Effects of vacuum polarization by hadronic and heavy-fermion insertions were the last unknown two-loop QED corrections to high-energy Bhabha scattering and have been first announced in \cite{Actis:2007fs}. Here we describe the corrections in detail and explore their numerical influence. The hadronic contributions to the virtual O(alpha^2) QED corrections to the Bhabha-scattering cross-section are evaluated using dispersion relations and computing the convolution of hadronic data with perturbatively calculated kernel functions. The technique of dispersion integrals is also employed to derive the virtual O(alpha^2) corrections generated by muon-, tau- and top-quark loops in the small electron-mass limit for arbitrary values of the internal-fermion masses. At a meson factory with 1 GeV center-of-mass energy the complete effect of hadronic and heavy-fermion corrections amounts to less than 0.5 per mille and reaches, at 10 GeV, up to about 2 per mille. At the Z resonance it amounts to 2.3 per mille at 3 degrees; overall, hadronic corrections are less than 4 per mille. For ILC energies (500 GeV or above), the combined effect of hadrons and heavy-fermions becomes 6 per mille at 3 degrees; hadrons contribute less than 20 per mille in the whole angular region.
Virtual hadronic contributions to the Bhabha process at the NNLO level are discussed. They are substantial for predictions with per mil accuracy. The studies of heavy fermion and hadron corrections complete the calculation of Bhabha virtual effects at the NNLO level.
A method to determine the running of alpha from a measurement of small-angle Bhabha scattering is proposed and worked out. The method is suited to high statistics experiments at e+e- colliders, which are equipped with luminometers in the appropriate angular region. A new simulation code predicting small-angle Bhabha scattering is also presented
We propose a method to determine the running of $α_{QED}$ from the measurement of small-angle Bhabha scattering. The method is suited to high statistics experiments at $e^{+} e^{-}$ colliders, which are equipped with luminometers in the appropriate angular region. We present a new simulation code predicting small-angle Bhabha scattering. A detailed description of this idea can be found in A.B. Arbuzov, D. Haidt, C. Matteuzzi, M. Paganoni and L. Trentadue, The running of the electromagnetic coupling alpha in small-angle Bhabha scattering, Eur. Phys. J. C34, 267 (2004).
Using dispersion relations, we derive the complete virtual QED contributions to Bhabha scattering due to vacuum polarization effects in photon propagation. We apply our result to hadronic corrections and to heavy lepton and top quark loop insertions. We give the first complete estimate of their net numerical effects for both small and large angle scattering at typical beam energies of meson factories, LEP, and the ILC. The effects turn out to be smaller, in most cases, than those corresponding to electron loop insertions, but stay, with amounts of typically one per mille, of relevance for prec…
Theoretical predictions for Bhabha scattering at the two-loop level require the inclusion of hadronic vacuum polarization in the photon propagator. We present predictions for the contributions from reducible amplitudes which are proportional to the vacuum polarization $π(q^2)$ and from irreducible ones where the vacuum polarization appears in a loop representing vertex or box diagrams. The second case can be treated by using dispersion relations with a weight function proportional to the $R$-ratio as measured in electron-positron annihilation into hadrons and kernels that can be calculated per…
We present the exact O(alpha) correction to the process e+ e- -> e+ e- + gamma in the low angle luminosity regime at SLC/LEP energies. We give explicit formulas for the completely differential cross section. As an important application, we illustrate the size of the respective corrections of O(alpha^2) to the SLC/LEP luminosity cross section. We show explicitly that our results have the correct infrared limit, as a cross-check. Some comments are made about the implementation of our results in the framework of a Monte Carlo event generator. This latter implementation will appear elsewhere.
