A novel demonstration of the renormalization group invariance of the fixed-order predictions using the principle of maximum conformality and the $C$-scheme coupling
Xing-Gang Wu, Jian-Ming Shen, Bo-Lun Du, Stanley J. Brodsky
备注：
10 pages, 6 figures. The greatly reduced version [concentrated on the key points of the previous draft] to be published in Phys.Rev.D
As a basic requirement of the renormalization group invariance, any physical observable must be independent of the choice of both the renormalization scheme and the initial renormalization scale. In this paper, we show that by using the newly suggested $C$-scheme coupling, one can obtain a demonstration that the {\it Principle of Maximum Conformality} prediction is scheme-independent to all-orders for any renormalization schemes, thus satisfying all of the conditions of the renormalization group invariance. We illustrate these features for the non-singlet Adler function and for $τ$ decay to $ν+$ hadrons at the four-loop level.
A complete calculation of the ${\cal O}(α_s^4)$ perturbative QCD corrections to the hadronic decay width of the $Z$-boson has recently been performed by Baikov et al.[1]. In their analysis, Baikov et al. relied on the conventional practice of simply guessing the renormalization scale and taking an arbitrary range to estimate the pQCD uncertainties. This procedure inevitably introduces an arbitrary, scheme-dependent theoretical systematic error in the predictions. In this paper, we show that the renormalization scale uncertainties for hadronic $Z$ decays can be greatly reduced by applying the p…
In the paper, we analyze the $η_c$ decays into light hadrons at the next-to-leading order QCD corrections by applying the principle of maximum conformality (PMC). The relativistic correction at the ${\cal{O}}(α_s v^2)$-order level has been included in the discussion, which gives about $10\%$ contribution to the ratio $R$. The PMC, which satisfies the renormalization group invariance, is designed to obtain a scale-fixed and scheme-independent prediction at any fixed order. To avoid the confusion of treating $n_f$-terms, we transform the usual $\overline{\rm MS}$ pQCD series into the one under t…
We identify a property of renormalizable SU(N)/U(1) gauge theories, the intrinsic Conformality ($iCF$), which underlies the scale invariance of physical observables and leads to a remarkably efficient method to solve the conventional renormalization scale ambiguity at every order in pQCD: the PMC$_\infty$. This new method reflects the underlying conformal properties displayed by pQCD at NNLO, eliminates the scheme dependence of pQCD predictions and is consistent with the general properties of the PMC (Principle of Maximum Conformality). We introduce a new method to identify conformal and $β$-t…
In the paper, we make a detailed study on the generalized Crewther Relation (GCR) between the Adler function ($D$) and the Gross-Llewellyn Smith sum rules coefficient ($C^{\rm GLS}$) by using the newly suggested single-scale approach of the principle of maximum conformality (PMC). The resultant GCR is scheme-independent, whose residual scale dependence due to unknown higher-order terms are highly suppressed. Thus a precise test of QCD theory without renormalization scheme and scale ambiguities can be achieved by comparing with the data. Moreover, a demonstration of the scheme independence of c…
A general mechanism for the loss of conformal invariance is the merger and disappearance of an infrared fixed point and an ultraviolet fixed point of a renormalization group flow. We show explicitly how this mechanism works in the case of identical bosons at unitarity as the spatial dimension $d$ is varied. For $d$ between the critical dimensions $d_{\rm 1}=2.30$ and $d_{\rm 2}=3.76$, there is loss of conformality as evidenced by the Efimov effect in the three-body sector. The beta function for an appropriate three-body coupling is a quadratic polynomial in that coupling. For $d<d_{\rm 1}$ and…
A key problem in making precise perturbative QCD predictions is to set the proper renormalization scale of the running coupling. The extended renormalization group equations, which express the invariance of physical observables under both the renormalization scale- and scheme-parameter transformations, provide a convenient way for estimating the scale- and scheme-dependence of the physical process. In this paper, we present a solution for the scale-equation of the extended renormalization group equations at the four-loop level. Using the principle of maximum conformality (PMC) / Brodsky-Lepage…
The next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) pQCD correction to the inclusive decays of the heavy quarkonium $η_Q$ ($Q$ being $c$ or $b$) has been done in the literature within the framework of nonrelativistic QCD. One may observe that the NNLO decay width still has large conventional renormalization scale dependence due to its weaker pQCD convergence, e.g. about $(^{+4\%}_{-34\%})$ for $η_c$ and $(^{+0.0}_{-9\%})$ for $η_b$, by varying the scale within the range of $[m_Q, 4m_Q]$. The principle of maximum conformality (PMC) provides a systematic way to fix the $α_s$-running behavior of the process…
