In the Standard Model of particle physics, the axial current is not conserved, due both to fermion masses and to the axial anomaly. Using perturbative quantum chromodynamics, we calculate matrix elements of the local and non-local axial current for a gluon target, clarifying their connection with the axial anomaly. In so doing, we also reconsider classic results obtained in the context of the nucleon spin sum rule as well as recent results for off-forward kinematics. An important role is played by the infrared regulator, for which we put a special emphasis on the nonzero quark mass. We highlight cancellations that take place between contributions from the axial anomaly and the quark mass, and we elaborate on the relation of those cancellations with the conservation of angular momentum.
The modern status of the problem of axial anomaly in QED and QCD is reviewed. Two methods of the derivation of the axial anomaly are presented: 1) by splitting of coordinates in the expression for the axial current and 2) by calculation of triangle diagrams, where the anomaly arises from the surface terms in momentum space. It is demonstrated, that the equivalent formulation of the anomaly can be given, as a sum rule for the structure function in dispersion representation of three point function of AVV interaction. It is argued, that such integral representation of the anomaly has some advanta…
We discuss a connection between axial anomaly and polarized radiative processes. By comparison with the corresponding unpolarized cases, we consider some physical outputs for the $π^+$ and $Z^0$ polarized radiative decays. We analyse in detail the pattern of mass singularity cancellation.
Manifestations of strong and electromagnetic axial anomalies in two-photon decays of $η$ and $η'$ mesons are studied. Applying dispersive approach to axial anomaly in the singlet current, we obtain an anomaly sum rule containing strong and electromagnetic anomaly contributions. The relevant low energy theorem was generalized to the case of mixed states and used to evaluate the subtraction constant of the strong anomaly-related form factor $\langle 0 |G\tilde{G} |γγ\rangle$. We made a numerical estimation of the contributions of gluon and electromagnetic anomalies to the two-photon decays of $η…
The prescription for the $γ_5$-matrix within dimensional regularization in multiloop calculations is elaborated. The three-loop anomalous dimension of the singlet axial current is calculated.
Zero temperature properties of an (axial-) vector meson extended linear sigma model are discussed, concerning on the possible different realizations of the axial anomaly term. The different anomaly terms are compared with each other on the basis of a chi^2 minimalization process. It is found that there is no essential difference among the different realizations. This means that any of them can be equally used from phenomenological point of view.
We extend the approach of Dolgov and Zakharov to the axial anomaly to study polarized radiative decays. We analyse the pattern of mass singularity cancellation in the corresponding decay rates. We compare polarized and unpolarized cases. The cancellation of the infrared and collinear singularities is verified to all powers of the lepton mass for the $π^+$ and $Z^0$ polarized radiative decays.
We study the QCD phase structure in the three-flavor Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model, incorporating the chiral-diquark interplay due to the axial anomaly. We demonstrate that for a certain range of model parameters, the low temperature critical point predicted by a Ginzburg-Landau analysis appears in the phase diagram. In addition, we show that the axial anomaly presents a new scenario for a possible BEC-BCS crossover in the color-flavor locked phase of QCD.
A low energy theorem concerning a matrix element of the QCD axial anomaly between vacuum and two-photons states is tested against different instanton models. In the chiral limit the theorem is fulfilled by the Diakonov&Petrov model, whereas it is violated by single-instanton approximations. Beyond the chiral limit the theorem, and two relations established for other matrix elements of the QCD axial anomaly between vacuum and meson states, result to be violated also by the Diakonov&Petrov model.
Renormalization of the axial vector currents due to Goldstone loops is studied in a simple extension of Manohar - Georgi chiral quark model which incorporates $U(1)_A$ anomaly effects. The polarized strage quark sea in the polarized nucleon results from different renormalization of the flavor singlet and octet currents and is in reasonable agreement with the experiment.
