A very precise determination of V_us can be obtained from the semi-inclusive hadronic decay width of the tau lepton into final states with strangeness. The ratio of the Cabibbo-suppressed and Cabibbo-allowed tau decay widths directly measures (V_us/V_ud)^2, up to very small SU(3)-breaking corrections which can be theoretically estimated with the needed accuracy. Together with previous LEP and CLEO data, the recent measurements by Babar and Belle of some Cabibbo-suppressed tau decays imply V_us= 0.2165 +- 0.0026_exp +- 0.0005_th, which is already competitive with the standard extraction from K_l3 decays. The uncertainty is largely dominated by experimental errors and should be easily reduced with the high statistics of the B factories, providing the most accurate determination of this parameter. A 1% experimental precision on the Cabibbo-suppressed tau decay width would translate into a 0.6% uncertainty on V_us.
The weak interaction between the first and second generation of quarks, the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix (CKM) element |Vus|, can be probed using hadronic tau decays. In this paper, we present the recent measurements of hadronic tau decays from BELLE and BABAR and the improvements in the determination of |Vus| from tau decays.
We determine the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix (CKM) element |Vus| in several different ways using updated preliminary HFAG averages for the tau lepton branching fractions and we compare the results with the determinations obtained from the kaon decays and from the unitarity of the CKM matrix.
A critical review of hadronic tau decay data based determinations of |V_{us}| is given, focussing on the impact of the slow convergence of the integrated D=2 OPE series for the conventional flavor-breaking sum rule determination and the potential role of as-yet-unmeasured multiparticle contributions to the strange spectral distribution. Additional information obtainable from analyses of inclusive strange decay data alone, and from mixed electroproduction-tau sum rules with much reduced OPE uncertainties, is also discussed. Self-consistency tests are shown to favor determinations which reduce s…
We investigate a method for determining the CP nature of a neutral Higgs boson or spin-zero resonance at a future linear e+e- collider (ILC) in its tau decay channel. Our procedure is applicable if the production vertex of the Higgs boson can be measured. This will be the case, for example, for the Higgs-strahlung process. We show that the method is feasible for both the leptonic and the hadronic 1-prong tau decay modes.
We review the current status of the determination of the strong coupling from tau decay. Using the most recent release of the ALEPH data, a very comprehensive phenomenological analysis has been performed, exploring all strategies previously considered in the literature and several complementary approaches. Once their actual uncertainties are properly assessed, the results from all adopted methodologies are in excellent agreement, leading to a very robust and reliable value of the strong coupling, $α_s^{(n_f=3)}(m_τ^2) = 0.328\pm 0.013$, which implies $α_s^{(n_f=5)}(M_Z^2) = 0.1197\pm 0.0015$.
The measurement of possible Higgs sector CP-violation in the tau decay channels at the LHC is investigated. A CP-violating effect would manifest itself in these decay modes in characteristic spin-spin correlations of the tau lepton pairs which can be accessed using the momenta and impact parameters of the charged tau decay particles. We examine a CP-sensitive observable for a 125 GeV Higgs boson resonance in the gluon fusion channel at the LHC. Furthermore, we consider the distribution of this observable for the irreducible Drell-Yan background. By splitting these events into two categories we…
It is known that the discrepancy in pion spectral functions extracted from positron-electron annihilation and tau decay leads to different predictions for the muon anomalous magnetic moment. We will show that this discrepancy effects also the extraction of the Cabibbo angle from the hadronic tau decays. The corrections to the tau branching fractions, corresponding to the presence of new centi-weak tensor interactions, allow us to extract the Cabibbo angle from tau decays in agreement with its other precision determinations. Thus a more precise value of |V_us|=0.2246 +/- 0.0012 is obtained and …
Using the most recent release of the ALEPH $τ$ decay data, we present a very detailed phenomenological update of the $α_s(m_τ^2)$ determination. We have exploited the sensitivity to the strong coupling in many different ways, exploring several complementary methodologies. All determinations turn out to be in excellent agreement, allowing us to extract a very reliable value of the strong coupling. We find $α_{s}^{(n_f=3)}(m_τ^2) = 0.328 \pm 0.012$ which implies $α_{s}^{(n_f=5)}(M_Z^{2}) = 0.1197\pm 0.0014$. We critically revise previous work, and point out the problems flawing some recent analy…
The possibility of detecting a Higgs boson through several production and decay channels is instrumental to the measurement of its couplings. In this paper we study the pp-> ttH(H-> tau tau) channel at the LHC, for the case of a scalar Higgs boson, and use the obtained results to improve on existing strategies toward a model independent determination of the Higgs boson couplings. The case of a scalar Higgs boson with mass below 140 GeV looks particularly promising.