We present O(alpha) YFS exponentiated results for wide angle Bhabha scattering at LEP/SLC energies using a new Monte Carlo event generator BHWIDE 1.xx. Our calculations include two options for the pure weak corrections, as presented in Beenakker et al. and in Bohm et al. From comparison with the results of Beenakker et al., Montagna et al. and Cacciari et al., we conclude that the total precision of our BHWIDE results is 0.3% (0.5%) in the LEP1/SLC regime within +-100 MeV (+2.75/-2.5 GeV) of the Z peak. For LEP2, the corresponding precision is currently estimated at 1.5%; the latter could be i…
We derive the two-loop corrections to Bhabha scattering from heavy fermions using dispersion relations. The double-box contributions are expressed by three kernel functions. Convoluting the perturbative kernels with fermionic threshold functions or with hadronic data allows to determine numerical results for small electron mass m_e, combined with arbitrary values of the fermion mass m_f in the loop, $m_e^2<<s,t,m_f^2$, or with hadronic insertions. We present numerical results for m_f = m_μ, m_τ, m_{top} at typical small- and large-angle kinematics ranging from 1 GeV to 500 GeV.
We derive the coefficient of the O(alpha^2 log(s/m_e^2)) fixed order contribution to elastic large-angle Bhabha scattering. We adapt the classification of infrared divergences, that was recently developed within dimensional regularization, and apply it to the regularization scheme with a massive photon and electron.
In this thesis exact results on O(alpha^2) single bremsstrahlung corrections to low angle Bhabha scattering at LEP/SLC energies are given. The calculation represents the last outstanding theoretical second order subleading electroweak contribution for that process, needed to determine the experimental luminosity at second generation LEP detectors below the 0.1% precision threshold. The exact, fully differential result is obtained by employing analytical as well as computer-algebraic methods and includes terms up to O(0.05%) relative to the Born cross section. The initial output of over 20,000 …
Virtual fermionic N_f = 1 and N_f = 2 contributions to Bhabha scattering are combined with realistic real corrections at next-to-next-to-leading order in QED. The virtual corrections are determined by the package bha_nnlo_hf, and real corrections with the Monte Carlo generators Bhagen-1Ph, Helac-Phegas and Ekhara. Numerical results are discussed at the energies of and with realistic cuts used at the Phi factory DAFNE, at the B factories PEP-II and KEK, and at the charm/tau factory BEPC II. We compare these complete calculations with the approximate ones realized in the generator BabaYaga@NLO u…
Recently, we evaluated the virtual cross-section for Bhabha scattering in pure QED, up to corrections of order alpha^4 (N_F =1). This calculation is valid for arbitrary values of the squared center of mass energy s and momentum transfer t; the electron and positron mass m was considered a finite, non vanishing quantity. In the present work, we supplement the previous calculation by considering the contribution of the soft photon emission diagrams to the differential cross-section, up to and including terms of order alpha^4 (N_F=1). Adding the contribution of the real corrections to the renorma…
In the context of pure QED, we obtain analytic expressions for the contributions to the Bhabha scattering differential cross section at order alpha^4 which originate from the interference of two-loop photonic vertices with tree-level diagrams and from the interference of one-loop photonic diagrams amongst themselves. The ultraviolet renormalization is carried out. The IR-divergent soft-photon emission corrections are evaluated and added to the virtual cross section. The cross section obtained in this manner is valid for on-shell electrons and positrons of finite mass, and for arbitrary values …
The accurate knowledge of luminosity at e^+ e^- flavour factories requires the precision calculation of the Bhabha cross section at large scattering angles. In order to achieve a theoretical accuracy at the 0.1% level, the relevant effect of QED radiative corrections is taken into account in the framework of the Parton Shower method, which allows exclusive event generation. On this scheme, a Monte Carlo event generator (BABAYAGA) is developed for data analysis. To test the reliability of the approach, a benchmark calculation, including exact O(alpha) corrections and higher-order leading logari…
