Solutions of the Bethe-Salpeter Equation in Minkowski space: a comparative study

Abstract

The Bethe-Salpeter Equation for a two-scalar, S-wave bound system, interacting through a massive scalar, is investigated within the ladder approximation. By assuming a Nakanishi integral representation of the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude, one can deduce new integral equations that can be solved and quantitatively studied, overcoming the analytic difficulties of the Minkowski space. Finally, it is shown that the Light-front distributions of the valence state, directly obtained from the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude, open an effective window for studying the two-body dynamics.