arXiv subjects

Kim Maltman

Publications and source records attributed to Kim Maltman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Comparison of the hadronic vacuum polarization between hadronic $\tau$-decay data and lattice QCD

We compare the isospin-one, vector-current hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) obtained from isospin-symmetric lattice QCD with that obtained from a dispersive representation employing inclusive hadronic $\tau$ decay data corrected for isospin breaking. We consider the subtracted HVP evaluated at squared Euclidean momenta ranging from $0.5$ GeV$^2$ to $12$ GeV$^2$, together with the light-quark-connected HVP contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the short-, intermediate- and long-distance RBC/UKQCD window components thereof. Dispersive contributions from the region of hadronic invariant masses above the $\tau$ mass are evaluated using perturbative QCD. We also consider dispersive determinations using $\tau$ data only for contributions from two-pion, or two-pion and four-pion, modes, and evaluating the remaining contributions using exclusive-mode $e^+e^-\to\mbox{hadrons}$ cross sections up to about 2 GeV, lessening the dependence on perturbation theory. We find generally good agreement between lattice and $\tau$-based results. However, a comparison of $\tau$-based window-quantity contributions for the two four-pion modes to expectations for those contributions based on the Pais relations and $e^+e^-$ four-pion cross sections, reveals significant differences for the $2\pi^-\pi^+\pi^0$ mode.

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arXiv2025

The strong coupling from hadronic $\tau$-decay data including $\tau\to\pi^-\pi^0\nu_\tau$ from Belle

In previous work we have combined the $\pi^-\pi^0$, $2\pi^-\pi^+\pi^0$ and $\pi^-3\pi^0$ spectral data obtained from hadronic $\tau$ decays measured by the ALEPH and OPAL experiments, together with electroproduction data for several of the subleading hadronic modes and BaBar data for the $K\bar{K}$ mode to construct an inclusive non-strange vector spectral function entirely based on experimental data, with no Monte-Carlo generated input. In this paper, we include, for the first time, the Belle $\tau\to\pi^-\pi^0\nu_\tau$ high-statistics decay data to construct a new inclusive non-strange vector spectral function that combines more of the world's available data. As no Belle data are at present available for the two $4\pi$ modes, this requires a revised data analysis in comparison with our previous work. From the resulting new spectral function, we obtain a new determination of the strong coupling, $\alpha_s$, using our previously developed strategy based on finite-energy sum rules. We find, at the $Z$ mass scale, $\alpha_s(m_Z^2)=0.1159(14)$. We discuss the smaller central value and larger error of our new result compared to our previous result, showing the shifts to be due mainly to significant changes in updated HFLAV results for the $\pi^-3\pi^0$ decay mode.

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arXiv2024

Data-driven results for light-quark connected and strange-plus-disconnected hadronic $g-2$ short- and long-distance windows

A key issue affecting the attempt to reduce the uncertainty on the Standard Model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment is the current discrepancy between lattice-QCD and data-driven results for the hadronic vacuum polarization. Progress on this issue benefits from precise data-driven determinations of the isospin-limit light-quark-connected (lqc) and strange-plus-light-quark-disconnected (s+lqd) components of the related RBC/UKQCD windows. In this paper, using a strategy employed previously for the intermediate window, we provide data-driven results for the lqc and s+lqd components of the short- and long-distance RBC/UKQCD windows. Comparing these results with those from the lattice, we find significant discrepancies in the lqc parts but good agreement for the s+lqd components. We also explore the impact of recent CMD-3 $e^+e^-\to \pi^+\pi^-$ cross-section results, demonstrating that an upward shift in the $\rho$-peak region of the type seen in the CMD-3 data serves to eliminate the discrepancies for the lqc components without compromising the good agreement between lattice and data-driven s+lqd results.

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arXiv2024

Quark-hadron duality and the determination of $\alpha_s$ from hadronic $\tau$ decay: facts vs. myths

Non-perturbative effects have a small but non-trivial impact on the determination of the strong coupling from hadronic $\tau$ decay data. Several approaches have been proposed to take these into account, the two most important of which are the ``truncated OPE'' approach and ``DV-model'' approach. Recently, Pich and Rodr\'iguez-S\'anchez have raised a number of criticisms of the latter approach, including, most notably, claims of the existence of (i) a supposed instability with respect to variations of the model for incorporating quark-hadron duality violations, and (ii) an alleged redundancy in the fitting strategy employed in the DV-model approach. In this paper, we address these criticisms one by one, showing they fail to survive more detailed scrutiny of the mathematical or numerical arguments that underpin them. We also show that, while the redundancy claim does not apply to the DV-model approach, it does, in fact, apply to the truncated OPE approach. In particular, the $\alpha_s$ value determined in the latter turns out to derive purely from perturbation theory, with no role played by the non-perturbative condensates determined in the rest of the analysis. This leads to the conclusion that a revision of the conventional understanding of what is learned from truncated OPE analyses is necessary and that only very limited self-consistency checks are possible within this framework. These observations raise new, non-trivial issues for the truncated OPE approach.

