Space- and time-like electromagnetic pion form factors in light-cone pQCD

We present a combined analysis of the space- and time-like electromagnetic pion form factors in light-cone perturbative QCD with transverse momentum dependence and Sudakov suppression. Including the genuine non-perturbative “soft” QCD and the power suppressed twist-3 corrections to the standard twist-2 perturbative QCD result, the experimental form factor data available at moderate energies/momentum transfers can be explained reasonably well. To this end, the bulk of the existing discrepancy between the space- and time-like experimental data is ostensibly reconciled.     

Form factors of γ * ρ → π and γ * γ → π 0 transitions and light-cone sum rules

The method of light-cone QCD sum rules is applied to the calculation of the form factors of and transitions. We consider the dispersion relation for the amplitude in the variable . At large virtualities and , this amplitude is calculated in terms of light-cone wave functions of the pion. As a next step, the light-cone sum rule for the form factor is derived. This sum rule, together with the quark-hadron duality, provides an estimate of the hadronic spectral density in the dispersion relation. Finally, the form factor is obtained taking the limit in this relation. Our predictions are valid at and have a correct asymptotic behaviour at large . Received: 16 January 1998 / Revised version: 14 May 1998 / Published online: 26 August 1998     

Study of D0→π－l+νl Decay

In this paper, the D⁰→π^－l⁺ν_l decay process is studied by applying light-cone QCD sum rules. The form factor of D→π transition is calculated by choosing a correlation function with a chiral current to eliminate the effect caused by the uncertainty of the twist-3 function of the pion. Therefore the calculated result of the form factor is improved, and the branching ratio of the D⁰→π^－l⁺ν_l decay process is consistent with the new experimental data.     

OPE and sum rules for correlators of pseudoscalar and axial currents

We study the operator product expansion (OPE) and quark-hadron duality for two-and three-point correlators of the axial (A) and pseudoscalar (P) currents of the light quarks. In the chiral limit, these correlators are often dominated by nonperturbative power corrections leading to subtleties of quark-hadron duality relations and of the extraction of properties of light pseudoscalars. For the two-point correlators, we show the sum rule for 〈PP〉 to be sensitive to the excited light pseudoscalar. For the three-point correlators, we derive the Ward identities which provide the normalization of the pion electromagnetic form factor at zero momentum transfer. For large momentum transfer, we demonstrate the way the correct behavior of the pion form factor in agreement with perturbative QCD emerges from condensate terms in the OPE for the 〈PV P〉 and 〈AV P〉 correlators. The local-duality sum rule for 〈AV A〉 is shown to lead to the pion form factor with the required properties for all values of the momentum transfer. The text was submitted by the authors in English. On leave from Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.     

Theoretical Description and Measurement of the Pion–Photon Transition Form Factor

Detailed predictions for the scaled pion–photon transition form factor are given, derived with the method of light-cone sum rules and using pion distribution amplitudes with two and three Gegenbauer coefficients obtained from QCD sum rules with nonlocal condensates. These predictions agree well with all experimental data that are compatible with QCD scaling (and collinear factorization), but disagree with the high-Q ² data of the BaBar Collaboration that grow with the momentum. A good agreement of our predictions with results obtained from AdS/QCD models and Dyson–Schwinger computations is found.     

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.     

Heavy-to-light transition form factors and their relations in light-cone QCD sum rules

The light-cone QCD sum rules approach improved by using the chiral current correlator is systematically reviewed and applied to the calculation of all the heavy-to-light form factors, including all the semileptonic and penguin ones. By choosing suitable chiral currents, the light-cone sum rules for all the form factors are greatly simplified and depend mainly on one leading-twist distribution amplitude of the light meson. As a result, relations between these form factors arise naturally. At the considered accuracy, these relations reproduce the results obtained in the literature. Moreover, since the explicit dependence on the leading-twist distribution amplitudes is preserved, these relations may be more useful to simulate the experimental data and extract information on the distribution amplitude.     

