0000000000004885
AUTHOR
Mikhail Gorchtein
Reduced uncertainty of the axial $\gamma Z$-box correction to the proton's weak charge
We present the fully up-to-date calculation of the $\gamma Z$-box correction which needs to be taken into account to determine the weak mixing angle at low energies from parity-violating electron proton scattering. We make use of neutrino and antineutrino inclusive scattering data to predict the parity-violating structure function $F_3^{\gamma Z}$ by isospin symmetry. Our new analysis confirms previous results for the axial contribution to the $\gamma Z$-box graph, and reduces the uncertainty by a factor of~2. In addition, we note that the presence of parity-violating photon-hadron interactions induces an additional contribution via $F_3^{\gamma \gamma}$. Using experimental and theoretical …
Two-photon exchange correction to2S−2Psplitting in muonicHe3ions
We calculate the two-photon exchange correction to the Lamb shift in muonic $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ ions within the dispersion relations framework. Part of the effort entailed making analytic fits to the electron-$^{3}\mathrm{He}$ quasielastic scattering data set, for purposes of doing the dispersion integrals. Our result is that the energy of the $2S$ state is shifted downwards by two-photon exchange effects by 15.14(49) meV, in good accord with the result obtained from a potential model and effective field theory calculation.
Dispersive evaluation of the Lamb shift in muonic deuterium from chiral effective field theory
We merge the dispersive relation approach and the ab initio method to compute nuclear structure corrections to the Lamb shift in muonic deuterium. We calculate the deuteron response functions and corresponding uncertainties up to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory and compare our results to selected electromagnetic data to test the validity of the theory. We then feed response functions calculated over a wide range of kinematics to the dispersion-theory formalism and show that an improved accuracy is obtained compared to that with the use of available experimental data in the dispersive analysis. This opens up the possibility of applying this hybrid metho…
Dispersive Evaluation of the Inner Radiative Correction in Neutron and Nuclear $\beta$-decay
We propose a novel dispersive treatment of the so-called inner radiative correction to the neutron and nuclear $\beta$-decay. We show that it requires knowledge of the parity-violating structure function $F_3^{(0)}$ that arises from the interference of the axial vector charged current and the isoscalar part of the electromagnetic current. By isospin symmetry, we relate this structure function to the charged current inelastic scattering of neutrinos and antineutrinos. Applying this new data-driven analysis we obtain a new, more precise evaluation for the universal radiative correction $\Delta_{R}^{V,\,new}=0.02467(22)$ that supersedes the previous estimate by Marciano and Sirlin, $\Delta_R^V…
Beam-normal single spin asymmetry in elastic electron scattering off 28Si and 90Zr
We report on a new measurement of the beam-normal single spin asymmetry $A_{\mathrm{n}}$ in the elastic scattering of 570 MeV transversely polarized electrons off $^{28}$Si and $^{90}$Zr at $Q^{2}=0.04\, \mathrm{GeV}^2/c^2$. The studied kinematics allow for a comprehensive comparison with former results on $^{12}$C. No significant mass dependence of the beam-normal single spin asymmetry is observed in the mass regime from $^{12}$C to $^{90}$Zr.
Unitarity, analyticity and duality constraints in η and π photoproduction
We report an update of the isobar model EtaMAID. A new approach is proposed to avoid double counting in the overlap region of Regge and resonances. Dispersion relation is applied on top of the isobar model, and both models describe the data equally well. Application of these ideas to pion photoproduction is discussed.
Light-Front Interpretation of Proton Generalized Polarizabilities
We extend the recently developed formalism to extract light-front quark charge densities from nucleon form factor data to the deformations of these quark charge densities when applying an external electric field. We show that the resulting induced polarizations can be extracted from proton generalized polarizabilities. The available data for the generalized electric polarizabilitiy of the proton yield a pronounced structure in its induced polarization at large transverse distances, which will be pinned down by forthcoming high precision virtual Compton scattering experiments.
Muonic-hydrogen Lamb shift: Dispersing the nucleon-excitation uncertainty with a finite-energy sum rule
We assess the two-photon exchange contribution to the Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen with forward dispersion relations. The subtraction constant (T) over bar (0, Q(2)) that is necessary for a dispersive evaluation of the forward doubly virtual Compton amplitude, through a finite energy sum rule, is related to the fixed J = 0 pole generalized to the case of virtual photons. We evaluated this sum rule using excellent virtual photoabsorption data that are available. We find that the "proton polarizability correction" to the Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen is -(40 +/- 5) mu eV. We conclude that nucleon structure-dependent uncertainty by itself is unlikely to resolve the large (300 mu eV) discrepan…
How strange is pion electroproduction?
