arXiv subjects

Peter Stoffer

Publications and source records attributed to Peter Stoffer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

One-loop matching of the LEFT to the QCD gradient flow

We present the complete one-loop matching of the baryon- and lepton-number-conserving low-energy effective field theory (LEFT) to the QCD gradient flow. Using Euclidean conventions and the background-field formulation of the gradient flow, we derive the short-flow-time expansion for the full LEFT operator basis up to mass dimension six. The matching is performed in dimensional regularization in the algebraically consistent 't Hooft-Veltman scheme, including a systematic treatment of evanescent operators and the finite counterterms required to restore chiral symmetry in the spurion sense. Keeping fully generic flavor structures, we verify the cancellation of spurious chiral-symmetry-violating terms with the known finite symmetry-restoring counterterms. This demonstrates that the gradient flow as a gauge-invariant ultraviolet regulator enables an efficient extraction of both divergent and finite counterterms in addition to the matching contributions. We provide the matching coefficients both before and after field redefinitions that remove redundant operators, as well as power-divergent mixings into lower-dimensional operators. Our results establish a consistent perturbative link between continuum LEFT calculations and gradient-flow-based lattice-QCD matrix elements, enabling precision low-energy phenomenology beyond leading-logarithmic accuracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Renormalization-group equations of the LEFT at two loops: dimension-six operators

We present the third part of a systematic calculation of the two-loop anomalous dimensions for the low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale (LEFT): insertions of dimension-six operators that conserve baryon number. In line with our previous publications, we obtain the results in the algebraically consistent 't Hooft-Veltman scheme for $γ_5$, corrected for evanescent as well as chiral-symmetry-breaking effects through finite renormalizations. We compute the renormalization of the dimension-six four-fermion and three-gluon operators, as well as the power corrections to lower-dimension operators in the presence of masses, i.e., the down-mixing into dimension-five dipole operators, masses, gauge couplings, and theta terms. Our results are of interest for a broad range of low-energy precision searches for physics beyond the Standard Model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Two-loop anomalous dimensions for baryon-number-violating operators in SMEFT

We compute the two-loop renormalization-group equations for the baryon-number-violating dimension-six operators in the SMEFT. This includes all three gauge interactions, the Yukawa, and Higgs self-interaction contributions. In addition, we present the one-loop matching of the $S_1$ scalar leptoquark on the SMEFT, which can generate the Wilson coefficients of all four gauge-invariant baryon-number-violating SMEFT operators. Using this example, we demonstrate the cancellation of scheme and matching-scale dependences. Together with the known two-loop renormalization-group evolution below the electroweak scale in the LEFT, as well as the one-loop matching of SMEFT onto LEFT, our results enable consistent next-to-leading-log analyses of nucleon decays, provided that the relevant matrix elements are known at next-to-leading-order accuracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Renormalization-group equations of the LEFT at two loops: dimension-six baryon-number-violating operators

We present the second part of a systematic calculation of the two-loop anomalous dimensions for the low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale (LEFT): the baryon-number-violating sector at dimension six in the power counting. We obtain the results in two different schemes: in the algebraically consistent 't Hooft-Veltman scheme for $γ_5$, corrected for evanescent as well as chiral-symmetry-breaking effects through finite renormalizations; and in naive dimensional regularization, which in the considered sector of the theory does not lead to any ill-defined $γ_5$-odd traces. Our results are of interest for a reanalysis of the constraints on physics beyond the Standard Model from proton-decay searches within an EFT framework at next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Renormalization-group equations of the LEFT at two loops: dimension-five effects

We present the first part of a systematic calculation of the two-loop anomalous dimensions in the low-energy effective field theory (LEFT): the effects at dimension five in the power counting. Our calculation is performed in a basis with generic mass matrices, we employ the algebraically consistent 't Hooft-Veltman scheme for $γ_5$, and we correct for evanescent as well as chiral-symmetry-breaking effects by including the appropriate finite counterterms. We also provide results for the $CP$-even sector in a scheme that coincides with naive dimensional regularization. We discuss two methods to avoid the explicit construction of gauge-variant operators, which in principle are needed for the cancellation of sub-divergences, even in the background-field method. The two methods are consistent with each other and with existing partial results. Our work is a further step towards a complete EFT framework for physics beyond the Standard Model at next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Radiative corrections and Monte Carlo tools for low-energy hadronic cross sections in $e^+ e^-$ collisions

We present the results of Phase I of an ongoing review of Monte Carlo tools relevant for low-energy hadronic cross sections. This includes a detailed comparison of Monte Carlo codes for electron-positron scattering into a muon pair, pion pair, and electron pair, for scan and radiative-return experiments. After discussing the various approaches that are used and effects that are included, we show differential cross sections obtained with AfkQed, BabaYaga@NLO, KKMC, MCGPJ, McMule, Phokhara, and Sherpa, for scenarios that are inspired by experiments providing input for the dispersive evaluation of the hadronic vacuum polarisation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Hadronic light-by-light scattering in the anomalous magnetic moments of electron and $τ$