Light-cone divergence in twist-3 correlation functions

It is argued that the definition of the twist-3 transverse momentum dependent correlation functions must be modified if they contain light-like Wilson lines. In the framework of a simple spectator model of the nucleon we show explicitly the presence of a light-cone divergence for a specific twist-3 time-reversal odd parton density. This divergence emerges for all eight twist-3 T-odd correlators and appears also in the case of a quark target in perturbative QCD. The divergence can be removed by using non-light-like Wilson lines. Based on our results we argue that currently there exists no established factorization formula for transverse momentum dependent twist-3 observables in semi-inclusive DIS and related processes.     

Form factors in lattice QCD

Lattice simulations of QCD have produced precise estimates for the masses of the lowest-lying hadrons which show excellent agreement with experiment. By contrast, lattice results for the vector and axial vector form factors of the nucleon show significant deviations from their experimental determination. We present results from our ongoing project to compute a variety of form factors with control over all systematic uncertainties. In the case of the pion electromagnetic form factor we employ partially twisted boundary conditions to extract the pion charge radius directly from the linear slope of the form factor near vanishing momentum transfer. In the nucleon sector we focus specifically on the possible contamination from contributions of higher excited states. We argue that summed correlation functions offer the possibility of eliminating this source of systematic error. As an illustration of the method we discuss our results for the axial charge, g _A , of the nucleon.     

The role of the pion cloud in the interpretation of the valence light-cone wavefunction of the nucleon

The pion cloud renormalises the light-cone wavefunction of the nucleon which is measured in hard, exclusive photon-nucleon reactions. We discuss the leading twist contributions to high-energy exclusive reactions taking into account both the pion cloud and perturbative QCD physics. The nucleon’s electromagnetic form-factor at high Q² is proportional to the bare nucleon probability Z and the cross-sections for hard (real at large angle or deeply virtual) Compton scattering are proportional to Z². Our present knowledge of the pion-nucleon system is consistent with Z = 0.7 ± 0.2. If we apply just perturbative QCD to extract a light-cone wavefunction directly from these hard exclusive cross-sections, then the light-cone wavefunction that we extract measures the three valence quarks partially screened by the pion cloud of the nucleon. We discuss how this pion cloud renormalisation effect might be understood at the quark level in terms of the (in-)stability of the perturbative Dirac vacuum in low energy QCD.     

Infrared renormalons and the relations between the Gross-Llewellyn Smith and the Bjorken polarized and unpolarized sum rules

It is demonstrated that the infrared renormalon calculus indicates that the QCD theoretical expressions for the Gross-Llewellyn Smith sum rule and for the Bjorken polarized and unpolarized ones contain an identical negative twist-4 1/Q² correction. This observation is supported by the consideration of the results of calculations of the corresponding twist-4 matrix elements. Together with the indication of the similarity of the perturbative QCD contributions to these three sum rules, this observation leads to simple new theoretical relations between the Gross-Llewellyn Smith and Bjorken polarized and unpolarized sum rules in the energy region Q² ≥ 1 GeV². The validity of this relation is checked using concrete experimental data for the Gross-Llewellyn Smith and Bjorken polarized sum rules.     

Dispersive and chiral symmetry constraints on the light meson form factors

The form factors of the light pseudoscalar mesons are investigated in a dispersive formalism based on hadronic unitarity, analyticity and the OPE expansion of the QCD Green functions. We propose generalizations of the original mathematical techniques, suitable for including additional low energy information provided by experiment or Chiral Perturbation Theory (CHPT). The simultaneous treatment of the electroweak form factors of the and K mesons allows us to test the consistency with QCD of a low energy CHPT theorem. By applying the formalism to the pion electromagnetic form factor, we derive quite strong constraints on the higher Taylor coefficients at zero momentum, using information about the phase and the modulus of the form factor along a part of the unitarity cut. Received: 16 July 1999 / Published online: 6 March 2000     

