In-medium properties of a $\Xi N$ interaction derived from chiral effective field theory

Abstract

The in-medium properties of a baryon-baryon interaction for the strangeness $S=-2$ sector derived within chiral effective field theory up to next-to-leading order are investigated. The considered $\Xi N$ interaction is in line with available empirical constraints on the $\Lambda\Lambda$ $S$-wave scattering length and on $\Xi N$ elastic and inelastic cross sections. In particular, there are no near-threshold bound states in the $\Xi N$ system. A conventional $G$-matrix calculation for this interaction is performed and reveals that the single-particle potential of the $\Xi$-hyperon in nuclear matter is moderately attractive as suggested by recent experimental evidence for the existence of $\Xi$-hypernuclei.