Whilst the prospect of new $Z'$ gauge bosons with only axial couplings to the Standard Model (SM) fermions is widely discussed, examples of anomaly-free renormalisable models are lacking in the literature. We look to remedy this by constructing several motivated examples. Specifically, we consider axial vectors which couple universally to all SM fermions, as well as those which are generation-specific, leptophilic, and leptophobic. Anomaly cancellation typically requires the presence of new coloured and charged chiral fermions, and we argue that in a large class of models masses of these new s…
Axial anomaly leads to exact sum rules for transition form factors providing the important constraints to respective distribution amplitudes. This rigorous NPQCD approach is valid even if QCD factorization is broken. The status of possible small non-OPE corrections to continuum in comparison to BABAR and BELLE data is discussed.
We investigate the interplay between the chiral and diquark condensates on the basis of the Ginzburg-Landau potential with QCD symmetry. We demonstrate that the axial anomaly drives a new critical point at low temperature in the QCD phase diagram and leads to a smooth crossover between the hadronic and color superconducting phases.
In vacuum, in the chiral limit the coupling of a pion to two on-shell photons is directly related to the coefficient of the axial anomaly in QED. This relationship is lost at any nonzero temperature. Explicit calculations show that the coupling decreases with temperature and vanishes at Tc, the temperature of chiral symmetry restoration.
The axial anomaly in the divergence of the singlet axial current in QCD $+$ QED leads to low-energy theorems for the matrix element of this operator equation over vacuum and two--photon states and for the matrix element over vacuum and two--gluon states. The solution of these theorems is related only to the nonperturbative phenomena. These matrix elements are calculated in instanton vacuum generated N-JL type quark model for arbitrary $N_f .$ It is shown that this model does satisfy the low-energy theorems.
We discuss the role of the U(1) axial anomaly in the spin structure functions of the nucleon, with particular emphasis on how one might determine its x dependence in present and future deep inelastic scattering experiments. We focus on the C-odd spin structure function g3 and also the deuteron structure function g1^d.
We revisit the QCD+QED axial anomaly low-energy theorems which give an exact relation between the matrix elements of the gluon and photon parts of the axial anomaly operator equation within the framework of the {\em effective action} derived from the instanton vacuum. The matrix elements between the vacuum and two photon states and between the vacuum and two gluon states are investigated for arbitrary $N_f $ in the chiral limit. Having gauged the effective action properly, we show that the model does exactly satisfy the low-energy theorems.
We investigate what can be learnt about the $η$ -$η'$ mixing by means of dispersive representation of axial anomaly. We show that our method leads to the strong bounds for the $η-η'$ mixing angle: $θ= -15.3^o \pm 1^o$. Moreover, our result manifests also a dramatic dependence of the width $Γ_{η\to 2γ}$ on the mixing angle $θ$. This property explains how the relatively small mixing strongly effects the decay width.
In this report, I discuss the current state of the problem of the axial anomaly in quantum electrodynamics (QED) and quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and how the axial anomaly is related to the structure of the vacuum in QCD. In QCD, the vacuum average of the axial anomaly is proportional to a new quantum number n, the winding number. The axial anomaly condition implies that there are zero modes of the Dirac equation for a massless quark and that there is spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry in QCD, which leads to the formation of a quark condensate. The axial anomaly can be represented in the …
$Z \to γγ$ decay amplitude is considered and proven to be zero due to properties of polarization vectors and Bose statistics. Triangular diagrams for a pseudoscalar $\to γγ$ and $Z \to γγ$ processes with massive fermions in the loop are explicitely calculated. In the Standard Model axial anomaly vanishes in the sum of these diagrams as Z boson is mixed with one of the Goldstone bosons.
It is shown that the rates of the decays Upsilon(1^3D_1) -> eta Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(1^3D_2) -> eta Upsilon(1S) should be comparable to and likely exceed that of the recently discussed in the literature two-pion transition Upsilon(1D) -> pi pi Upsilon(1S). The reason for this behavior is that the discussed eta transitions are enhanced by the contribution of the anomaly in the flavor singlet axial current in QCD.