In Refs. [1,2] we provided a complete dispersive evaluation of the hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. While the evaluation strategy was developed for the kinematic situation determined by the muon mass, a similar approach also applies to the HLbL corrections to the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron and $τ$ lepton, shifting the sensitivity in the loop integrals to smaller and larger momenta, respectively. In this Letter, we propagate the corresponding uncertainties of the various contributions, obtaining $a_e^\text{HLbL}= 3.51(23)\times 10^{-14}$ and $a_τ^\text{HLbL}= 3.77(29)\times 10^{-8}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Improved evaluation of the electroweak contribution to muon $g-2$

A precise evaluation of the electroweak contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon requires control over all aspects of the Standard Model, ranging from Higgs physics, over multi-loop computations for bosonic and (heavy-)fermion diagrams, to non-perturbative effects in the presence of light quarks. Currently, the dominant uncertainties arise from such hadronic effects in the vector-vector-axial-vector three-point function, an improved understanding of which has recently emerged in the context of hadronic light-by-light scattering. Profiting from these developments as well as new perturbative and non-perturbative input for the charm contribution, we obtain $a_μ^\text{EW}=154.4(4)\times 10^{-11}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dispersion relations for the hadronic VVA correlator

We derive two types of dispersion relations for the hadronic vector-vector-axial-vector (VVA) correlator: one in generic three-point kinematics with fixed photon virtualities, the second in the kinematic limit of one soft photon. The VVA correlator enters in the electroweak contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment and it also emerges as the leading term in the operator-product expansion for hadronic light-by-light scattering in the limit of two large photon momenta. Previously, this correlator was only described in terms of hadronic models. Our new dispersive treatments are in analogy to the established and the newly proposed dispersive approaches to hadronic light-by-light. The VVA correlator allows us to investigate the relation between the two types of dispersion relations in a simpler example and to elucidate the reshuffling of different hadronic contributions in this comparison. As a byproduct, we reduce the theoretical uncertainties on the first-family VVA contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment by combining the dispersive representation with both asymptotic and low-energy constraints.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dispersion relation for hadronic light-by-light scattering: subleading contributions

In this work, we present an evaluation of subleading effects in the hadronic light-by-light contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. Using a recently derived optimized basis, we first study the matching of axial-vector contributions to short-distance constraints at the level of the scalar basis functions, finding that also the tails of the pseudoscalar poles and tensor mesons play a role. We then develop a matching strategy that allows for a combined evaluation of axial-vector and short-distance constraints, supplemented by an estimate of tensor-meson contributions based on simplified assumptions for their transition form factors. Uncertainties are primarily propagated from the axial-vector transition form factors and the variation of the matching scale, but we also consider estimates of the low-energy effect of hadronic states not explicitly included. In total, we obtain $a_μ^\text{HLbL}\big|_\text{subleading}=33.2(7.2)\times 10^{-11}$, which in combination with previously evaluated contributions in the dispersive approach leads to $a_μ^\text{HLbL}\big|_\text{total}=101.9(7.9)\times 10^{-11}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Complete dispersive evaluation of the hadronic light-by-light contribution to muon $g-2$

Hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) scattering defines one of the critical contributions in the Standard-Model prediction of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. In this Letter, we present a complete evaluation using a dispersive formalism, in which the HLbL tensor is reconstructed from its discontinuities, expressed in terms of simpler hadronic matrix elements that can be extracted from experiment. Profiting from recent developments in the determination of axial-vector transition form factors, short-distance constraints for the HLbL tensor, and the vector-vector-axial-vector correlator, we obtain $a_μ^\text{HLbL}=101.9(7.9)\times 10^{-11}$, which meets the precision requirements set by the final result of the Fermilab experiment.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dispersive analysis of the pion vector form factor without zeros

We perform an updated analysis of $e^+e^-\toπ^+π^-$ cross-section data using a dispersive representation of the pion vector form factor. We show that the available data are compatible with the assumption that the form factor is free of complex zeros and that under this assumption the largest systematic uncertainty in a previous analysis can be eliminated. We investigate both a constrained Omnès representation as well as a hybrid phase-modulus representation and we quantify the discrepancies in the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon based on different $e^+e^-$ data sets. We find that the dispersive constraints exacerbate these discrepancies. Together with the assumption of the absence of zeros, the pion charge radius becomes a useful observable to discriminate between the different data sets. This provides an opportunity for future improved lattice-QCD determinations to probe the discrepancies independently of full computations of hadronic vacuum polarization. We also reevaluate the two-pion contribution to Euclidean windows and we observe that systematic discrepancies between the data sets persist even at very long distances.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