We consider pion production in parity-violating electron scattering (PVES) in the presence of nucleon strangeness in the framework of partial wave analysis with unitarity. Using the experimental bounds on the strange form factors obtained in elastic PVES, we study the sensitivity of the parity-violating asymmetry to strange nucleon form factors. For forward kinematics and electron energies above 1 GeV, we observe that this sensitivity may reach about 20\% in the threshold region. With parity-violating asymmetries being as large as tens p.p.m., this study suggests that threshold pion production in PVES can be used as a promising way to better constrain strangeness contributions. Using this m…
Weak charge and weak radius of C12
We present a feasibility study of a simultaneous subpercent extraction of the weak charge and the weak radius of the $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ nucleus using parity-violating electron scattering, based on a largely model-independent assessment of the uncertainties. The corresponding measurement is considered to be carried out at the future MESA facility in Mainz with ${E}_{\mathrm{beam}}=155\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$. We find that a combination of a 0.3% precise measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry at forward angles with a 10% measurement at backward angles will allow to determine the weak charge and the weak radius of $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ with 0.4% and 0.5% precision, respectiv…
Reduced uncertainty of the axial γZ-box diagram correction to the proton’s weak charge
We present the fully up-to-date calculation of the γZ-box correction which needs to be taken into account to determine the weak mixing angle at low energies from parity-violating electron proton scattering. We make use of neutrino and antineutrino inclusive scattering data to predict the parity-violating structure function F3γZ by isospin symmetry. Our new analysis confirms previous results for the axial contribution to the γZ-box graph and reduces the uncertainty by a factor of 2. In addition, we note that the presence of parity-violating photon-hadron interactions induces an additional contribution via F3γγ. Using experimental and theoretical constraints on the nucleon anapole moment we a…
Gamma rays from cosmic-ray proton scattering in AGN jets: the intra-cluster gas vastly outshines dark matter
Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) host powerful jets containing high-energy electrons and protons. The astrophysical environment where AGNs and their jets are found is characterized by large concentrations of both dark matter (DM) and intra-cluster medium (ICM) gas. As the high-energy jet particles transverse the DM and the ICM, elastic and inelastic scattering processes generically lead to the production of final-state photons. As first envisioned by Bloom and Wells (1998), and as more recently pointed out by us and others, the scattering of electrons off of DM could lead to a potentially detectable gamma-ray signal, with the parton-level contribution from protons offering dimmer perspectives. …
Improved $K_{e3}$ radiative corrections sharpen the $K_{\mu 2}$--$K_{l3}$ discrepancy
The measurements of $V_{us}$ in leptonic $(K_{\mu 2})$ and semileptonic $(K_{l3})$ kaon decays exhibit a $3\sigma$ disagreement, which could originate either from physics beyond the Standard Model or some large unidentified Standard Model systematic effects. Clarifying this issue requires a careful examination of all existing Standard Model inputs. Making use of a newly-proposed computational framework and the most recent lattice QCD results, we perform a comprehensive re-analysis of the electroweak radiative corrections to the $K_{e3}$ decay rates that achieves an unprecedented level of precision of $10^{-4}$, which improves the current best results by almost an order of magnitude. No larg…
$\gamma W$-box Inside-Out: Nuclear Polarizabilities Distort the Beta Decay Spectrum
I consider the $\gamma W$-box correction to superallowed nuclear $\beta$-decays in the framework of dispersion relations. I address a novel effect of a distortion of the emitted electron energy spectrum by nuclear polarizabilities and show that this effect, while neglected in the literature, is sizable. I estimate its size in the approximation of a linear energy dependence, and using two models that are expected to give the lower and the upper bound. The respective correction to the $\beta^+$ spectrum is estimated to be $\Delta_R(E)=(1.6\pm1.6)\times10^{-4}{E}/{\rm MeV}$ assuming a conservative 100\% uncertainty. The effect is positive-definite and can be observed if a high-precision measur…
New Measurements of the Transverse Beam Asymmetry for Elastic Electron Scattering from Selected Nuclei
We have measured the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry $A_n$ in the elastic scattering of 1-3 GeV transversely polarized electrons from $^1$H and for the first time from $^4$He, $^{12}$C, and $^{208}$Pb. For $^1$H, $^4$He and $^{12}$C, the measurements are in agreement with calculations that relate $A_n$ to the imaginary part of the two-photon exchange amplitude including inelastic intermediate states. Surprisingly, the $^{208}$Pb result is significantly smaller than the corresponding prediction using the same formalism. These results suggest that a systematic set of new $A_n$ measurements might emerge as a new and sensitive probe of the structure of heavy nuclei.