Interplay between axial anomaly and quark-hadron duality in the presence of strong mixing is considered. The anomaly sum rule for meson transition form factors based on the dispersive representation of axial anomaly and quark-hadron duality in octet channel is analyzed. The comparison of this sum rule to the experimental data on $η$ and $η'$ mesons transition form factors shows that the interval of duality in this channel is rather small, contradicting the usual understanding of quark-hadron duality. The same values of interval of duality are supported by considering the two-point correlator i…
The relation for transition form factors of eta and eta' mesons is obtained by combining the exact nonperturbative QCD sum rule, following from the dispersive representation of axial anomaly, and quark-hadron duality. It is valid at all virtual photon momenta and allows one to express the transition form factors entirely in terms of meson decay constants. This relation is in a good agreement with experimental data.
We investigate the properties of the amplitude induced by the anomaly. In a relatively high energy region those amplitudes are constructed by the vector meson poles and the anomaly terms, in which the anomaly terms can be essentially evaluated by the triangle quark graph. We pay our attention to the anomaly term and make intensive analysis of the existing experimental data, i.e., the electromagnetic $π^0$ and $ω$ transition form factors. Our result shows that it is essential to use the constituent quark mass instead of the current quark mass in evaluating the anomaly term from the triangle gra…
We derive a non-perturbative evolution equation for the gluon propagator in axial gauges based on the framework of Wetterich's formulation of the exact renormalization group. We obtain asymptotic solutions to this equation in the ultraviolet and infrared limits.
The QCD + QED axial anomaly low-energy theorems are applied to estimate the accuracy of an instanton vacuum - based chiral quark model. The low-energy theorems give an exact relation between the matrix elements of the gluon and photon parts of the QCD + QED axial anomaly operator equation. The matrix elements between vacuum and two photon states and between vacuum and two gluon states are calculated for arbitrary N_f. It is shown that this model does satisfy the low-energy theorems with an accuracy of $\sim 17%$. We estimate also the contribution of the nonperturbative conversion of gluons int…
We suggest a rigorous generalization of the pseudoscalar mesons mixing description in SU(3) basis. It is shown that the appearance of extra massive state nicknamed in the paper as glueball is unavoidable in any scheme with more than one angle. In this framework we develop the dispersive approach to Abelian axial anomaly of isoscalar non-singlet current. Combining it with the analysis of experimental data of charmonium radiative decays ratio we get the number of quite strict constraints for mixing parameters. Our analysis favors the equal values of axial currents coupling constants which may be…
Axial-anomaly effects and chiral phase structure in holographic QCD
Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS（杭州高等研究院，中国科学技术大学）；Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院理论物理研究所）；University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS)（中国科学院大学）；International Center for Theoretical Physics Asia-Pacific (ICTP-AP), UCAS（亚太理论物理中心，中国科学技术大学）；Hunan University（湖南大学）
We construct the electromagnetic anomaly effective term for a generalized linear sigma model with two chiral nonets, one with a quark-antiquark structure, the other one with a four quark content. We compute in the leading order of this framework the decays into two photons of six pseudoscalars: $π_0(137)$, $π_0(1300)$, $η(547)$, $η(958)$, $η(1295)$ and $η(1760)$. Our results agree well with the available experimental data.
The anomaly in the vacuum expectation value of the product of axial and two vector currents (AVV) in QCD is investigated. The goal is to determine from its value the $π^0 \to 2 γ$ decay width with high precision. The sum rule for AVV formfactor is studied. The difference $f_{π^0} - f_{π^+}$ caused by strong interaction is calculated and appears to be small. The $π^0 - η$ mixing is accounted. The $π^0 \to 2 γ$ decay width determined theoretically from the axial anomaly is found to be $Γ(π^0 \to 2 γ) = 7.93 eV$ with an error $\sim 1.5%$. The measurement of the $π^0 \to 2 γ$ decay width at the sa…
In this work the analysis of mixing parameters of the system involving eta, eta' mesons and some third massive state G is carried out. We use the generalized mixing scheme with three angles. The framework of the dispersive approach to Abelian axial anomaly of isoscalar non-singlet current and the analysis of experimental data of charmonium radiative decays ratio allow us to get a number of quite strict constraints for the mixing parameters. The analysis shows that the equal values of axial current coupling constants f_8 and f_0 are preferable which may be considered as a manifestation of SU(3)…
We study photon-meson transition formfactors of light mesons in the kinematics, where one photon is real and other is virtual. Dispersive approach to axial anomaly leads to the anomaly sum rule. The absence of corrections to it allows us to get the relation between possible corrections to continuum and to lower states within QCD method which does not rely on factorization hypothesis. We show, relying on the recent data of the BaBar Collaboration, that the relative correction to continuum is quite small, and small correction to continuum can dramatically change the pion formfactor. The same eff…
The singlet pseudoscalar sector of light mesons is investigated in the soft-wall model, a bottom-up approach to the AdS/QCD correspondence. The $η^\prime$ mass results from the mixing among the fields dual to the axial current, pseudoscalar current and the $G\tilde G$ operator. The topological susceptibility is computed for any quark mass, and the Witten-Veneziano relation is obtained in the large $N_c$ limit.