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arXiv2023

Data-driven estimates for light-quark-connected and strange-plus-disconnected hadronic $g-2$ window quantities

A number of discrepancies have emerged between lattice computations and data-driven dispersive evaluations of the RBC/UKQCD Intermediate-window-hadronic contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. It is therefore interesting to obtain data-driven estimates for the light-quark-connected and strange-plus-disconnected components of this window quantity, allowing for a more detailed comparison between the lattice and data-driven approaches. The aim of this paper is to provide these estimates, extending the analysis to several other window quantities, including two windows designed to focus on the region in which the two-pion contribution is dominant. Clear discrepancies are observed for all light-quark-connected contributions considered, while good agreement with lattice results is found for strange-plus disconnected contributions to the quantities for which corresponding lattice results exist. The largest of these discrepancies is that for the RBC/UKQCD intermediate window, where, as previously reported, our data-driven result, $a_\mu^{W1,{\rm lqc}}=198.9(1.1)\times 10^{-10}$, is in significant tension with the results of 8 different recent lattice determinations. Our strategy is the same as recently employed in obtaining data-driven estimates for the light-quark-connected and strange-plus-disconnected components of the full leading-order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Updated versions of those earlier results are also presented, for completeness.

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arXiv2023

Data-driven determination of the light-quark connected component of the intermediate-window contribution to the muon $g-2$

We present the first data-driven result for $a_\mu^{\rm win,lqc}$, the isospin-limit light-quark connected component of the intermediate-window Hadronic-Vacuum-Polarization contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Our result, $(198.8\pm 1.1)\times 10^{-10}$, is in significant tension with eight recent mutually compatible high-precision lattice-QCD determinations, and provides enhanced evidence for a puzzling discrepancy between lattice and data-driven determinations of the intermediate window quantity, one driven largely by a difference in the light-quark connected component.

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arXiv2023

On the difference between Fixed-Order and Contour-Improved Perturbation Theory

Using standard mathematical methods for asymptotic series and the large-$\beta_0$ approximation, we define a Minimum Distance between the Fixed-Order perturbative series and the Contour-Improved perturbative series in the strong coupling $\alpha_s$ for finite-energy sum rules as applied to hadronic $\tau$ decays. This distance is similar, but not identical, to the Asymptotic Separation of Hoang and Regner, which is defined in terms of the difference of the two series after Borel resummation. Our results confirm a nonzero nonperturbative result in $\alpha_s$ for this Minimum Distance as a measure of the intrinsic difference between the two series, as well as a conflict with the Operator Product Expansion for Contour-Improved Perturbation Theory.

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arXiv2022

Data-based determination of the isospin-limit light-quark-connected contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon

We describe how recent determinations of exclusive-mode contributions to $a_\mu^{\rm LO,HVP}$, the leading-order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, can be used to provide, up to small electromagnetic (EM) corrections accessible from the lattice, a data-based dispersive determination of $a_\mu^{\rm lqc;\, IL}$, the isospin-limit, light-quark-connected contribution to $a_\mu^{\rm LO,HVP}$. Such a determination is of interest in view of the existence of a number of lattice results for this quantity, emerging evidence for a tension between lattice and dispersive determinations of $a_\mu^{\rm LO,HVP}$, and the desire to clarify the source of this tension. Taking as input for the small EM correction that must be applied to the purely data-driven dispersive determination the result $-0.93(58)\times 10^{-10}$ obtained in a recent BMW lattice study, we find $a_\mu^{\rm lqc;\, IL}$ to be $635.0(2.7)\times 10^{-10}$ if the results of Keshavarzi, Nomura and Teubner are used for the exclusive-mode contributions and $638.4(4.1)\times 10^{-10}$ if instead those of Davier, H\"ocker, Malaescu and Zhang are used.

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arXiv2022

Spectral-weight sum rules for the hadronic vacuum polarization

We develop a number of sum rules comparing spectral integrals involving judiciously chosen weights to integrals over the corresponding Euclidean two-point function. The applications we have in mind are to the hadronic vacuum polarization that determines the most important hadronic correction $a_\mu^{\rm HVP}$ to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. First, we point out how spectral weights may be chosen that emphasize narrow regions in $\sqrt{s}$, providing a tool to investigate emerging discrepancies between data-driven and lattice determinations of $a_\mu^{\rm HVP}$. Alternatively, for a narrow region around the $\rho$ mass, they may allow for a comparison of the dispersive determination of $a_\mu^{\rm HVP}$ with lattice deteruminations zooming in on the region of the well-known BaBar-KLOE discrepancy. Second, we show how such sum rules can in principle be used for carrying out precision comparisons of hadronic-$\tau$-decay-based data and $e^+e^-\to\mbox{hadrons}(\gamma)$-based data, where lattice computations can provide the necessary isospin-breaking corrections.