For the small-angle Bhabha-scattering process, we consider the error budget for the calculation of the LEP/SLC luminosity in the Monte Carlo event generator BHLUMI 4.04, from the standpoint of new calculations of exact results for the respective O(alpha**2) photonic corrections in the context of the Yennie-Frautchi-Suura exponentiation. We find that an over-all precision tag for the currently available program BHLUMI 4.04 can be reduced from 0.11% to 0.061% at LEP1 and from 0.25% to 0.122% at LEP2. For the large-angle Bhabha process, we present the Monte Carlo program BHWIDE and compare its pr…
We report on a high-precision calculation of the Bhabha process in Quantum Electrodynamics, of interest for precise luminosity determination of electron-positron colliders involved in R measurements in the region of hadronic resonances. The calculation is based on the matching of exact next-to-leading order corrections with a Parton Shower algorithm. The accuracy of the approach is demonstrated in comparison with existing independent calculations and through a detailed analysis of the main components of theoretical uncertainty, including two-loop corrections, hadronic vacuum polarization and l…
We provide an exact calculation of next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) massive corrections to Bhabha scattering in QED, relevant for precision luminosity monitoring at meson factories. Using realistic reference event selections, exact numerical results for leptonic and hadronic corrections are given and compared with the corresponding approximate predictions of the event generator BabaYaga@NLO. It is shown that the NNLO massive corrections are necessary for luminosity measurements with per mille precision. At the same time they are found to be well accounted for in the generator at an accurac…
We have used YFS Monte Carlo techniques to obtain per-mil level accuracy for the Bhabha scattering cross section used in the luminosity monitor in electro-weak scattering experiments. We will describe techniques for extending these methods for use in the W production luminosity cross section for hadron colliders.
The luminosity determination of electron-positron colliders operating in the region of low-lying hadronic resonances (E_cm ~ 1-10 GeV), such as BEPC/BES, DAPHNE, KEKB, PEP-II and VEPP-2M, requires the precision calculation of the Bhabha process at large scattering angles. In order to achieve a theoretical accuracy at a few 0.1% level, the inclusion of radiative corrections is mandatory. The phenomenologically relevant effect of QED corrections is taken into account in the framework of the Parton Shower (PS) method, which is employed both for cross section calculation and event generation. To t…
A comparison of theoretical results on NNLO leptonic and hadronic corrections to Bhabha scattering with the Monte Carlo generator BabaYaga@NLO used at meson factories is given. Complete NLO virtual corrections to the $e^+e^- \to μ^+ μ^- γ$ process are discussed.
Recent evaluations of the hadronic vacuum polarization contributions to the effective fine-structure constant alpha_{em}(M_Z) are summarized and commented. A new update based on corrected CMD-2 data is presented. My new estimates are Delta alpha_{had}^{(5)}(M_Z) = 0.027773 +/- 0.000354 (e^+e^- - data based) and Delta alpha_{had}^{(5)}(M_Z) = 0.027664 +/- 0.000173 (via the Adler-function and extended use of pQCD). Prospects of further possible progress is discussed.
I review recent evaluations of the hadronic contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g-2)_mu and to the effective fine structure constant alpha (M_Z). A new estimate for the hadronic shift delta_alpha hadronic = 0.027782 +/- 0.000254 is presented which implies 1/alpha (M_Z) = 128.913 +/- 0.035. It is based on a recent perturbative calculation of the Adler function which includes mass effects up to three-loops in a MOM scheme and requires little ad hoc assumptions. I then discuss perspectives for possible improvements in estimations of g-2 which we expect from the Phi--factory DAPHN…
We reevaluate the hadronic vacuum polarisation contributions to the muon magnetic anomaly and to the running of the electromagnetic coupling constant at the Z-boson mass. We include newest e+e- to hadrons cross-section data (among others) from the BABAR and VEPP-2000 experiments. For the muon (g-2)/2 we find for the lowest-order hadronic contribution (693.1 +- 3.4) 10^-10, improving the precision of our previous evaluation by 21%. The full Standard Model prediction differs by 3.5 sigma from the experimental value. The five-quark hadronic contribution to alpha(mZ) is evaluated to be (276.0 +- 0…
We consider the impact of O(alpha^2) hadronic corrections to the energy spectrum of the decay electron in muon decay. We find that the correction can be described, within good approximation, by a linear function in the electron energy. Explicit expressions for the form factors needed in an approach based on dispersion integrals are given.