The impact of mesonic fluctuations on the restoration of the $U_A(1)$ anomaly is investigated nonperturbatively for three flavors at finite temperature in an effective model setting. Using the functional renormalization group, the dressed, fully field-dependent Kobayashi-Maskawa--'t Hooft (KMT) anomaly coupling is computed. It is found that mesonic fluctuations strengthen this signature of the $U_A(1)$ breaking as the temperature increases. On the other hand, when instanton effects are included by parametrizing the explicit temperature dependence of the bare anomaly parameter in consistency wi…
With an assumption that in the Yang-Mills Lagrangian, a left-handed fermion and a right-handed fermion both expressed as the quaternion makes an octonion, and the gauge field can be treated as self-dual, we calculate the axial current and two vector currents triangle diagram of Bardeen, which yields the contribution of the axial anomaly. The octonion possesses the triality symmetry, and there are 5 symmetry operations $G_{ij}$ and $G_{ijk}$ ($ijk=123)$, in which mixing of spinors and vectors occur. $G_{23}$ does not mix vectors and spinors, but mismatch of the spinor and vector fields occurs. …
The renormalization constant $Z_J$ of the flavor-singlet axial-vector current with a non-anticommuting $γ_5$ in dimensional regularization is determined to order $α_s^3$ in QCD with massless quarks. In addition, the equality between the $\overline{\mathrm{MS}}$ renormalization constant $Z_{F\tilde{F}}$ associated with the operator $\big[F \tilde{F} \big]_{R}$ and that of $α_s$ is verified explicitly to hold true at 4-loop order.
The loop momenta of a single Feynman diagram in momentum space can be assigned unambiguously within the 'Dyson scheme' without referring to the other Feynman diagrams in the complete set to some order of coupling constant for the certain process. This fact and the scheme which were provided in Dyson's original paper are applied to a typical relevant problem, i.e., the triangle diagrams of the 'axial vector current anomaly'. The calculation is done in four-dimension Minkowski space-time straightforwardly without the aid of any regularization. The linearly divergent terms are canceled sans incer…
Anomalous triangle graphs for the divergence of the axial-vector current are studied using the dispersive approach generalized for the case of higher orders of perturbation theory. The validity of this procedure is proved up to two-loop level. By direct calculation in the framework of dispersive approach we have obtained that the two-loop AVV amplitude is equal to zero. According to the Vainshtein's theorem the transversal part of the anomalous triangle is not renormalized in the chiral limit. We generalize this theorem for tha case of finite fermion mass in the triangle loop.
The generalization of the axial anomaly is considered. It is shown that bilocal axial quark operators on the light cone possess, beside the point-like anomaly, also a light-like anomaly. The consequences for the definition of anomaly-free quark distribution functions and the effect of both gluon coefficient function and splitting kernels in polarized deep inelastic scattering are discussed.
