Low Energy Tests of the Weak Interaction

Abstract

The study of low energy weak interactions of light quarks and leptons continues to provide important insights into both the Standard Model as well as the physics that may lie beyond it. We review the status and future prospects for low energy electroweak physics. Recent important experimental and theoretical developments are discussed and open theoretical issues are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to neutrino physics, searches for permanent electric dipole moments, neutral current tests of the running of the weak mixing angle, weak decays, and muon physics. We argue that the broad range of such studies provides an important complement to high energy collider searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. The use of low energy weak interactions to probe novel aspects of hadron structure is also discussed.