Quark transverse charge densities in the $\Delta(1232)$ from lattice QCD

TL;DR

This paper extends the formalism linking electromagnetic form factors to transverse quark charge densities for spin-3/2 particles, and calculates these densities for the $ Delta(1232)$ using lattice QCD, revealing a prolately deformed structure.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism for spin-3/2 baryons and provides lattice QCD calculations of their transverse charge densities, showing deformation beyond point-like behavior.

Findings

The $ Delta$ is prolately deformed with an elongated transverse charge density.

Lattice QCD results for form factors are obtained for pion masses down to 350 MeV.

The quadrupole moment $G_{E2}(0)$ exceeds the point-particle value of -3.

Abstract

We extend the formalism relating electromagnetic form factors to transverse quark charge densities in the light-front frame to the case of a spin-3/2 baryon and calculate these transverse densities for the $\Delta(1232)$ isobar using lattice QCD. The transverse charge densities for a transversely polarized spin-3/2 particle are characterized by monopole, dipole, quadrupole, and octupole patterns representing the structure beyond that of a pure point-like spin-3/2 particle. We present lattice QCD results for the $\Delta$-isobar electromagnetic form factors for pion masses down to approximatively 350 MeV for three cases: quenched QCD, two-degenerate flavors of dynamical Wilson quarks, and three flavors of quarks using a mixed action that combines domain wall valence quarks and dynamical staggered sea quarks. We extract transverse quark charge densities from these lattice results and find that the $\Delta$ is prolately deformed, as indicated by the fact that the quadrupole moment $G_{E2}(0$) is larger than the value -3 characterizing a point particle and the fact that the transverse charge density in a $\Delta^+$ of maximal transverse spin projection is elongated along the axis of the spin.