It is conventional to choose a typical momentum transfer of the process as the renormalization scale and take an arbitrary range to estimate the uncertainty in the QCD prediction. However, predictions using this procedure depend on the renormalization scheme, leave a non-convergent renormalon perturbative series, and moreover, one obtains incorrect results when applied to QED processes. In contrast, if one fixes the renormalization scale using the Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC), all non-conformal $\{β_i\}$-terms in the perturbative expansion series are summed into the running coupling…
The conventional approach to fixed-order perturbative QCD predictions is based on an arbitrary choice of the renormalization scale, together with an arbitrary range. This {\it ad hoc} assignment of the renormalization scale causes the coefficients of the QCD running coupling at each perturbative order to be strongly dependent on the choice of both the renormalization scale and the renormalization scheme. However, such ambiguities are not necessary, since as a basic requirement of renormalization group invariance (RGI), any physical observable must be independent of the choice of both the renor…
A key problem in making precise perturbative QCD predictions is the uncertainty in determining the renormalization scale $μ$ of the running coupling $α_s(μ^2).$ The purpose of the running coupling in any gauge theory is to sum all terms involving the $β$ function; in fact, when the renormalization scale is set properly, all non-conformal $β\ne 0$ terms in a perturbative expansion arising from renormalization are summed into the running coupling. The remaining terms in the perturbative series are then identical to that of a conformal theory; i.e., the corresponding theory with $β=0$. The result…
Scheme-independent determination of the QCD running coupling at all scales from jet observables using the principle of maximum conformality and infinite-order scale setting
A key problem in making precise perturbative QCD (pQCD) predictions is how to set the renormalization scale of the running coupling unambiguously at each finite order. The elimination of the uncertainty in setting the renormalization scale in pQCD will greatly increase the precision of collider tests of the Standard Model and the sensitivity to new phenomena. Renormalization group invariance requires that predictions for observables must also be independent on the choice of the renormalization scheme. The well-known Brodsky-Lepage-Mackenzie (BLM) approach cannot be easily extended beyond next-…
The renormalization scale uncertainty can be eliminated by the Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) in a systematic scheme-independent way. Applying the PMC for the $t\bar{t}$-pair hadroproduction at the NNLO level, we have found that the total cross-sections $σ_{t\bar{t}}$ at both the Tevatron and LHC remain almost unchanged when taking very disparate initial scales $μ^{\rm init}_R$ equal to $m_t$, $10\,m_t$, $20\,m_t$ and $\sqrt{s}$, which is consistent with renormalization group invariance. As an important new application, we apply PMC scale-setting to study the top-quark forward-backwar…
The intrinsic conformality is a general property of the renormalizable gauge theory, which ensures the scale-invariance of a fixed-order series at each perturbative order. Following the idea of intrinsic conformality, we suggest a novel single-scale setting approach under the principle of maximum conformality (PMC) with the purpose of removing the conventional renormalization scheme-and-scale ambiguities. We call this newly suggested single-scale procedure as the PMC$_{\infty}$-s approach, in which an overall effective $α_s$, and hence an overall effective scale is achieved by identifying the …
In conventional treatments, predictions from fixed-order perturbative QCD calculations cannot be fixed with certainty due to ambiguities in the choice of the renormalization scale as well as the renormalization scheme. In this paper we present a general discussion of the constraints of the renormalization group (RG) invariance on the choice of the renormalization scale. We adopt the RG based equations, which incorporate the scheme parameters, for a general exposition of RG invariance, since they simultaneously express the invariance of physical observables under both the variation of the renor…
A valid prediction for a physical observable from quantum field theory should be independent of the choice of renormalization scheme -- this is the primary requirement of renormalization group invariance (RGI). Satisfying scheme invariance is a challenging problem for perturbative QCD (pQCD), since a truncated perturbation series does not automatically satisfy the requirements of the renormalization group. Two distinct approaches for satisfying the RGI principle have been suggested in the literature. One is the "Principle of Maximum Conformality" (PMC) in which the terms associated with the $β…
The complete next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order short-distance and bound-state QCD corrections to $Υ(1S)$ leptonic decay rate $Γ(Υ(1S)\to \ell^+\ell^-)$ has been finished by Beneke {\it et al.} \cite{Beneke:2014qea}. Based on those improvements, we present a renormalization group (RG) improved pQCD prediction for $Γ(Υ(1S)\to \ell^+\ell^-)$ by applying the principle of maximum conformality (PMC). The PMC is based on RG-invariance and is designed to solve the pQCD renormalization scheme and scale ambiguities. After applying the PMC, all known-type of $β$-terms at all orders, which are control…