We generalize the dispersive approach to axial anomaly by A.D. Dolgov and V.I. Zakharov to a non-Abelian case with arbitrary photon virtualites. We derive the anomaly sum rule for the singlet current and obtain the $π^0,η,η'\rightarrowγγ^*$ transition form factors. Using them, we established the behavior of a nonperturbative gluon matrix element $\langle 0 |G\tilde{G} |γγ^*(q^2) \rangle$ in both spacelike and timelike regions. We found a significant contribution of the non-Abelian axial anomaly to the processes with one virtual photon, comparable to that of the electromagnetic anomaly. The dua…
Using a general Ginzburg-Landau effective Lagrangian, we study the topological structure and low-lying collective modes of dense QCD having both chiral and diquark condensates, for two and three massless flavors. As we found earlier, the QCD axial anomaly acts as an external field applied to the chiral condensate in a color superconductor and, as a new critical point emerges, leads to a crossover between the broken chiral symmetry and color superconducting phases. At intermediate densities where both chiral and diquark condensates are present, we derive a generalized Gell-Mann- Oakes-Renner re…
The hard exclusive electroproduction of $π^0,η,η'$ mesons by the longitudinal photons is considered. We calculate the ratios of the $π^0 : η: η'$ yields for the electroproduction processes off nucleons and deuterons based on the QCD factorization theorem, the low energy QCD chiral dynamics, and the QCD anomaly. Thus investigation of these ratios gives a new way to probe the physics of the spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking.
Temperature dependence of the $U_A(1)$ anomaly is investigated by taking into account mesonic fluctuations in the $U(3)\times U(3)$ linear sigma model. A field dependent anomaly coefficient function of the effective potential is calculated within the finite temperature functional renormalization group approach. The applied approximation scheme is a generalization of the chiral invariant expansion technique developed in [G. Fejos, Phys. Rev. D 90, 096011 (2014)]. We provide an analytic expression and also numerical evidence that depending on the relationship between the two quartic couplings, m…
We apply the perturbative chiral quark model (PCQM) at one loop to analyze the axial form factor of the nucleon. This chiral quark model is based on an effective Lagrangian, where baryons are described by relativistic valence quarks and a perturbative cloud of Goldstone bosons as dictated by chiral symmetry. We apply the formalism to obtain analytical expressions for the axial form factor of the nucleon, which is given in terms of fundamental parameters of low-energy pion-nucleon physics (weak pion decay constant, strong pion-nucleon form factor) and of only one model parameter (radius of the …
We propose an interpolating formula for the amplitude induced by the axial anomaly, concentrating on the $π^0γ^{\ast}γ^{\ast}$ transition form factor. The QCD corrections to this amplitude are generally described by two major contributions coming from the $q\bar{q}$ bound state and the background continuous spectrum, respectively. For the first contribution, we include the lowest vector bound state using the realization of the dynamical gauge boson of hidden local symmetry. The second contribution is included as the triangle quark loop in which a constituent mass is adopted as a internal quark…
Many meson processes are related to the U_A(1) axial anomaly, present in the Feynman graphs where fermion loops connect axial vertices with vector vertices. However, the coupling of pseudoscalar mesons to quarks does not have to be formulated via axial vertices. The pseudoscalar coupling is also possible, and this approach is especially natural on the level of the quark substructure of hadrons. In this paper we point out the advantages of calculating these processes using (instead of the anomalous graphs) the Feynman graphs where axial vertices are replaced by pseudoscalar vertices. We elabora…
A thermal Finite Energy QCD Sum Rule is used to determine the temperature behaviour of the $ωρπ$ strong coupling. This coupling decreases with increasing $T$ and vanishes at the critical temperature, a likely signal for quark deconfinement. This is then used in the Vector Meson Dominance (VMD) expression for the $π^0 \to γγ$ amplitude, which is also found to vanish at the critical temperature, as expected. This result supports the validity of VMD at $T \neq 0$. However, if VMD would not hold at finite temperature, then there is no prediction for the $π^0 \to γγ$ amplitude.
In this paper we consider non-minimal couplings of the Standard Model fermions to the vector (trace) and axial vector (pseudo-trace) components of the torsion tensor. We then evaluate the contributions of these vector and axial vector components to the muon anomaly and use the recent precision measurement of the muon anomaly to derive constraints on the torsion parameters.