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arXiv2022

$α_s$ from an improved $τ$ vector isovector spectral function

After discussing difficulties in determining $α_s$ from tau decay due to the existence of Duality Violations and the associated asymptotic nature of the OPE, we describe a new determination based on an improved vector isovector spectral function, now based solely on experimental input, obtained by (i) combining ALEPH and OPAL results for $2π+4π$ and (ii) replacing $K^-K^0$ and higher-multiplicity exclusive-mode contributions, both previously estimated using Monte Carlo, with new experimental BaBar results for $K^-K^0$ and results implied by $e^+ e^-$ cross sections and CVC for the higher-multiplicity modes. We find $α_s(m_τ)=0.3077\pm 0.0075$, which corresponds to $α_s(m_Z)=0.1171\pm 0.0010$. Finally, we comment on some of the shortcomings in the criticism of our approach by Pich and Rodriguez-Sanchez.

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arXiv2022

Diquark properties from full QCD lattice simulations

We study diquarks on the lattice in the background of a static quark, in a gauge-invariant formalism with quark masses down to almost physical $m_π$. We determine mass differences between diquark channels as well as diquark-quark mass differences. The lightest and next-to-lightest diquarks have "good" scalar, $\bar{3}_F$, $\bar{3}_c$, $J^P=0^+$, and "bad" axial vector, $6_F$, $\bar{3}_c$, $J^P=1^+$, quantum numbers, and a bad-good mass difference for $ud$ flavors, $198(4)~\rm{MeV}$, in excellent agreement with phenomenological determinations. Quark-quark attraction is found only in the "good" diquark channel. We extract a corresponding diquark size of $\sim 0.6~\rm{fm}$ and perform a first exploration of the "good" diquark shape, which is shown to be spherical. Our results provide quantitative support for modeling the low-lying baryon spectrum using good light diquark effective degrees of freedom.

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arXiv2022

Evaluation of the three-flavor quark-disconnected contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment from experimental data

We point out that the sum of the strange-quark-connected and full, three-flavor quark-disconnected contributions to the leading-order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution, $a_μ^{\mathrm{LO,HVP}}$, to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, is a physical observable, and provide a data-based determination of this quantity in the isospin limit. The result, $40.1(1.5)\times 10^{-10}$, or $38.7(2.0)\times 10^{-10}$, depending on which data compilation is used, serves as a target of comparison for lattice calculations of the same isospin-limit combination. Subtracting from this result the average of lattice determinations of the strange-quark-connected contribution, one obtains also an alternate determination of the isospin-limit three-flavor disconnected contribution to $a_μ^{\mathrm{LO,HVP}}$. The result of this determination, $-13.3(1.5)\times 10^{-10}$, or $-14.6(2.0)\times 10^{-10}$, depending on which data compilation is used, agrees well and is competitive with the most precise current lattice determination.

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arXiv2022

Good and bad diquark properties and spatial correlations in lattice QCD

We study good, bad and not-even-bad diquarks on the lattice in a gauge-invariant formalism in full QCD. We establish their spectral masses with short extrapolations to the physical point, observing agreement with phenomenological expectations. We find that only the good diquark has attractive quark-quark spatial correlations, with spherical shape and size $\sim0.6$ fm. Our results provide quantitative support for modelling the low-lying baryon spectrum using good light diquark effective degrees of freedom.

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arXiv2021

On the use of the Operator Product Expansion in finite-energy sum rules for light-quark correlators

Tau-based finite-energy sum-rule (FESR) analyses often assume that scales $s_0\sim m_τ^2$ are large enough that (i) integrated duality violations (DVs) can be neglected, and (ii) contributions from non-perturbative OPE condensates of dimension $D$ scale as $(Λ_{\rm QCD}/m_τ)^D$, allowing the OPE series to be truncated at low dimension. The latter assumption is not necessarily valid since the OPE series is not convergent, while the former is open to question given experimental results for the electromagnetic, $I=1$ vector ($V$), $I=1$ axial vector ($A$) and $I=1$ $V+A$ current spectral functions, which show DV oscillations with amplitudes comparable in size to the corresponding $α_s$-dependent perturbative contributions at $s\sim2-3$ GeV$^2$. Here, we discuss recently introduced new tools for assessing the numerical relevance of omitted higher-$D$ OPE contributions. Applying these to the ``truncated OPE'' strategy used in Refs.[1,2] and earlier work by the same authors, we find that this strategy fails to yield reliable results for the strong coupling from hadronic $τ$ decays.

