In this work we present a precise and model-independent dispersive determination from data of the existence and parameters of the lightest strange resonance $κ/K_0^*(700)$. We use both subtracted and unsubtracted partial-wave hyperbolic and fixed-$t$ dispersion relations as constraints on combined fits to $πK\rightarrowπK$ and $ππ\rightarrow K\bar K$ data. We then use the hyperbolic equations for the analytic continuation of the isospin $I=1/2$ scalar partial wave to the complex plane, in order to determine the $κ/K_0^*(700)$ and $K^*(892)$ associated pole parameters and residues.
I present the results of a recent calculation to determine the number of strange scalar resonances below 1.8 GeV based on the analytic properties of the experimental pi K scattering amplitude. Only one resonance was found in the data, and this is readily identifiable as the K_0^*(1430). We found no evidence to support the kappa(900).
We apply a recently developed dispersive formalism to calculate the Regge trajectories of the $f_2(1270)$ and $f_2'(1525)$ mesons. Trajectories are calculated, not fitted to a family of resonances. Assuming that these spin-2 resonances can be treated in the elastic approximation the only input are the pole position and residue of the resonances. In both cases, the predicted Regge trajectories are almost real and linear, with slopes in agreement with the universal value of order 1 GeV$^{-2}$.
Our current knowledge of the baryon--baryon interaction suggests that the dineutron $(n,n)$ and its strange analogue $(n,Λ)$ are unstable. In contrast, the situation is more favorable for the strange three-body system $(n,n,Λ)$, and even better for the four-body system $T\equiv (n,n,Λ,Λ)$ with strangeness $-2$, which is likely to be stable under spontaneous dissociation. The recent models of the hyperon-nucleon and hyperon-hyperon interactions suggest that the stability of the $(n,n,Λ)$ and $T$ is possible within the uncertainties of our knowledge of the baryon-baryon interactions. This new nu…
We discuss the simultaneous dispersive analyses of $πK\to πK$ and $ππ\to K \bar{K}$ scattering data and the $κ/K^*_0(700)$ resonance. The unprecedented statistics of present and future Hadron Experiments, modern Lattice QCD calculations, and the wealth of new states and decays, require such precise and model-independent analyses to describe final state interactions. We review the existing and often conflicting data and explain in detail the derivation of the relevant dispersion relations, maximizing their applicability range. Next, we review and extend the caveats on some data, showing their i…
For several decades, the $σ/f_0(500)$ and $κ/K_0^*(700)$ resonances have been subject to long-standing debate. Both their existence and properties were controversial until very recently. In this tutorial review we compare model-independent dispersive and analytic techniques versus unitarized Chiral Perturbation Theory, when applied to the lightest scalar mesons $σ/f_0(500)$ and $κ/K_0^*(700)$. Generically, the former have settled the long-standing controversy about the existence of these states, providing a precise determination of their parameters, whereas unitarization of chiral effective th…
The problems encountered in the determination of m_u and m_d are discussed. While their sum is known quite well, the difference m_d-m_u, which measures the breaking of isospin symmetry in the QCD Lagrangian, is still subject to significant uncertainties. I focus on recent work based on the dispersive analysis of the decay eta -> 3 pi, which offers a good handle on isospin breaking, because in that transition, the contributions from the e.m. interaction are suppressed.
We study the three-pion decays of the lightest isoscalar vector mesons, omega and phi, in a dispersive framework that allows for a consistent description of final-state interactions between all three pions. Our results are solely dependent on the phenomenological input for the pion-pion P-wave scattering phase shift. We predict the Dalitz plot distributions for both decays and compare our findings to recent measurements of the phi --> 3pi Dalitz plot by the KLOE and CMD-2 collaborations. Dalitz plot parameters for future precision measurements of omega --> 3pi are predicted. We also calculate …
We argue that the lightest isospin 1/2 partners of the Z^+(1530) s(bar)uudd penta-quark predicted by Diakonov, Petrov and Polyakov are not the N(1710) mixed anti-decuplet states, but the pure non-strange u(bar)(ud)(ud) and d(bar)(ud)(ud) penta-quark states which may lie as low as 1200 MeV. The expected low width of a few MeV of such a putative state may explain why it was missed in phase shift analyzes of pion-nucleon scattering.