Until recently, determinations of alpha_s(M_Z) from hadronic tau decays and the analysis of short-distance-sensitive lattice observables yielded results which, though precise, were not in good agreement. I review new analyses that bring these into good agreement and provide some details on the source of the main changes in the tau decay analysis.
We propose a novel approach to determine the leading hadronic corrections to the muon g-2. It consists in a measurement of the effective electromagnetic coupling in the space-like region extracted from Bhabha scattering data. We argue that this new method may become feasible at flavor factories, resulting in an alternative determination potentially competitive with the accuracy of the present results obtained with the dispersive approach via time-like data.
We report on some technical aspects of our calculation of alpha_s^4 corrections to R(s) and the semi-leptonic tau decay width [1-3]. We discuss the inner structure of the result as well as the issue of its correctness. We demonstrate recently appeared independent evidence positively testing one of two components of the full result.
The results of calculation of light gluino contributions to Gamma(Z--->hadrons) and Gamma(tau--->hadrons) to O(alpha_s^3) are presented. The net effect in the case of Z decay is noticeable. For the tau width the effect is very large and, if a light gluino exists, suggests that alpha_s increases by more than 15% relative to the Standard Model analysis.
We review and compare recent calculations of hadronic vacuum polarization effects. In particular, we consider the anomalous magnetic moments g-2 of the leptons and alpha(M_Z), the effective fine structure constant at the Z--resonance.
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…
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 discuss the extraction of alpha_s using isovector hadronic tau decay data and sum rules constructed specifically to suppress contributions associated with poorly known higher dimension condensates. We show, first, that problems with the treatment of such contributions affect earlier related analyses and, second, that these problems can be brought under good theoretical control through the use of an alternate analysis strategy. Our results, run up to the n_f=5 regime, correspond to alpha_s(M_Z^2)=0.1187(16), in excellent agreement with the recently updated global fit to electroweak data at t…
The hadronic vacuum-polarization contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment a_{mu}(hadr) and to the value of the eleectromagnetic coupling constant at q^2 = M^2_z are determined more precisely in connection with a new more exact value of the electronic width of rho-meson. The QCD model with infinite number of vector mesons is used. The more precisely determined results are: a_{mu}(hadr) = 678(7)*10^{-10}, δα_{hadr}(M^2_z) = 0.02786(6).
We perform an extraction of alpha_s based on sum rules involving isovector hadronic tau decay data. The particular sum rules employed are constructed specifically to suppress contributions associated with poorly known higher dimension condensates, and hence reduce theoretical systematic uncertainties associated with the treatment of such contributions which are shown to be present in earlier related analyses. Running our results from the n_f=3 to n_f=5 regime we find alpha_s(M_Z^2)=0.1187(16), in excellent agreement with the recently updated global fit to electroweak data at the Z scale, 0.119…
We reevaluate the dispersion integrals of the leading order hadronic contributions to the running of the QED fine structure constant alpha(s) at s=M_Z^2, and to the anomalous magnetic moments of the muon and the electron. Finite-energy QCD sum rule techniques complete the data from e+e- annihilation and tau decays at low energy and at the cc-bar threshold. Global quark-hadron duality is assumed in order to resolve the integrals using the Operator Product Expansion wherever it is applicable. We obtain delta_alpha_had(M_Z) = (276.3 +/- 1.6)x10^{-4} yielding alpha^{-1}(M_Z) = 128.933 +/- 0.021, a…
Various moments of the hadronic spectral functions have been employed in the determination of the strong coupling alpha_s from tau decays. In this work we study the behaviour of their perturbative series under different assumptions for the large-order behaviour of the Adler function, extending previous work on the tau hadronic width. We find that the moments can be divided into a small number of classes, whose characteristics depend only on generic features of the moment weight function and Adler function series. Some moments that are commonly employed in alpha_s analyses from tau decays shoul…
