Beyond leading order QCD perturbative corrections to the pion form factor

The order α_s²(Q²) corrections to the pion form factor, F_π(Q²), are calculated using perturbative quantum chromodynamics and dimensional regularization. In the $\text{MS}$ renormalization scheme these corrections are large. This means that reliable perturbative predictions cannot be made until momentum transfers, Q, of about 300–400 GeV are reached or unless one can sum the large perturbative terms to all orders. Attempts to reorganize the perturbation series so that the first term gives a better approximation of the complete sum indicate that at Q = 10 GeV the pion form factor may be about a factor of two larger than the leading order result.     

Lattice QCD and the timelike pion form factor

We present a formula that allows one to calculate the pion form factor in the timelike region 2m(π) ≤ √(s) ≤ 4m(π) in lattice QCD. The form factor quantifies the contribution of two-pion states to the vacuum polarization. It must be known very accurately in order to reduce the theoretical uncertainty on the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. At the same time, the formula constitutes a rare example where, in a restricted kinematic regime, the spectral function of a conserved current can be determined from Euclidean observables without an explicit analytic continuation.     

Sum rules and the pion form factor in QCD

We propose a new approach to the investigation of the pion electromagnetic form factor in QCD based on the systematic use of the QCD sum rule technique. The theoretical curve obtained for F_π(Q²) is in good agreement with existing experimental data.     

QCD constraints for the electromagnetic form factor of the pion

Using the modulus representation, we derive constraints for the behaviour of the electromagnetic form factor of the pion in the time like region [1 GeV², +∞], from information given by perturbative QCD in the space like region [?μ ², ?∞]. A phenomenological μ dependent upper bound for the exponent of the first non leading logarithmic correction is deduced. Restrictions and problems of the method are discussed.     

The pion form factor from lattice QCD with two dynamical flavours

We compute the electromagnetic form factor of the pion, using non-perturbatively O(a) improved Wilson fermions. The calculations are done for a wide range of pion masses and lattice spacings. We check for finite size effects by repeating some of the measurements on smaller lattices. The large number of lattice parameters we use allows us to extrapolate to the physical point. For the square of the charge radius we find fm², in good agreement with experiment. PACS 12.38.Gc; 13.40.Gp; 14.40.-n     

Electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon from perturbative QCD and QCD sum rules

Perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and QCD sum rules are combined to calculate nucleon wave functions in the light-cone framework. The use of these wave functions leads to predictions for the Dirac form factors of the proton and neutron which are in remarkable agreement with experiment.     

The perturbative proton form factor reexamined

We recalculate the proton Dirac form factor based on the perturbative QCD factorization theorem, which includes Sudakov suppression. The evolution scale of the proton wave functions and the infrared cutoffs for the Sudakov re-summation are carefully chosen such that the soft divergences from large coupling constants are diminished and perturbative QCD predictions are stabilized. We find that the King–Sachrajda model for the proton wave function leads to results which are in better agreement with experimental data than those from the Chernyak–Zhitnitsky wave function. Received: 27 November 1998 / Published online: 7 April 1999     

On the applicability of perturbative QCD to exclusive processes at currently available momentum transfer

We re-examine the problems connected with the end-point dominance in the calculation of exclusive processes in perturbative QCD. In a re-analysis we construct nucleon quark distribution amplitudes from the respective moments obtained from a QCD sum rule approach. These functions lead to acceptable values for the e.m. Dirac form factorsF ₁ ^p,n of the nucleon if effective gluon masses of ca. 300–600 MeV are included into the hard-scattering amplitude. In addition we also find a reasonable Q₂ — dependence of the proton form factor. The results point at the importance of the end-point k-dependence of distribution amplitude and hard-scattering amplitude in the calculation of exclusive processes.Work is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ga 153-13-1) and partially by NATO (0581/87)     

Space- and time-like kaon electromagnetic form factors in perturbative QCD

We present a phenomenological analysis of the space- and time-like charged kaon electromagnetic form factors in factorized perturbative QCD (pQCD) by employing an analytic model for α_s(Q²) and an infrared (IR) finite gluon propagator. In the space-like region, due to the lack of available experimental data above Q²～0.2 GeV², we only give our results for intermediate energies and make no comparison. In the time-like region, our results agree reasonably well with the available experimental data at moderate energies, including the CLEO data and the m J/ψ result.     

The Sudakov form factor in QCD

The quark electromagnetic form factor in the Sudakov region is calculated with the use of the renormalization properties of the contour functional <0 | T P exp(ig∫_cdz^μA_μ(z)) | 0>. It is shown that the nonleading logarithmic corrections to the Sudakov form factor are summed to give a decreasing exponential and they do not destroy the leading double logarithmic result.     

Twist-3 contribution to the pion electromagnetic form factor

Non-leading contribution to the pion electromagnetic form factor which comes from the pion twist-3 wave function is analyzed in the modified hard scattering approach (MHSA) proposed by Li and Sterman. This contribution is enhanced significantly due to bound state effect (the twist-3 wave function is independent of the fractional momentum carried by the parton and has a large factor with being the pion meson mass and being the mean u- and d-quark masses). Consequently, although it is suppressed by the factor , the twist-3 contribution is comparable with and even larger than the leading twist (twist-2) contribution at intermediate energy region of being . Received: 23 March 1998 / Published online: 3 November 1999