Study of Two-Photon Exchange via the Beam Transverse Single Spin Asymmetry in Electron-Proton Elastic Scattering at Forward Angles over a Wide Energy Range
We report on a new measurement of the beam transverse single spin asymmetry in electron-proton elastic scattering, $A^{ep}_{\perp}$, at five beam energies from 315.1 MeV to 1508.4 MeV and at a scattering angle of $30^{\circ} < \theta < 40^{\circ}$. The covered $Q^2$ values are 0.032, 0.057, 0.082, 0.218, 0.613 (GeV/c)$^2$. The measurement clearly indicates significant inelastic contributions to the two-photon-exchange (TPE) amplitude in the low-$Q^2$ kinematic region. No theoretical calculation is able to reproduce our result. Comparison with a calculation based on unitarity, which only takes into account elastic and $\mathrm{\pi N}$ inelastic intermediate states, suggests that there are ot…
Dispersion relation formalism for virtual Compton scattering and the generalized polarizabilities of the nucleon
A dispersion relation formalism for the virtual Compton scattering (VCS) reaction on the proton is presented, which for the first time allows a dispersive evaluation of 4 generalized polarizabilities at a four-momentum transfer $Q^2 \leq$ 0.5 GeV$^2$. The dispersive integrals are calculated using a state-of-the-art pion photo- and electroproduction analysis. The dispersion formalism provides a new tool to analyze VCS experiments above pion threshold, thus increasing the sensitivity to the generalized polarizabilities of the nucleon.
High-precision determination of the $K_{e3}$ radiative corrections
We report a high-precision calculation of the Standard Model electroweak radiative corrections in the $K\to \pi e^+\nu(\gamma)$ decay as a part of the combined theory effort to understand the existing anomaly in the determinations of $V_{us}$. Our new analysis features a chiral resummation of the large infrared-singular terms in the radiative corrections and a well-under-control strong interaction uncertainty based on the most recent lattice QCD inputs. While being consistent with the current state-of-the-art results obtained from chiral perturbation theory, we reduce the existing theory uncertainty from $10^{-3}$ to $10^{-4}$. Our result suggests that the Standard Model electroweak effects…
Single-energy partial wave analysis for π0 photoproduction on the proton with fixed- t analyticity imposed
High-precision data of the $\ensuremath{\gamma}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}p$ reaction from its threshold up to $W=1.9\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GeV}$ have been used in order to perform a single-energy partial-wave analysis with minimal model dependence. Continuity in energy was achieved by imposing constraints from fixed-$t$ analyticity in an iterative procedure. Reaction models were only used as starting point in the very first iteration. We demonstrate that, with this procedure, partial-wave amplitudes can be obtained which show only a minimal dependence on the initial model assumptions.
Dispersion relation formalism for virtual Compton scattering of the proton
We present in detail a dispersion relation formalism for virtual Compton scattering (VCS) off the proton from threshold into the $\Delta(1232)$-resonance region. Such a formalism can be used as a tool to extract the generalized polarizabilities of the proton from both unpolarized and polarized VCS observables over a larger energy range. We present calculations for existing and forthcoming VCS experiments and demonstrate that the VCS observables in the energy region between pion production threshold and the $\Delta(1232)$-resonance show an enhanced sensitivity to the generalized polarizabilities.