In the present paper, we first give a detailed study on the pQCD corrections to the leading-twist part of BSR. Previous pQCD corrections to the leading-twist part derived under conventional scale-setting approach up to ${\cal O}(α_s^4)$-level still show strong renormalization scale dependence. The principle of maximum conformality (PMC) provides a systematic way to eliminate conventional renormalization scale-setting ambiguity by determining the accurate $α_s$-running behavior of the process with the help of renormalization group equation. Our calculation confirms the PMC prediction satisfies …
In the paper, we present QCD predictions for $η_{c} + γ$ production at an electron-position collider up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) accuracy without renormalization scale ambiguities. The NNLO total cross-section for $e^{+}+e^{-}\toγ+η_{c}$ using the conventional scale-setting approach has large renormalization scale ambiguities, usually estimated by choosing the renormalization scale to be the $e^+ e^-$ center-of-mass collision energy $\sqrt{s}$. The Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) provides a systematic way to eliminate such renormalization scale ambiguities by summing the…
The momentum space subtraction (MOM) scheme is one of the most frequently used renormalization schemes in perturbative QCD (pQCD) theory. In the paper, we make a detailed discussion on the gauge dependence of the pQCD prediction under the MOM scheme. Conventionally, there is renormalization scale ambiguity for the fixed-order pQCD predictions, which assigns an arbitrary range and an arbitrary error for the fixed-order pQCD prediction. The principle of maximum conformality (PMC) adopts the renormalization group equation to determine the magnitude of the coupling constant and hence determines an…
A key problem in making precise perturbative QCD predictions is to set the proper renormalization scale of the running coupling. The conventional scale-setting procedure assigns an arbitrary range and an arbitrary systematic error to fixed-order pQCD predictions. In fact, this {\it ad hoc} procedure gives results which depend on the choice of the renormalization scheme, and it is in conflict with the standard scale-setting procedure used in QED. Predictions for physical results should be independent of the choice of scheme or other theoretical conventions. We review current ideas and points of…
The Principle of Maximal Conformality (PMC) provides a systematic way to set the renormalization scales order-by-order for any perturbative QCD process. The resulting predictions are independent of the choice of renormalization scheme, a requirement of renormalization group invariance. The Crewther relation, which was originally derived for conformal theory, provides a remarkable connection between two observables when the $β$ function vanishes. The "Generalized Crewther Relation" relates these two observables for physical QCD with nonzero $β$ function; specifically, it connects the non-single…
A primary problem for perturbative QCD analyses is how to set the renormalization scale of the QCD running coupling in order to achieve maximally precise fixed-order predictions for physical observables. The Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) eliminates the ambiguities associated with the conventional renormalization scale-setting procedure, giving predictions which are independent of the choice of renormalization scheme. The scales of the QCD couplings and the effective number of quark flavors are set order by order in the pQCD series. The PMC has a solid theoretical foundation, satisfyi…
We present a novel method for precisely determining the running QCD coupling constant $α_s(Q^2)$ over a wide range of $Q^2$ from event shapes for electron-positron annihilation measured at a single annihilation energy $\sqrt{s}$. The renormalization scale $Q^2$ of the running coupling depends dynamically on the virtuality of the underlying quark and gluon subprocess and thus the specific kinematics of each event. The determination of the renormalization scale for event shape distributions is obtained by using the Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC), a rigorous scale-setting method for gaug…
Precise determination of the top-quark on-shell mass $M_t$ via its scale-invariant perturbative relation to the top-quark $\overline{\rm MS}$ mass ${\overline m}_t({\overline m}_t)$
The predictive power of perturbative QCD (pQCD) depends on two important issues: (1) how to eliminate the renormalization scheme-and-scale ambiguities at fixed order, and (2) how to reliably estimate the contributions of unknown higher-order terms using information from the known pQCD series. The Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) satisfies all of the principles of the renormalization group and eliminates the scheme-and-scale ambiguities by the recursive use of the renormalization group equation to determine the scale of the QCD running coupling $α_s$ at each order. Moreover, the resultin…
A key issue in making precise predictions in perturbative QCD is the uncertainty in setting the renormalization scale. If in principle, the entire perturbative series is void of this issue, in practice the perturbative corrections are known up to a certain order of accuracy and scale invariance is only approximated leading to the so-called scheme and scale ambiguities. According to the conventional scale setting (CSS) this problem cannot be avoided and the renormalization scale is set to the typical scale of a process $Q$, and errors are estimated by varying the scale over a range of two $[Q/2…
