Electroweak Effective Charges and their relation to Physical Cross Sections

In quantum electrodynamics with fermions f = e,\mu..., knowledge of the vacuum polarization spectral function determined from the tree level e^+e^- -> f^+f^- cross sections, together with a single low energy measurement of the fine structure constant \alpha, enables the construction of the one-loop effective charge \alpha_eff(q^2) for all q^2. It is shown how an identical procedure can be followed in the electroweak sector of the Standard Model to construct three gauge-, scale- and scheme-independent one-loop electroweak effective charges and an effective weak mixing angle from the tree level e^+e^- -> W^+W^-, ZH and e^+\nu_e -> W^+Z, W^+\gamma, W^+H differential cross sections, together wi…