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arXiv2021

Strong coupling at the $τ$-mass scale from an improved vector isovector spectral function

We perform a precise extraction of the QCD coupling at the $τ$-mass scale, $α_s(m_τ)$, from a new vector isovector spectral function which combines ALEPH and OPAL distributions for the dominant channels, $τ\toππ^0ν_τ$, $τ\to 3ππ^0ν_τ$ and $τ\to π3π^0ν_τ$, with estimates of sub-leading contributions obtained from electroproduction cross-sections using CVC, as well as BaBar results for $τ\to K^-K^0ν_τ$. The fully inclusive spectral function thus obtained is entirely based on experimental data, without Monte Carlo input. From this new data set, we obtain $α_s(m_τ)=0.3077\pm0.0075$, which corresponds to $α_s(m_Z)=0.1171\pm0.0010$. This analysis can be improved on the experimental side with new measurements of the dominant $ππ^0$, $π3π^0$, and $3ππ^0$ $τ$ decay modes.

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arXiv2021

A ChPT estimate of the strong-isospin-breaking contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon

First-principles lattice determinations of the Standard Model expectation for the leading order hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon have become sufficiently precise that further improvement requires including strong and electromagnetic isospin-breaking effects. We provide a continuum estimate of the strong isospin-breaking contribution, $a_μ^{SIB}$, using $SU(3)$ chiral perturbation theory. The result is shown to be dominated by resonance-region contributions encoded in a single low-energy constant whose value is known from flavor-breaking hadronic $τ$ decay sum rules. Implications of the form of the result for lattice determinations of $a_μ^{SIB}$ are also discussed.

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arXiv2021

The strong coupling from an improved $τ$ vector isovector spectral function

We combine ALEPH and OPAL results for the spectral distributions measured in $τ\toπ^-π^0ν_τ$, $τ\to 2π^-π^+π^0ν_τ$ and $τ\toπ^-3π^0ν_τ$ decays with (i) recent BaBar results for the analogous $τ\to K^- K^0ν_τ$ distribution and (ii) estimates of the contributions from other hadronic $τ$-decay modes obtained using CVC and electroproduction data, to obtain a new and more precise non-strange, inclusive vector, isovector spectral function. The BaBar $K^- K^0$ and CVC/electroproduction results provide us with alternate, entirely data-based input for the contributions of all exclusive modes for which ALEPH and OPAL employed Monte-Carlo-based estimates. We use the resulting spectral function to determine $α_s(m_τ)$, the strong coupling at the $τ$ mass scale, employing finite energy sum rules. Using the fixed-order perturbation theory (FOPT) prescription, we find $α_s(m_τ)=0.3077\pm 0.0075$, which corresponds to the five-flavor result $α_s(M_Z)=0.1171\pm 0.0010$ at the $Z$ mass. While we also provide an estimate using contour-improved perturbation theory (CIPT), we point out that the FOPT prescription is to be preferred for comparison with other $α_s$ determinations employing the $\overline{\rm MS}$ scheme, especially given the inconsistency between CIPT and the standard operator product expansion recently pointed out in the literature. Additional experimental input on the dominant $2π$ and $4π$ modes would allow for further improvements to the current analysis.

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arXiv2019

Doubly Heavy Tetraquarks in QCD Sum Rules

In the framework of QCD Sum Rules we investigate the $q q^\prime \bar{Q} \bar{Q}$ tetraquark structure with quantum number $J^P = 1^+$, which are embedded in two types of configurations, the $[8_c]_{q \bar{Q}} \otimes [8_c]_{q^\prime \bar{Q}}$ and $[1_c]_{q \bar{Q}} \otimes [1_c]_{q^\prime \bar{Q}}$ with $Q = b, c$, $q = u$, and $q^\prime = d, s$. Our finding confirms the Lattice QCD result that the bottom tetraquark states could exist and their masses are evaluated. In the calculation, the non-perturbative condensate contributions up to dimension eight in operator product expansion are considered, and those terms linear to the strange quark mass $m_s$ are kept. It is found that for octet-octet configuration the masses of potential tetraquark states are about $11.28$ GeV for the $ud\bar{b}\bar{b}$ system, and $11.31$ and $11.34$ GeV for the $us\bar{b}\bar{b}$ system, which are above the corresponding two-meson thresholds. For molecular configuration, the corresponding masses are found below the thresholds, that is $10.36$ GeV and $10.48$ GeV, respectively. The possible tetraquark decay channels are analyzed and the strong decay rates are evaluated. The mass dependence on the radiative correction and the condensates is estimated. Moreover, the doubly charmed tetraquark states are also considered.

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