Predictions for the strangeness S=-3 and -4 baryon-baryon interactions in chiral effective field theory

Abstract

The leading order strangeness S=-3 and -4 baryon-baryon interactions are analyzed within chiral effective field theory. The chiral potentials consist of contact terms without derivatives and of one-pseudoscalar-meson exchanges. Assuming SU(3) flavor symmetry those contact terms and the couplings of the pseudoscalar mesons to the baryons are related to the corresponding quantities of the S=-1 hyperon-nucleon channels. Specifically, the values of the pertinent five low-energy constants related to the contact terms are already fixed from our preceeding study of the Lambda-N and Sigma-N systems and thus genuine predictions for the Xi-Lambda, Xi-Sigma, and Xi-Xi interactions can be made. Strong attraction is found in some of the S=-3 and -4 channels, suggesting the possible existence of bound states.