The total tau hadronic width can be accurately calculated using analyticity and the operator product expansion. The result turns out to be very sensitive to the value of alpha_s(m_tau^2), providing a precise determination of the strong coupling constant. The theoretical description of this observable is updated, including the recently computed O(alpha_s^4) contributions. The experimental determination of alpha_s(m_tau^2) and its actual uncertainties are discussed.
We update the hadronic tau determination of |V_{us}|, showing that current strange branching fractions produce results 2-3 sigma lower than 3-family unitarity expectations. Issues related to the size of theoretical uncertainties and results from an alternate, mixed tau-electroproduction sum rule determination (which, by construction, produces a much smaller theoretical uncertainty), are also considered.
The tau anomalous magnetic moment (a_tau) and electric dipole moment (d_tau) have not yet been observed. The present bounds on their values are of order 10^-2 and 10^-17 e*cm, respectively. We propose to measure a_tau with a precision of O(10^-3) or better and improve the existing limits on d_tau using precise tau- -> l- nu_tau \bar{nu}_l gamma (l=e or mu) data from high-luminosity B factories. A detailed feasibility study of this method is underway.
We discuss the issue of duality violations in hadronic tau decay. After introducing a physically motivated ansatz for duality violations, we estimate their possible size by fitting this ansatz to the tau experimental data provided by the ALEPH collaboration. Our conclusion is that these data do not exclude significant duality violations in tau decay. This may imply an additional systematic error in the value of alpha_s(m_tau), extracted from tau decay, as large as δalpha_s(m_tau) \sim 0.003-0.010 .
The evolution of the determination of the strong coupling constant $α_s$ from the leptonic branching ratios, the lifetime, and the invariant mass distributions of the hadronic final state of the $τ$ lepton over the last two decades is briefly reviewed. The improvements in the latest ALEPH update are described in some detail. Currently this is one of the most precise $α_s$ determinations. Together with the other determination at the $Z$ boson mass pole, they constitutes the most accurate test of the asymptotic freedom in QCD.
The two highest precision determinations of alpha_s(M_Z^2), that based on the analysis of short-distance-sensitive lattice observables, and that based on an analysis of hadronic tau decay data, have, until very recently, given results which are not in good agreement. I review new versions of these analyses which bring the two determinations into excellent agreement, and discuss prospects for additional future improvements.
We present an analysis of the m_s^2-corrections to Cabibbo-suppressed tau lepton decays employing contour improved resummation within an effective scheme which is an essential new feature as compared to previous analyses. The whole perturbative QCD dynamics of the tau-system is described by the beta-function of the effective coupling constant and by two gamma-functions for the effective mass parameters of the strange quark in different spin channels. We analyze the stability of our results with regard to high-order terms in the perturbative expansion of the renormalization group functions. A n…
Recent sum rule determinations of |V_us|, employing flavor-breaking combinations of hadronic tau decay data, are significantly lower than either expectations based on 3-family unitarity or determinations from K_ell3 and Gamma[K_mu2]/Gamma[pi_mu2]. We use lattice data to investigate the accuracy/reliability of the OPE representation of the flavor-breaking correlator combination entering the tau decay analyses. The behavior of an alternate correlator combination, constructed to reduce problems associated with the slow convergence of the D = 2 OPE series, and entering an alternate sum rule requir…
In order to determine the fundamental MSSM parameters M_1, M_2, μand \tanβthe tau polarization from stau decays can be explored as a `bridge' between the gaugino/higgsino and the stau sector in particular in the high \tanβrange. Even in the case of high \tanβan accuracy of δ(\tanβ)\approx 5% with an simultanous determination of A_τ is possible without assuming a specific SUSY breaking scheme.
The determination of the numerical value for the strong coupling constant from tau decays in perturbative QCD is briefly described. Main emphasis is made on the use of the renormalization scheme invariance of the theory for reducing uncertainties related to truncation of the series in the strong coupling constant. The analysis of the convergence of the series is presented and the possibility of the asymptotic growth at the NNNLO is discussed.