It is demonstrated how perturbative O(alpha_s^2) relativistic corrections to the non-relativistic stable heavy quark-antiquark production cross section in e^+e^- annihilation based on a Coulombic QCD potential can be systematically calculated using the concept of effective field theories. The O(alpha_s^2) corrections from the relativistic energy-momentum relation, the relativistic phase space corrections and the O(alpha_s^2) corrections involving the group theoretical factors C_F^2 and C_F T are determined explicitly. For the case of $t\bar t$ production the sum of these corrections amounts to…
Using recently developed methods for the evaluation of five-loop amplitudes in perturbative QCD, corrections of order alpha_s^4 for the cross section of electron-positron annihilation into hadrons and for the decay rates of the Z-boson and the tau-lepton into hadrons are evaluated. The new terms lead to a significant stabilization of the perturbative series, to a reduction of the theory uncertainly in the strong coupling constant alpha_s, as extracted from these measurements, and to a small shift of the central value, moving two central values closer together. The agreement between two values …
I review recent estimates of the non-perturbative hadronic vacuum polarization contributions. Since these at present can only be evaluated in terms of experimental data of limited precision, the related uncertainties pose a serious limitation in our ability to make precise predictions. Besides e+e- - annihilation data also tau decay spectra can help to get better predictions. Here, it is important to account for all possible iso-spin violations in tau - decay spectra, from which e+e- cross sections may be obtained by an iso-spin rotation. The observed 10% discrepancy in the region above the rh…
We evaluate the effect of a virtual top quark on the coefficient of $α_{s}^{2}$ in the decay rates $Γ(Z \rightarrow {\rm hadrons})$ and $Γ(Z \rightarrow b\overline{b} )$. We treat the dependence on the top quark mass exactly instead of using a large mass expansion. The present work completes the evaluation of the $α_{s}^{2}$ contributions to these quantities. The calculation uses both the $\overline{\rm MS}$ and Collins-Wilczek-Zee renormalization prescriptions. The results can be applied to the hadronic decays of the $τ$-lepton.
Hadronic corrections to the muon lifetime are calculated in the Fermi theory in the presence of QED using dispersion relations. The result, after convolution of hadron data with the calculated perturbative kernel is Delta Gamma_had = -Gamma_0(alpha/pi)^2(0.042) where Gamma_0 is the tree-level width. The results are also used to obtain the corrections to the muon lifetime coming from virtual muon and tau loops Delta Gamma_muon = Gamma_0(alpha/pi)^2[(16987/576)-(85/36)zeta(2)-(64/3)zeta(3)] = -Gamma_0(alpha/pi)^2(0.0364333) Delta Gamma_tau = -Gamma_0(alpha/pi)^2)(0.00058)
We present an algorithm for unweighted event generation in the partonic process pp -> WZ (j) with leptonic decays at next-to-leading order in alpha_S. Monte Carlo programs for processes such as this frequently generate events with negative weights in certain regions of phase space. For simulations of experimental data one would like to have unweighted events only. We demonstrate how the phase space from the matrix elements can be combined to achieve unweighted event generation using a second stage Monte Carlo integration over a volume of real emissions (jets). Observable quantities are kept fi…
Different choices exist for the renormalisation group resummation in the determination of $α_s$ from hadronic $τ$ decays: namely fixed-order (FOPT) and contour-improved perturbation theory (CIPT). The two approaches lead to systematic differences in the resulting $α_s$. 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 while CIPT is unable to account for the fully resummed series, FOPT smoothly approaches the Borel sum. Employing the model to determine $α_s$ yields $α_s(M_τ)=0.316 \pm 0.006$, wh…
We reevaluate the hadronic contributions to the muon magnetic anomaly, and to the running of the electromagnetic coupling constant at the Z-boson mass. We include new pi+pi- cross-section data from KLOE, all available multi-hadron data from BABAR, a reestimation of missing low-energy contributions using results on cross sections and process dynamics from BABAR, a reevaluation of all experimental contributions using the software package HVPTools, together with a reanalysis of inter-experiment and inter-channel correlations, and a reevaluation of the continuum contributions from perturbative QCD…
At the first PPPP workshop, I gave a review talk on physics of B and CP-phases. In my talk, I explained DRG method and our extension to extract CP angles $α$ and $γ$ from measurements of the decay rates of $B_{d,s}^0 \to ππ, πK, K K$. There are several advantages to this extension: discrete ambiguities are removed, fewer assumptions are necessary, and the method works even if all strong phases vanish. I also talked on several other topics.
