Three-Nucleon Low-Energy Constants from the Consistency of Interactions and Currents in Chiral Effective Field Theory

Abstract

The chiral low-energy constants c_D and c_E are constrained by means of accurate ab initio calculations of the A=3 binding energies and, for the first time, of the triton beta decay. We demonstrate that these low-energy observables allow a robust determination of the two undetermined constants. The consistency of the interactions and currents in chiral effective field theory is crucial to this remarkable result. The two- plus three-nucleon interactions from chiral effective field theory defined by properties of the A=2 system and the present determination of c_D and c_E are successful in predicting properties of the A=3, and 4 systems.

4 pages, 3 figures, published version