Observations on the two-body relativistic wave equation

C. G. Koutroulos

Karl-Erik Thylwe, Sergey Belov

An approximate quantum-mechanical two-body equation for spinless particles incorporating relativistic kinematics is derived. The derivation is based on the relativistic energy-momentum relation $mc^{2}+ε= \sqrt{m^{2}c^{4}+p^{2}c^{2}}+V$ for each single particle, where $mc^2$ is the particle rest mass energy, $p$ its linear momentum, $ε$ its dynamical energy, and $V$ being the time-like vector interaction potential. The resulting two-body equation assumes rapid wave oscillations in a single, slowly varying potential well. A Bohr-Sommerfeld-type quantization condition is obtained. The approximation is compared to exact results for the harmonic potential.

Mahmoud M. Bakri, Hesham M. M. Mansour

L. Micu

We show that in classical mechanics, as well as in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics the equation of the relative motion for a two-body bound system at rest can be replaced by individual dynamical equations of the same kind as the first one, but with different parameters. We assume that in relativistic quantum mechanics the individual equations are Dirac equations with modified parameters in agreement with the individual Schrödinger equations. We find that products of solutions to the individual equations with correlated arguments are the quantum analogues of the classical representation of a bound system and represent suitable models for the bound state wave functions. As validity test for the new representation of bound states we suggest to use some observable differences between this one and the representation in terms of relative coordinates.

Peter Hawkes, Erwin K. Kasper

Md Habib E Islam

In this dissertation, we develop and apply a relativistic framework for studying three-body scattering amplitudes, their analytic structure, and the emergence of universal phenomena such as the Efimov effect. The work integrates three complementary components. First, we introduce a systematically improvable numerical method for solving relativistic three-body integral equations in momentum space. By discretizing the continuum problem into finite matrix equations and extrapolating to the continuum limit, we obtain stable partial-wave amplitudes in the presence of a two-body bound state. Two complementary treatments of the pole contribution are implemented and shown to reproduce previous finite volume results, with controlled estimates of systematic uncertainties. Second, we provide a general prescription for analytically continuing these integral equations into the complex energy plane. Using contour-deformation techniques guided by the singularity structure of the kernel, we compute amplitudes below elastic thresholds and on multiple Riemann sheets. This allows us to determine three-body bound and virtual states consistent with earlier finite-volume studies, and to identify departures from the standard two-body finite-volume formalism due to left-hand cuts. Finally, we apply this framework to study Efimov physics in a fully relativistic setting. By tuning the interaction toward unitarity, we observe the characteristic discrete scaling symmetry of Efimov trimers and recover the expected geometric energy pattern. Tracking trimer poles across physical and unphysical Riemann sheets, we reveal rich trajectories connecting virtual states, bound states, and resonances. We also uncover cyclic behavior of higher Efimov resonances and propose a partial resolution to the associated “missing states” puzzle in terms of the multi-sheeted structure induced by the logarithmic three-body unitarity cut. Overall, this work establishes a coherent relativistic approach to the three-body problem, clarifies its analytic structure, and demonstrates its ability to capture universal features relevant to nuclear, hadronic, and atomic few-body systems.