Eta and Etaprime Photoproduction on the Nucleon with the Isobar Model EtaMAID2018
The isobar model EtaMAID has been updated with new and high precision data for eta and etaprime photoproduction on protons and neutrons from MAMI, ELSA, GRAAL and CLAS. The background is described in a recently developed Regge-cut model, and for the resonance part the whole list of nucleon resonances has been investigated with 21 N* states contributing to eta photoproduction and 12 N* states contributing to etaprime photoproduction. A new approach is discussed to avoid double counting in the overlap region of Regge and resonances. A comparison is done among four newly updated partial waves analyses for observables and partial waves. Finally, the possibility of a narrow resonance near W=1900…
Beam-normal single-spin asymmetry in elastic scattering of electrons from a spin-0 nucleus
We study the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry (BNSSA) in high-energy elastic electron scattering from several spin-0 nuclei. Existing theoretical approaches work in the plane-wave formalism and predict the BNSSA to scale as $\ensuremath{\sim}A/Z$ with the atomic number $Z$ and nuclear mass number $A$. While this prediction holds for light and intermediate nuclei, a striking disagreement in both the sign and the magnitude of BNSSA was observed by the PREX collaboration for $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$, coined the ``PREX puzzle.'' To shed light on this disagreement, we go beyond the plane-wave approach which neglects Coulomb distortions known to be significant for heavy nuclei. We explicitly investig…
Model-dependence of the γZ-dispersion correction to the proton's weak charge
We analyze the dispersion correction to elastic parity violating electron-proton scattering due to γZ exchange and theoretical uncertainties associated with this correction. The new Standard Model prediction for the weak charge of the proton in the kinematics of the Q-Weak experiment, QWp = (0.0767±0.0008±0.0020γZ), the latter error being dominated by the uncertainty in the isospin structure of the inclusive cross-section.
Rare CP-violated η and η′ meson decays and neutron EDM.
The data for the upper limit on the electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) can be explained by using different mechanisms beyond the Standard Model (SM). The nEDM can be generated by a CP-violating transition of η and η′ mesons into pion pairs. We derive the upper limits for the rates of the CP-violating decays η(η′) → 2π are by orders of magnitude more stringent than those from existing experiments so far.
Reduced hadronic uncertainty in the determination of $V_{ud}$
We analyze the universal radiative correction $\Delta_R^V$ to neutron and superallowed nuclear $\beta$ decay by expressing the hadronic $\gamma W$-box contribution in terms of a dispersion relation, which we identify as an integral over the first Nachtmann moment of the $\gamma W$ interference structure function $F_3^{(0)}$. By connecting the needed input to existing data on neutrino and antineutrino scattering, we obtain an updated value of $\Delta_R^V = 0.02467(22)$, wherein the hadronic uncertainty is reduced. Assuming other Standard Model theoretical calculations and experimental measurements remain unchanged, we obtain an updated value of $|V_{ud}| = 0.97366(15)$, raising tension with …
Weak charge and weak radius of ${}^{12}$C
We present a feasibility study of a simultaneous sub-percent extraction of the weak charge and the weak radius of the ${}^{12}$C nucleus using parity-violating electron scattering, based on a largely model-independent assessment of the uncertainties. The corresponding measurement is considered to be carried out at the future MESA facility in Mainz with $E_{\rm beam} = 155$ MeV. We find that a combination of a $0.3\%$ precise measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry at forward angles with a $10\%$ measurement at backward angles will allow to determine the weak charge and the weak radius of ${}^{12}$C with $0.4\%$ and $0.5\%$ precision, respectively. These values could be improved to $0.…
Lattice QCD calculation of the electroweak box diagrams for the kaon semileptonic decays
We present a lattice QCD calculation of the axial $\gamma W$-box diagrams relevant for the kaon semileptonic decays. We utilize a recently proposed method, which connects the electroweak radiative corrections in Sirlin's representation to that in chiral perturbation theory. It allows us to use the axial $\gamma W$-box correction in the SU(3) limit to obtain the low energy constants for chiral perturbation theory. From first principles our results confirm the previously used low energy constants provided by the minimal resonance model with a significant reduction in uncertainties.
First Measurement of the $Q^2$ Dependence of the Beam-Normal Single Spin Asymmetry for Elastic Scattering off Carbon
We report on the first Q^{2}-dependent measurement of the beam-normal single spin asymmetry A_{n} in the elastic scattering of 570 MeV vertically polarized electrons off ^{12}C. We cover the Q^{2} range between 0.02 and 0.05 GeV^{2}/c^{2} and determine A_{n} at four different Q^{2} values. The experimental results are compared to a theoretical calculation that relates A_{n} to the imaginary part of the two-photon exchange amplitude. The result emphasizes that the Q^{2} behavior of A_{n} given by the ratio of the Compton to charge form factors cannot be treated independently of the target nucleus.
