterized, in part, by a positive value for the difference Δa = |ann| - |app| ∼ O(1 fm) and a positive value for the 3H - 3He binding energy difference ΔE ∼ O(100 keV). The charge asymmetry from baryon mass differences in the vertices is small on this scale and in the wrong direction compared to the empirical values. The contribution from baryon mass differences in the intermediate state energy denominators is positive and is of the order of the empirical scales, in contrast to the previous estimate of Δa ∼ +0.3 fm obtained from an SU(2) symmetric covariant field theoretical potential. This discrepancy between models of TPE is being investigated