Interpolation between the ε and p regimes

We reconsider chiral perturbation theory in a finite volume and develop a new computational scheme which smoothly interpolates the conventional epsilon and p regimes. The counting rule is kept essentially the same as in the p expansion. The zero-momentum modes of Nambu-Goldstone bosons are, however, treated separately and partly integrated out to all orders as in the epsilon expansion. In this new scheme, the theory remains infrared finite even in the chiral limit, while the chiral-logarithmic effects are kept present. We calculate the two-point function in the pseudoscalar channel and show that the correlator has a constant contribution in addition to the conventional cosh function of time t. This constant term rapidly disappears in the p regime but it is indispensable for a smooth convergence of the formula to the epsilon regime result. Our calculation is useful to precisely estimate the finite volume effects in lattice QCD simulations on the pion mass M-pi and kaon mass M-K, as well as their decay constants F-pi and F-K.