The total $τ$ hadronic width can be accurately calculated using analyticity and the operator product expansion. The theoretical analysis of this observable is updated to include all available perturbative and non-perturbative corrections. The experimental determination of $α_s(M_τ^2)$ and its actual uncertainties are discussed.
We present a general analysis of SU(3) breaking effects in the semi-inclusive tau hadronic width. The recent ALEPH measurements of the inclusive Cabibbo--suppressed decay width of the tau and several moments of its invariant mass distribution are used to determine the value of the strange quark mass. We obtain, in the MS scheme, m_s(M_τ^2) = (119\pm 24) MeV to O(α_s^3), which corresponds to m_s (1 GeV^2) = (164 \pm 33) MeV, m_s(4 GeV^2) = (114\pm 23) MeV .
I review sum rule determinations of |V_us| employing hadronic tau decay data, taking into account recent HFAG updates of exclusive tau branching fractions and paying special attention to the impact of the slow convergence of the relevant integrated D=2 OPE series and the potential role of contributions of as-yet-unmeasured higher multiplicity modes to the strange inclusive spectral distribution. In addition to conventional flavor-breaking sum rule determinations, information obtainable from mixed tau-electroproduction sum rules having much reduced OPE uncertainties, and from sum rules based on…
Hadronic tau decays provide several ways to extract the Cabbibo-Kobashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element V_{us}. The most precise determination involves using inclusive tau decays and requires as input the total branching ratio into strange final states. Recent results from B-factories have led to a discrepancy of about 3.4 sigma from the value of V_{us} implied by CKM unitarity and direct determination from Kaon semi-leptonic modes. In this paper we predict the three leading strange tau branching ratios, using dispersive parameterizations of the hadronic form factors and taking as experimental in…
We present a new QCD sum rule with high sensitivity to the continuum regions of charm and bottom quark pair production. Combining this sum rule with existing ones yields very stable results for the MS-bar quark masses, m_c(m_c) and m_b(m_b). We introduce a phenomenological parametrization of the continuum interpolating smoothly between the pseudoscalar threshold and asymptotic quark regions. Comparison of our approach with recent BES data allows for a robust theoretical error estimate. The parametric uncertainty due to alpha_s is reduced by performing a simultaneous fit to the most precise sum…
The problem of determination of $α_{s}$ and the condensates from the moments of invariant mass distribution in the semileptonic tau decays is considered. It is investigated how the extracted values of alpha_s(m^{2}_{tau}) and the condensates are affected by the the renormalization scheme dependence of the next-to-next-to-leading order perturbative corrections to the spectral moments. A simplified approach is used, in which the nonperturbative contributions are approximated by the terms of dimension six in the SVZ expansion, which arise from the four-quark condensates. \\
The recent update of the strange spectral function and the moments of the invariant mass distribution by the OPAL collaboration from hadronic tau decay data are employed to determine |V_us| as well as m_s. Our result, |V_us|=0.2208\pm0.0034, is competitive to the standard extraction of |V_us| from K_e3 decays and to the new proposals to determine it. Furthermore, the error associated to our determination of |V_us| can be reduced in the future since it is dominated by the experimental uncertainty that will be eventually much improved by the B-factories hadronic tau data. Another improvement tha…
We have used the latest data from the ALEPH Collaboration to extract values for QCD condensates up to dimension d=12 in the V-A channel and up to dimension d=8 in the V, A and V+A channels. Performing 2- and 3-parameter fits, we obtain new results for the correlations of condensates. The results are consistent among themselves and agree with most of the previous results found in the literature.
We analyze the lowest spectral moments of the left-right two-point correlation function, using all known short-distance constraints and the recently updated ALEPH V-A spectral function from tau decays. This information is used to determine the low-energy couplings L10 and C87 of chiral perturbation theory and the lowest-dimensional contributions to the Operator Product Expansion of the left-right correlator. A detailed statistical analysis is implemented to assess the theoretical uncertainties, including violations of quark-hadron duality.
We revisit the determination of alpha_s(m_tau) using a fit to inclusive tau hadronic spectral moments in light of (1) the recent calculation of the fourth-order perturbative coefficient K_4 in the expansion of the Adler function, (2) new precision measurements from BABAR of e+e- annihilation cross sections, which decrease the uncertainty in the separation of vector and axial-vector spectral functions, and (3) improved results from BABAR and Belle on tau branching fractions involving kaons. We estimate that the fourth-order perturbative prediction reduces the theoretical uncertainty, introduced…
The recent ALEPH measurements of the inclusive Cabibbo--suppressed decay width of the $τ$ and several moments of its invariant mass distribution are used to determine the value of the strange quark mass. We obtain, in the $\bar{\rm MS}$ scheme, $m_s(M_τ^2) = (119\pm 24)$ MeV, which corresponds to $ m_s(1 {\rm GeV}^2) = (164 \pm 33) {\rm MeV}, m_s(4 {\rm GeV}^2) = (114\pm 23) {\rm MeV} $.
