Virtual Compton Scattering--Generalized Polarizabilities of Nucleons and Pions

Abstract

Virtual Compton scattering off nucleons and pions at low energies is discussed. Predictions for the generalized polarizabilities of the nucleon are presented within the framework of heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory and the linear sigma model. First results for the generalized polarizabilities of the charged pion in chiral perturbation theory at ${\cal O}(p^4)$ are shown.

8 pages, LaTex file, 3 postscript figures, uses fbssuppl.sty, invited talk given at the joint ECT*/Jefferson Lab Workshop on N* Physics and non-perturbative QCD, Trento, Italy, May 18-29, 1998, to appear in Few-Body Systems Suppl