Analysis of Meson-Photon Interactions using Lattice QCD

In a variety of particle physics experiments, electromagnetic currents are used to access and probe the states of quantum chromodynamics. As a result, there is a necessity for robust theoretical calculations for reactions involving hadrons and currents in order to predict and confirm experimental observations. Presently, lattice quantum chromodynamics (lattice QCD) is the only rigorous means for studying properties of hadrons directly from the theory of quarks and gluons. Lattice QCD truncates the field theory governing interactions between subatomic particles to a finite volume of space-time points, which allows for the construction of correlation functions that describe the evolution of states. The focus of this study was on analyzing interactions in meson-photon scattering within finite volumes through analysis of kinematics for such reactions and investigation of the effectiveness of predicting coupled channel scattering amplitudes. Through the use of an artificially created “toy model” system of a coupled channel interaction, this study provides a proof of concept for calculating scattering amplitudes involving mesons and photons within lattice QCD.