The tau hadronic width provides a determination of the strong coupling constant alpha_s at low energies, since it can be related to a weighted integral of the Adler function in the complex energy plane. Using Operator Product Expansion, one sees that the sensitivity to alpha_s comes from the perturbative contribution, which can be obtained by integrating the perturbative expansion of the Adler function. Two different prescriptions proposed to perform this integral, called Fixed-Order Perturbation Theory and Contour-Improved Perturbation Theory (FOPT and CIPT), yield different results for the s…
We show a general form of neutrino mass matrix (M), whose matrix elements are denoted by M_{ij} (i.j=e, mu, tau) as flavor neutrino masses, that induces maximal CP violation as well as maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing. The masses of M_{mu mu}, M_{tau tau} and M_{mu tau}+sigma M_{ee} (sigma =\pm 1) turn out to be completely determined by M_{e mu} and M_{e tau} for given mixing angles. The appearance of CP violation is found to originate from the interference between the mu-tau symmetric part of M and its breaking part. If |M_{e mu}|=|M_{e tau}|, giving either M_{e mu}=-sigma e^{i theta} M_{e…
We investigate how precisely the CP nature of the 125 GeV Higgs boson resonance h can be unraveled at the LHC in its decays to tau pairs. We use a method which allows to determine the scalar-pseudoscalar Higgs mixing angle in this decay mode. This mixing angle can be extracted from the distribution of a signed angle, which we analyze for the major charged-prong tau decays. For definiteness, we consider Higgs-boson production by gluon fusion at NLO QCD. We take into account also the irreducible background from Drell-Yan production at NLO QCD. We compute, for the signal and background reactions,…
Some important aspects of hadronic tau decays are reviewed: the determination of alpha_s from the inclusive tau hadronic width, the measurement of |V_{us}| through the Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the tau, and the theoretical description of the tau -> nu_tau K pi spectrum. The present status of other relevant electroweak topics, such as charged-current universality tests or bounds on lepton-flavour violation, has been already summarized in a previous review.
We review our recent determination of the strong coupling α_s from the OPAL data for non-strange hadronic tau decays. We find that α_s(m^2_τ) =0.325+-0.018 using fixed-order perturbation theory, and α_s(m^2_τ)=0.347+-0.025 using contour-improved perturbation theory. At present, these values supersede any earlier determinations of the strong coupling from hadronic tau decays, including those from ALEPH data.
The spectral function $ρ_{V-A}(s)$ is determined from ALEPH and OPAL data on hadronic tau decays using a neural network parametrization trained to retain the full experimental information on errors, their correlations and chiral sum rules: the DMO sum rule, the first and second Weinberg sum rules and the electromagnetic mass splitting of the pion sum rule. Nonperturbative QCD vacuum condensates can then be determined from finite energy sum rules. Our method minimizes all sources of theoretical uncertainty and bias producing an estimate of the condensates which is independent of the specific fi…
Precise measurements of the tau lepton properties provide stringent tests of the Standard Model structure and accurate determinations of its parameters. We overview the present status of a few selected topics: lepton universality, QCD tests and the determination of alpha_s, m_s and V_us from hadronic tau decays, and lepton flavor violation phenomena.