First-Principles Calculation of Electroweak Box Diagrams from Lattice QCD.
We present the first realistic lattice QCD calculation of the $\gamma W$-box diagrams relevant for beta decays. The nonperturbative low-momentum integral of the $\gamma W$ loop is calculated using a lattice QCD simulation, complemented by the perturbative QCD result at high momenta. Using the pion semileptonic decay as an example, we demonstrate the feasibility of the method. By using domain wall fermions at the physical pion mass with multiple lattice spacings and volumes, we obtain the axial $\gamma W$-box correction to the semileptonic pion decay, $\Box_{\gamma W}^{VA}\big|_{\pi}=2.830(11)_{\mathrm{stat}}(26)_{\mathrm{sys}}\times10^{-3}$, with the total uncertainty controlled at the leve…
Forward Compton scattering with weak neutral current: Constraints from sum rules
We generalize forward real Compton amplitude to the case of the interference of the electromagnetic and weak neutral current, formulate a low-energy theorem, relate the new amplitudes to the interference structure functions and obtain a new set of sum rules. We address a possible new sum rule that relates the product of the axial charge and magnetic moment of the nucleon to the 0th moment of the structure function $g_5(\nu,0)$. We apply the GDH and the finite energy sum rule for constraining the dispersive $\gamma Z$-box correction to the proton's weak charge.
Bounds on rare decays of η and η′ mesons from the neutron EDM
We provide model-independent bounds on the rates of rare decays $\ensuremath{\eta}({\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ based on experimental limits on the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM). Starting from phenomenological $\ensuremath{\eta}({\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}})\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ couplings, the nEDM arises at the two-loop level. The leading-order relativistic chiral perturbation theory calculation with the minimal photon coupling to charged pions and a proton inside the loops leads to a finite, counterterm-free result. This is an improvement upon previous estimates which used approximations in evalu…
Nuclear structure contribution to the Lamb shift in muonic deuterium
We consider the two-photon exchange contribution to the $2P-2S$ Lamb shift in muonic deuterium in the framework of forward dispersion relations. The dispersion integrals are evaluated using experimental data on elastic deuteron form factors and inelastic electron-deuteron scattering, both in the quasielastic and hadronic range. The subtraction constant that is required to ensure convergence of the dispersion relation for the forward Compton amplitude $T_1(\nu,Q^2)$ is related to the deuteron magnetic polarizability $\beta(Q^2)$. Based on phenomenological information, we obtain for the Lamb shift $\Delta E_{2P-2S}=2.01\pm0.74$ meV. The main source of the uncertainty of the dispersion analysi…
New method for calculating electromagnetic effects in semileptonic beta-decays of mesons
We construct several classes of hadronic matrix elements and relate them to the low-energy constants in Chiral Perturbation Theory that describe the electromagnetic effects in the semileptonic beta decay of the pion and the kaon. We propose to calculate them using lattice QCD, and argue that such a calculation will make an immediate impact to a number of interesting topics at the precision frontier, including the outstanding anomalies in $|V_{us}|$ and the top-row Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix unitarity.
Joint lattice QCD–dispersion theory analysis confirms the quark-mixing top-row unitarity deficit
Recently, the first ever lattice computation of the $\gamma W$-box radiative correction to the rate of the semileptonic pion decay allowed for a reduction of the theory uncertainty of that rate by a factor of $\sim3$. A recent dispersion evaluation of the $\gamma W$-box correction on the neutron also led to a significant reduction of the theory uncertainty, but shifted the value of $V_{ud}$ extracted from the neutron and superallowed nuclear $\beta$ decay, resulting in a deficit of the CKM unitarity in the top row. A direct lattice computation of the $\gamma W$-box correction for the neutron decay would provide an independent cross-check for this result but is very challenging. Before those…
New sum rule for the nuclear magnetic polarizability
I extend the well-known photonuclear sum rule that relates the strength of the photoexcitation of the giant dipole resonance in a nucleus to the number of elementary scatterers-nucleons to the case of virtual photons. The new sum rule relates the size of the magnetic polarizability of a nucleus to the slope of the transverse virtual photoabsorption cross section integrated over the energy in the nuclear range. I check this sum rule for the deuteron where necessary data is available, discuss possible applications and connection with other sum rules postulated in the literature.