Meson deformation by magnetic fields in lattice QCD

Abstract

We study light meson properties in a magnetic field, focusing on a charged pion and a charged and polarized rho meson, in quenched lattice QCD. The gauge-invariant density-density correlators are calculated to investigate the deformation caused by the magnetic field. We find that these mesons acquire elongated shapes along the magnetic field. The magnitude of the deformation is about 10-20 % when the strength of the magnetic field is of the order of the squared unphysical pion mass.