Sum rule tests are performed on the spectral data for (i) flavor 'ud' vector- current-induced hadronic tau decays and (ii) e^+ e^- hadroproduction, in the region below s~3-4 GeV^2, where discrepancies exist between the isospin- breaking-corrected charged and neutral current I=1 spectral functions. The tau data is found to be compatible with expectations based on high-scale alpha_s(M_Z) determinations, while the electroproduction data displays two problems. The results favor determinations of the leading order hadronic contribution to (g-2)_mu which incorporate hadronic tau decay data over thos…
We discuss the ratio of hadronic to leptonic tau-decays, that can be expanded in an operator product expansion. The sensitivity to the strange mass is increased, if only the flavor-breaking difference of strange to non-strange currents is considered, which leaves us with terms that are at leading order proportional to m_s^2. In this sum rule the scalar channel exhibits a very bad convergence behavior in the perturbation series, that we control by replacing the scalar OPE with a phenomenological ansatz for the scalar and pseudoscalar spectral functions. The spectral ansatz is compared to the th…
The mass of the strange quark is determined from SU(3)-breaking effects in the tau hadronic width. Compared to previous analyses, the contributions from scalar and pseudoscalar spectral functions, which suffer from large perturbative corrections, are replaced by phenomenological parametrisations. This leads to a sizeable reduction of the uncertainties in the strange mass from tau decays. Nevertheless, the resulting m_s value is still rather sensitive to the moment of the invariant mass distribution which is used for the determination, as well as the size of the quark-mixing matrix element |V_u…
Precise measurements of the lepton properties provide stringent tests of the Standard Model and accurate determinations of its parameters. We overview the present status of tau physics, highlighting the most recent developments, and discuss the prospects for future improvements. The leptonic decays of the tau lepton probe the structure of the weak currents and the universality of their couplings to the W boson. The universality of the leptonic Z couplings has also been tested through leptonic Z decays. The hadronic tau decay modes constitute an ideal tool for studying low-energy effects of the…
Hadronic tau decays offer the possibility of determining the strong coupling alpha_s at relatively low energy. Precisely for this reason, however, good control over the perturbative QCD corrections, the non-perturbative condensate contributions in the framework of the operator product expansion (OPE), as well as the corrections going beyond the OPE, the duality violations (DVs), is required. On the perturbative QCD side, the contour-improved versus fixed-order resummation of the series is still an issue, and will be discussed. Regarding the analysis, self-consistent fits to the data including …
We study the decays of the tau-sleptons (stau_{1,2}) and tau-sneutrino (snu_tau) in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with complex parameters A_tau, mu and M_1 (U(1) gaugino mass). We show that the effect of the CP phases of these parameters on the branching ratios of stau_{1,2} and snu_tau decays can be quite strong in a large region of the MSSM parameter space. This could have an important impact on the search for stau_{1,2} and snu_tau and the determination of the MSSM parameters at future colliders.
The QCD corrections to the moments of the invariant mass distribution in the semileptonic $τ$ decays are considered. The effect of the renormalization scheme dependence on the fitted values of alpha_s(m^2_tau) and the condensates is discussed, using a simplified approach where the nonperturbative contributions are approximated by the dimension six condensates. The fits in the vector and the axial-vector channel are investigated in the next-to-leading and the next-to-next-to-leading order. The next-to-next-to-leading order results are found to be relatively stable with respect to change of the …
We update the extraction of |V_{us}| from hadronic tau decay data in light of recent BaBar and Belle results on the branching fractions of a number of important strange decay modes. A range of sum rule analyses is performed, particular attention being paid to those based on "non-spectral weights", developed previously to bring the slow convergence of the relevant integrated D=2 OPE series under improved control. Results from the various sum rules are shown to be in good agreement with one another, but ~3 sigma below expectations based on 3-family unitarity. Important avenues for future study a…
The determination of alpha_s from hadronic tau decays is impeded by the fact that two choices for the renormalisation group resummation, namely fixed-order (FOPT) and contour-improved perturbation theory (CIPT), yield systematically differing results. On the basis of a model for higher-order terms in the perturbative series, which incorporates well-known structure from renormalons, it is found that FOPT smoothly approaches the Borel sum for the tau hadronic width, while CIPT is unable to account for the resummed series. An example for the behaviour of QCD spectral function moments, displaying …
The pure leptonic or semileptonic character of tau decays makes them a good laboratory to test the structure of the weak currents and the universality of their couplings to the gauge bosons. The hadronic tau decay modes constitute an ideal tool for studying low-energy effects of the strong interactions in very clean conditions; a well-known example is the precise determination of the QCD coupling from tau-decay data. New physics phenomena, such as a non-zero tau-neutrino mass or violations of (flavour / CP) conservation laws can also be searched for with tau decays.
Recently, the tau --> K pi nu_tau decay spectrum has been measured by the Belle and BaBar collaborations. In this work, we present an analysis of such decays introducing a dispersive parametrization for the vector and scalar Kpi form factors. This allows for precise tests of the Standard Model. For instance, the determination of f_+(0)|V_{us}| from these decays is discussed. A comparison and a combination of these results with the analyses of the K_{l3} decays is also considered.