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     

Hadronic quark distribution amplitudes from QCD sum-rule moments

We discuss the reliability of hadronic wave functions (quark distribution amplitudes) determined by a finite number of QCD sum-rule moments. Although the expansion coefficients for polynomial models of the wave function are uniquely determined by the moments, the inherent uncertainty in such moments leads to a considerable indeterminacy in the wave functions because minimal changes of the moments can lead to large oscillations of the model function. In particular, the freedom in the moments left by QCD sum rules leads to a nonconverging polynomial expansion. This remains true even if additional constraints on the wave functions are used. As a consequence of this, the widely used procedure of constructing polynomial models of hadronic wave function from QCD sum rule moments does not guarantee even a reasonable approximation to the true wave function. The differences among the model wave functions persist also in the calculations of physical observables like hadronic form factors. This implies that physical observables calculated by means of such model wave functions are in general very unreliable. As specific examples, we examine the pion and nucleon wave functions and show that Gegenbauer as well as Appell polynomial expansions constructed from QCD sum rule moments are ruled out. The implications for the wave functions which are generally used in the literature are discussed.     

Light-cone QCD sum rules for the Λ baryon electromagnetic form factors and its magnetic moment

We present the light-cone QCD sum rules up to twist 6 for the electromagnetic form factors of the Λ baryon. To estimate the magnetic moment of the baryon, the magnetic form factor is fitted by the dipole formula. The numerical value of our estimation is μ _Λ =−(0.64±0.04)μ _N , which is in accordance with the experimental data and the existing theoretical results. We find that it is twist 4 but not the leading twist distribution amplitudes that dominate the results.     

Pion form factor in the NLC QCD SR approach

We present results of a calculation of the electromagnetic pion form factor within the framework of QCD sum rules with nonlocal condensates and using a perturbative spectral density which includes O(α _s ) contributions.     

Pion electromagnetic form factor in QCD sum rules

The electromagnetic form factor of the π meson is calculated in terms of the QCD sum rules for a pion axial-vector current with allowance made for the radiative QCD corrections. The derived dependence of the pion form factor on the square of the transferred momentum Q² is in good agreement with the experimental data. The QCDc orrections are shown to make a large contribution, and they should be taken into account in a rigorous theoretical analysis.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis>→<Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis><Superscript>(*)</Superscript> form factors from QCD light-cone sum rules

We derive new QCD sum rules for B→D and B→D ^* form factors. The underlying correlation functions are expanded near the light-cone in terms of B-meson distribution amplitudes defined in HQET, whereas the c-quark mass is kept finite. The leading-order contributions of two- and three-particle distribution amplitudes are taken into account. From the resulting light-cone sum rules we calculate all B→D ^(*) form factors in the region of small momentum transfer (maximal recoil). In the infinite heavy-quark mass limit the sum rules reduce to a single expression for the Isgur–Wise function. We compare our predictions with the form factors extracted from experimental B→^(*) l ν _l decay rates fitted to dispersive parameterizations.     

Perturbative QCD correction to the B → π transition form factor

We report on the perturbative O(_s) correction to the light-cone QCD sum rule for the B → π transition form factor f⁺. The correction to the product f_Bf⁺ in leading twist approximation is found to be about 30%, that is similar in magnitude to the corresponding O(_s) correction in the two-point sum rule for f_B. The resulting cancellation of large QCD corrections in f⁺ eliminates one important uncertainty in the sum-rule prediction for this form factor.     

From the analytical structure of the pion form factor to finite energy relations for QCD condensates and their values through FESRs

Finite energy relations for QCD condensates of dimensions 4 and 6 are derived on the basis of the analytical structure of the pion form factor. “Standard” values of QCD condensates do not satisfy finite energy relations, but a number of recently determined values satisfy these relations. New values of QCD condensates are determined through FESRs.