We present a dispersive analysis of the three-pion decays of the lightest isoscalar vector mesons. The framework allows for a consistent implementation of final-state interactions among all three pions, with the results being solely dependent on the pion-pion P-wave scattering phase shift. We compare our results with the very precise KLOE measurement of phi --> 3pi. The omega/phi --> 3pi partial-wave amplitude serves as input to a dispersive analysis of the omega/phi --> pi0 gamma* transition form factor. We compare to data for omega --> pi0 mu+ mu- by the NA60 collaboration and motivate an ex…
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 review our recent dispersive and model independent determination of the lightest two scalars, in terms of poles and residues - or mass, width and coupling- by means of once and twice subtracted Roy equations, using as input constrained fits to data, including the most recent ones from Kl4 decays. We find the f0(600) pole at (457+14-13)-i(279+11-7) MeV and that of the f0(980) at (996+-7)-i(25+10-6) MeV, whereas their respective couplings to two pions are 3.59+0.11-0.13 GeV and 2.3+-0.2 GeV.
Based on previous papers I discuss how I understand the lightest scalars using a general coupled channel model. This model includes all light two-pseudoscalar thresholds, constraints from Adler zeroes, flavour symmetric couplings, unitarity and physically acceptable analyticity. One finds that with a large coupling there can appear two physical resonance poles on the second sheet although only one bare quark-antiquark state is put in. The f0(980) and f0(1370) resonance poles are thus in this model two manifestations of the same strange-antistrange quark state. On the other hand, the isoscalar …
We use our latest dispersive analysis of pion-pion scattering data and the very recent Kl4 experimental results to obtain the mass, width and couplings of the two lightest scalar-isoscalar resonances. These parameters are defined from their associated poles in the complex plane. The analytic continuation to the complex plane is made in a model independent way by means of once and twice subtracted dispersion relations for the partial waves, without any other theoretical assumption. We find the f0(600) pole at (457^{+14}_{-13})-i(279^{+11}_{-7}) MeV and that of the f0(980) at (996\pm7)-i(25^{+10…
We review how the Regge trajectory of an elastic resonance can be obtained just from its pole position and coupling, using a dispersive formalism. This allows us to deal correctly with the finite widths of resonances in Regge trajectories. In this way we can calculate the Regge trajectories for the $K^*(892)$, $K_1(1400)$ and $K^*_0(1430)$, obtaining ordinary linear Regge trajectories, expected for $q \bar q$ resonances. In contrast, for the $K^*_0(800)$ meson, the resulting Regge trajectory is non-linear and with much smaller slope, strongly supporting its non-ordinary nature.