A more precise determination of the effective fine structure constant alpha_eff(E) is mandatory for confronting data from future precision experiments with precise SM predictions. At a future e+e- collider like the ILC, as at LEP before, alpha_eff(E) plays the role the static zero momentum alpha=alpha_eff(0) plays in low energy physics. However, by going to the effective version of alpha one loses about a factor 2 times 10^2 at E=m_mu to 10^5 at E=M_Z in precision, such that for physics at the gauge boson mass scale and beyond alpha_eff(E) is the least known basic parameter, about a factor 20 …
Hadronic tau decay data provides access to the light quark vector (V) and axial vector (A) spectral functions. This makes possible investigations of the dynamics of QCD at intermediate scales and improved determinations of certain QCD/Standard Model parameters. We discuss three such applications: (1) the investigation of the nature of duality violation in QCD at intermediate scales (and its relation to the determination of alpha_s); (2) the extraction of m_s from flavor-breaking differences of flavor 'ud' and 'us' data; and (3) the determination of the dimension D=6 term in the OPE for the fla…
We compute the electroweak (EW) contributions to squark--squark pair production processes at the LHC within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). Both tree-level EW contributions, of O(alpha_s alpha + alpha^2), and next-to-leading order (NLO) EW corrections, of O(alpha_s^2 alpha), are calculated. Depending on the flavor and chirality of the produced quarks, many interferences between EW-mediated and QCD-mediated diagrams give non-zero contributions at tree-level and NLO. We discuss the computational techniques and present an extensive numerical analysis for inclusi…
We reevaluate the hadronic contribution to the running of the QED fine structure constant alpha(s) at s = M_Z^2. We use data from e+e- annihilation and tau decays at low energy and at the qq-bar thresholds, where resonances occur. Using so-called spectral moments and the Operator Product Expansion (OPE), it is shown that a reliable theoretical prediction of the hadronic production rate R(s) is available at relatively low energies. Its application improves significantly the precision on the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution. We obtain delta_alpha^had = (277.8 +/- 2.6) x 10^-4 yielding a…
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…
We update our Standard Model predictions for g-2 of the muon and for the hadronic contributions to the running of the QED coupling, Delta alpha^5_had(M_Z^2). Particular emphasis is put on recent changes in the hadronic contributions from new data in the 2pi channel and from the energy region just below 2 GeV.
