POSSIBLE LONG RANGE COMPONENT IN THE NUCLEAR FORCE

Abstract

In search of the possible long range force between hadrons, S wave phase shift data of the proton-proton scattering are analyzed. In the analysis, the once subtracted Kantor amplitude is calculated, and the one-pion exchange contribution is separated. The remainder of the Kantor amplitude has a huge cusp at the threshold with the attractive sign. It is shown that such a cusp cannot be fitted by the spectral function of the twopion exchange, since it starts at [Formula: see text]. The cusp is fitted by a potential of the long range type with the asymptotic form of V(r) ~ −C/rα. After the chi square search, it turns out α is 6.1~7 and C is positive and has the strength of the strong interaction. It is consistent with the potential of the strong van der Waals force. The transition from the London type to the Casimir-Polder type of the van der Waals interaction is examined. Possible experiments to observe directly such a long range force in the nuclear force are also indicated.