The dispersive representation of axial anomaly leads to the anomaly sum rules (ASRs), exact nonperturbative relations in QCD. The analytical continuation of the ASRs to the time-like region is performed. The transition form factors of $π^0$, $η$ and $η'$ mesons in this region are calculated. A good agreement with the available experimental data is found. Based on the ASRs, we have provided the foundations for the vector meson dominance model in these processes.
We consider the experimental implications of the axial current triangle diagram anomaly in a hydrodynamic description of high density QCD. We propose a signal of an enhanced production of spin-excited hadrons in the direction of the rotation axis in off-central heavy ion collisions.
Correlators of singlet and octet axial currents, as well as anomaly and pseudoscalar densities have been studied using QCD sum rules. Several of these sum rules are used to determine the couplings f^8_eta, f^0_eta, f^8_etaprime and f^0_etaprime. We find mutually consistent values which are also in agreement with phenomenological values obtained from data on various decay and production rates. While most of the sum rules studied by us are independent of the contributions of direct instantons and screening correction, the singlet-singlet current correlator and the anomaly-anomaly correlator impr…
We show that a chiral nonlinear sigma model coupled to degenerate neutrons exhibits a ferromagnetic phase at high density. The magnetization is due to the axial anomaly acting on the parallel layers of neutral pion domain walls spontaneously formed at high density. The emergent magnetic field would reach the QCD scale ~ 10^19 [G], which suggests that the quantum anomaly can be a microscopic origin of the magnetars (highly magnetized neutron stars).
The important role played by chiral symmetry and axial anomaly in QCD in nuclear physics is reviewed. Some recent topics on possible chiral restoration in hot and/or dense matter are picked up. We also discuss so called {\em effective} restoration of chiral anomaly hot and/or dense matter, as may be seen in a character change of $η'$ meson.
Axial anomaly and nesting is elucidated in the context of the inhomogeneous chiral phase. Using the Gross-Neveu models in 1+1 dimensions, we shall discuss axial anomaly and nesting from two different points of view: one is homogeneous chiral transition and the other is the Ferrel-Fulde-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state in superconductivity, which are closely related to each other by way of duality. It is shown that axial anomaly leads to a particular kind of the FFLO state within the two dimensional Nambu-Jona Lasinio model, where axial anomaly is manifested in a different mode. Nesting is a dri…
Exact chiral symmetry at finite lattice spacing would preclude the axial anomaly. In order to describe a continuum quantum field theory of Dirac fermions, lattice actions with purported exact chiral symmetry must break the flavor-singlet axial symmetry. We demonstrate that this is indeed the case by using a minimally doubled fermion action. For simplicity we consider the Abelian axial anomaly in two dimensions. At finite lattice spacing and with gauge interactions, the axial anomaly arises from non-conservation of the flavor-singlet current. Similar non-conservation also leads to the axial ano…
Gribov viewed the axial anomaly as a manifestation of the collective motion of charged fermions with arbitrarily high momenta in the vacuum. In the presence of an external magnetic field and a chirality imbalance, this collective motion becomes directly observable in the form of the electric current - this is the chiral magnetic effect (CME). I give an elementary introduction into the physics of CME, and discuss some recent developments.
A careful and complete discussion is given of the renormalization of the singlet axial anomaly equation in a vector-like nonabelian gauge theory such as QCD regularized by ordinary dimensional regularization. Pseudotensorial structures are treated with the 't Hooft-Veltman prescription. A general framework for calculations is developed, and subsequently verified by explicit computations through two loops. This is followed by a discussion of the matrix elements obtained.
The contribution of axial anomaly to charge symmetry breaking in pion-nucleon coupling constants is calculated within instanton model for QCD vacuum. It has been demonstrated that the contribution is large and allows to explain Nolen-Schiffer anomaly.
Motivated by an apparent puzzle of the light-front vacua incompatible with the axial anomaly, we have considered the two-dimensional massless Schwinger model for an arbitrary interpolating angle of the quantization surface. By examining spectral deformation of the Dirac sea under an external electric field semiclassically, we have found that the axial anomaly is quantization angle independent. This indicates an intricate nontrivial vacuum structure present even in the light-front limit.