We calculate the top-quark-induced three-loop corrections of O(alpha_s^2 G_F M_t^2) to the Yukawa couplings of the first five quark flavours in the framework of the minimal standard model with an intermediate-mass Higgs boson, with mass M_H << 2M_t. The calculation is performed using an effective-Lagrangian approach implemented with the hard-mass procedure. As an application, we derive the O(alpha_s^2 G_F M_t^2) corrections to the H -> q q-bar partial decay widths, including the case q=b. The couplings of the Higgs boson to pairs of leptons and intermediate bosons being known to O(alpha_s^2 G_…
We determine the uncertainty on the strong coupling alpha_S due to the experimental errors on the data fitted in global analysis of hard-scattering data, within the standard framework of leading-twist fixed-order collinear factorisation in the MSbar scheme, finding that alpha_S(M_Z^2) = 0.1202^{+0.0012}_{-0.0015} at next-to-leading order (NLO) and alpha_S(M_Z^2) = 0.1171^{+0.0014}_{-0.0014} at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). We do not address in detail the issue of the additional theory uncertainty on alpha_S(M_Z^2), but an estimate is +/-0.003 at NLO and at most +/-0.002 at NNLO. We inv…
We calculate the hadronic tensor for inclusive semileptonic B decay to O(alpha_s). This allows O(alpha_s Lambda_{QCD}/mb) corrections to hadronic invariant mass observables to be directly evaluated with experimentally required cuts on phase space. Several moments of phenomenological interest are presented to O(alpha_s Lambda_{QCD}/mb) and O(Lambda_{QCD}^3/mb^3), allowing a consistent extraction of the HQET parameters up to O(Lambda_{QCD}^3/mb^3) and the b quark mass with theoretical error ~ 50 MeV. The hadronic invariant mass spectrum is examined with a general moment to obtain observables tha…
Motivated by a recent paper that compares the results of the analysis of the CKM angle alpha in the frequentist and in the Bayesian approaches, we have reconsidered the information on the hadronic amplitudes, which helps constraining the value of alpha in the Standard Model. We find that the Bayesian method gives consistent results irrespective of the parametrisation of the hadronic amplitudes and that the results of the frequentist and Bayesian approaches are equivalent when comparing meaningful probability ranges or confidence levels. We also find that from B to pi pi decays alone the 95% pr…
We present results on the NLO (alpha_s^2) spectator-scattering corrections to the topological penguin amplitudes for charmless hadronic two-body B-decays in QCD factorization. The corrections can be sizable for the colour-suppressed electroweak penguin amplitudes alpha_{4,EW}^p but otherwise are numerically small. Our results explicitly demonstrate factorization at this order. To assess the phenomenological viability of the framework, we consider penguin-to-tree ratios in the penguin-dominated pi K system and find agreement to the expected precision (i.e., a power correction).
The relation between the quark-gluon description of QCD and the hadronic picture is studied up to order alpha_s. The analysis of the spin-1 correlators is developed within the large NC framework. Both representations are shown to be equivalent in the euclidean domain, where the Operator Product Expansion is valid. By considering different models for the hadronic spectrum at high energies, one is able to recover the alpha_s running in the correlators, to fix the rho(770) and a1(1260) couplings, and to produce a prediction for the values of the condensates. The Operator Product Expansion is impr…
We calculate the order alpha_s^2 and order alpha_s^3 QCD contributions to colour-singlet exchange in the leading log s approximation. We implement the resulting amplitude at the hadronic level and thus construct the QCD pomeron and odderon to this order of perturbation theory. We show that the structure of the hadronic form factors provides a natural mechanism through which the odderon gets suppressed at t=0 whereas it dominates the elastic cross section at large t. We also demonstrate that the inclusion of nonperturbative effects through a modification of the gluon propagator accelerates grea…
We have applied Pade approximants to perturbative QCD calculations of event shape observables in e+e- --> hadrons. We used the exact O(alpha_s^2) prediction and the [0/1] Pade approximant to estimate the O(alpha_s^3) term for 15 observables, and in each case determined alpha_s(M_Z^2) from comparison with hadronic Z^0 decay data from the SLD experiment. We found the scatter among the alpha_s(M_Z^2) values to be significantly reduced compared with the standard O(alpha_s^2) determination, implying that the Pade method provides at least a partial approximation of higher-order perturbative contribu…
Hadronic tau decays represent a clean laboratory for the precise study of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Observables (sum rules) based on the spectral functions of hadronic tau decays can be related to QCD quark-level calculations to determine fundamental quantities like the strong coupling constant, parameters of the chiral Lagrangian, |V_us|, the mass of the strange quark, and to simultaneously test the concept of quark-hadron duality. Using the best available measurements and a revisited analysis of the theoretical framework, the value alpha_s(m_tau) = 0.345 +- 0.004[exp] +- 0.009[theo] is o…