In the study of CP violation within and beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, pure hadronic B decays are the key players. Improving the determination of the CKM angle $γ$ is one of the important tasks in this endeavour. Besides, the full description of pure hadronic decays due to their strong interaction dynamics remains one of the challenges. In this summary, we discuss the recent results and progress on $γ$ determinations and direct CP violation in pure hadronic B decays as presented at CKM 2018.
A sum rule for determining |V_us| from a combination of hadronic tau decay and electroproduction data is discussed. Indications of problems with analogous, purely tau-decay-based analyses, most likely associated with slow convergence of the relevant D=2 OPE series, are outlined, and advantages of the mixed sum rule approach identified. With current data, one obtains |V_us|= 0.2208 (39)_exp (3)_th, a determination amenable to significant near-term reduction in experimental error, and with the smallest theoretical error of all current |V_us| determinations.
We have reevaluated the hadronic contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g-2) and to the running of the QED fine structure constant alpha(s) at s=M_Z**2. We incorporated new data from hadronic tau decays, recently published by the ALEPH Collaboration. In addition, compared to previous analyses, we use more extensive e+e- annihilation data sets. The integration over the total hadronic cross section is performed using experimental data up to 40 GeV and results from perturbative QCD above 40 GeV. The improvement from tau data concerns mainly the pion form factor, where the unce…
We discuss the quantitative impact of duality violations on the determination of the strong coupling constant from hadronic tau decays, based on a preliminary analysis of OPAL data.
The relation of the strong coupling constant as measured in tau decay to other low energy determinations is considered with special attention to its impact on the question of the possible existence of light gluinos.
The present status of the theoretical estimates of the difference between the widths of the neutral Bs-mesons and of the B-meson lifetime ratios is reviewed. In particular, the lattice results for the matrix elements of the relevant (delta B=2)-operators are updated and the first lattice QCD results for the matrix elements of (delta B=0)-operators are presented. In both cases, the NLO perturbative QCD corrections in the coefficient functions have been included. The theoretically updated results are: (delta Gamma/Gamma)_{Bs} = (7 +/- 4) %, tau(B+)/tau(Bd) = 1.07(3) and tau(Bs)/tau(Bd) = 1.00(2)…
We perform a detailed study of the decays of the heavier tau slepton (stau_2) and tau-sneutrino (snu_tau) in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We show that the decays into Higgs or gauge bosons, i.e. stau_2 -> stau_1 + (h^0, H^0, A^0 or Z^0), stau_2 -> snu_tau + (H^- or W^-), and snu_tau -> stau_1 + (H^+ or W^+), can be very important due to the sizable tau Yukawa coupling and large mixing parameters of stau. Compared to the decays into fermions, such as stau_2 -> tau + neutralino_i and stau_2 -> nu_tau + chargino_j^-, these bosonic decay modes can have significantly different …
There are some indications from recent determinations of the strong coupling constant alpha_s and the gluon condensate that the Operator Product Expansion may not be accurate enough to describe non-perturbative effects in hadronic tau decays. This breakdown of the Operator Product Expansion is usually referred to as being due to ``Duality Violations.'' With the help of a physically motivated model, we investigate these duality violations. Based on this model, we argue how they may introduce a non-negligible systematic error in the current analysis, which employs finite-energy sum rules with pi…
Employing our previous framework to treat non-perturbative effects self-consistently, including duality violations, we update the determination of the strong coupling, α_s, using a modified version of the 1998 OPAL data, updated to reflect current values of exclusive mode hadronic τdecay branching fractions. Our best n_f=3 values from the updated OPAL data are α_s(m^2_τ)=0.325+-0.018 and α_s(m^2_τ)=0.347+-0.025 in fixed-order and contour-improved perturbation theory, respectively. To account for non-perturbative effects, non-linear, multi-parameter fits are necessary. We have, therefore, inves…
One of the largest theoretical uncertainties assigned to the strong coupling constant alpha_s as determined from hadronic tau decays stems from the differences in the results for Fixed Order Perturbation Theory (FOPT), Contour Improved Perturbation Theory (CIPT) and Renormalon Chain Perturbation Theory (RCPT). It is often argued that the three methods differ in the treatment of higher orders only and therefore the full difference should be treated as theoretical error. Recently other arguments either in favor of FOPT, CIPT or RCPT have been given, but none of those is able to combine all three…