We present a data-driven analysis of the resonant S-wave $ππ\to ππ$ and $πK \to πK$ reactions using the partial-wave dispersion relation. The contributions from the left-hand cuts are accounted for using the Taylor expansion in a suitably constructed conformal variable. The fits are performed to experimental and lattice data as well as Roy analyses. For the $ππ$ scattering we present both a single- and coupled-channel analysis by including additionally the $K\bar{K}$ channel. For the latter the central result is the Omnès matrix, which is consistent with the most recent Roy and Roy-Steiner res…
We present a data-driven analysis of the S-wave $ππ\to ππ\,(I=0,2)$ and $πK \to πK\,(I=1/2, 3/2)$ reactions using the partial-wave dispersion relation. The contributions from the left-hand cuts are parametrized using the expansion in a suitably constructed conformal variable, which accounts for its analytical structure. The partial-wave dispersion relation is solved numerically using the $N/D$ method. The fits to the experimental data supplemented with the constraints from chiral perturbation theory at threshold and Adler zero give the results consistent with Roy-like (Roy-Steiner) analyses. F…
The dispersive analysis of the decay $η\to3π$ is reviewed and thoroughly updated with the aim of determining the quark mass ratio ~$Q^2=(m_s^2-m_{ud}^2)/(m_d^2-m_u^2)$. With the number of subtractions we are using, the effects generated by the final state interaction are dominated by low energy $ππ$ scattering. Since the corresponding phase shifts are now accurately known, causality and unitarity determine the decay amplitude within small uncertainties -- except for the values of the subtraction constants. Our determination of these constants relies on the Dalitz plot distribution of the charg…
The lightest hidden-bottom tetraquarks in the dynamical diquark model fill an $S$-wave multiplet consisting of 12 isomultiplets. We predict their masses and dominant bottomonium decay channels using a simple 3-parameter Hamiltonian that captures the core fine-structure features of the model, including isospin dependence. The only experimental inputs needed are the corresponding observables for $Z_b(10610)$ and $Z_b(10650)$. The mass of $X_b$, the bottom analogue to $X(3872)$, is highly constrained in this scheme. In addition, using lattice-calculated potentials we predict the location of the c…
We study probe flavor branes supersymmetrically embedded in the Klebanov-Strassler background. The embedding is controlled by a single complex parameter mu related to the quark mass. We study the spectrum of the vector mesons as a function of mu and compare it with the experimental data. Assuming that the rho(2150) meson is a 3S mode we find a remarkable agreement with the masses of the lightest excited rho-mesons. Also, for a certain range of parameters our model exhibits an unusual behavior. The mesons built of the lighter quarks become more heavy than the ones built of the heavier quarks. W…
We present a new dispersive framework for the extraction of the strong coupling constant $α_s$ from $τ$-lepton decays. A new feature of our procedure is the use of the quark-hadron duality on the limited region $s_{\rm d}<s<m_τ^{2}$. The duality point $s_{\rm d}$ and the $\bar{\rm MS}$ strong coupling constant $α_{s}(m_τ^{2})$ are self-consistently extracted from the $τ$ data for the non-strange vector spectral function. We use 2005 ALEPH and 1998 OPAL experimental data on the vector spectral function. We compare the new framework with the contour improved perturbation theory up to order $α_s^…
We present new lattice results of the ETM Collaboration, obtained from extensive simulations of lattice QCD with dynamical up, down, strange and charm quarks at physical mass values, different volumes and lattice spacings, concerning the SM prediction for the so-called intermediate window (W) and short-distance (SD) contributions to the leading order hadronic vacuum polarization (LO-HVP) term of the muon anomalous magnetic moment, $a_μ$. Results for $a_μ^{\rm LO-HVP,W}$ and $a_μ^{\rm LO-HVP,SD}$, besides representing a step forward to a complete lattice computation of $a_μ^{\rm LO-HVP}$ and a …
Consistent SU(6) and SU(8) spin-flavor extensions of the SU(3) flavor Weinberg-Tomozawa (WT) meson-baryon chiral Lagrangian are constructed, which incorporate vector meson degrees of freedom. In the charmless sector, the on-shell approximation to the Bethe-Salpeter (BS) approach successfully reproduces previous SU(3) WT results for the lowest-lying s--wave negative parity baryon resonances. It also provides some information on the dynamics of heavier ones and of the lightest d-wave negative parity resonances, as e.g. the Lambda(1520). For charmed baryons the scheme is consistent with heavy qua…
We revisit the information on the two lightest $a_0$ resonances and $S$-wave $πη$ scattering that can be extracted from photon-photon scattering experiments. For this purpose we construct a model for the $S$-wave photon-photon amplitudes which satisfies analyticity properties, two-channel unitarity and obeys the soft photon as well as the soft pion constraints. The underlying I=1 hadronic $T$-matrix involves six phenomenological parameters and is able to account for two resonances below 1.5 GeV.We perform a combined fit of the $γγ\to πη$ and $γγ\to K_SK_S$ high statistics experimental data fro…