An optimized basis for hadronic light-by-light scattering

We present a new basis for the hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) tensor that is optimized for the evaluation of narrow-resonance contributions to HLbL scattering in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. As main advantage, kinematic singularities are manifestly absent for pseudoscalar, scalar, and axial-vector states, while the remaining singularities for tensor resonances are minimized, even avoided for special cases, and simple crossing relations among the scalar functions maintained. We scrutinize the properties of this new basis for the scalar-QED pion box, demonstrating that the partial-wave convergence even slightly improves compared to our previous work, and discuss the physical sum rules that ensure basis independence of the HLbL contribution. Finally, we provide explicit expressions for narrow (pseudo-)scalar, axial-vector, and tensor intermediate states in terms of their respective transition form factors.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Low-Energy Effective Field Theory below the Electroweak Scale: Anomalous Dimensions

We compute the one-loop anomalous dimensions of the low-energy effective Lagrangian below the electroweak scale, up to terms of dimension six. The theory has 70 dimension-five and 3631 dimension-six Hermitian operators that preserve baryon and lepton number, as well as additional operators that violate baryon number and lepton number. The renormalization group equations for the quark and lepton masses and the QCD and QED gauge couplings are modified by dimension-five and dimension-six operator contributions. We compute the renormalization group equations from one insertion of dimension-five and dimension-six operators, as well as two insertions of dimension-five operators, to all terms of dimension less than or equal to six. The use of the equations of motion to eliminate operators can be ambiguous, and we show how to resolve this ambiguity by a careful use of field redefinitions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Low-Energy Effective Field Theory below the Electroweak Scale: Operators and Matching

The gauge-invariant operators up to dimension six in the low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale are classified. There are 70 Hermitian dimension-five and 3631 Hermitian dimension-six operators that conserve baryon and lepton number, as well as $ΔB= \pm ΔL = \pm 1$, $ΔL=\pm 2$, and $ΔL=\pm 4$ operators. The matching onto these operators from the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) up to order $1/Λ^2$ is computed at tree level. SMEFT imposes constraints on the coefficients of the low-energy effective theory, which can be checked experimentally to determine whether the electroweak gauge symmetry is broken by a single fundamental scalar doublet as in SMEFT. Our results, when combined with the one-loop anomalous dimensions of the low-energy theory and the one-loop anomalous dimensions of SMEFT, allow one to compute the low-energy implications of new physics to leading-log accuracy, and combine them consistently with high-energy LHC constraints.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Computing Tools for Effective Field Theories

In recent years, theoretical and phenomenological studies with effective field theories have become a trending and prolific line of research in the field of high-energy physics. In order to discuss present and future prospects concerning automated tools in this field, the SMEFT-Tools 2022 workshop was held at the University of Zurich from 14th-16th September 2022. The current document collects and summarizes the content of this workshop.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale: one-loop renormalization in the 't Hooft-Veltman scheme

The low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale (LEFT) describes the effects at low energies of both the weak interaction and physics beyond the Standard Model. We study the one-loop renormalization of the LEFT in the 't Hooft-Veltman scheme, which offers an algebraically consistent definition of the Levi-Civita symbol and $γ_5$ in dimensional regularization. However, in connection with minimal subtraction this scheme leads to a spurious breaking of chiral symmetry in intermediate steps of the calculation. Based on the 't Hooft-Veltman prescription, we define a renormalization scheme that restores chiral symmetry by including appropriate finite counterterms. To this end, we extend the physical LEFT operator basis by a complete set of off-shell and one-loop-evanescent operators and we perform the renormalization at one loop. We determine the finite counterterms to the physical parameters that compensate both the insertions of evanescent operators, as well as the chiral-symmetry-breaking terms from the renormalizable part of the Lagrangian in $D$ dimensions. Our results can be applied in next-to-leading-log calculations in the 't Hooft-Veltman scheme: using our renormalization scheme instead of pure minimal subtraction separates the physical sector from the unphysical evanescent sector and leads to results that are manifestly free of spurious chiral-symmetry-breaking terms.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

One-loop matching of the $CP$-odd three-gluon operator to the gradient flow

The calculation of the neutron electric dipole moment within effective field theories for physics beyond the Standard Model requires non-perturbative hadronic matrix elements of effective operators composed of quark and gluon fields. In order to use input from lattice computations, these matrix elements must be translated from a scheme suitable for lattice QCD to the minimal-subtraction scheme used in the effective-field-theory framework. The accuracy goal in the context of the neutron electric dipole moment necessitates at least a one-loop matching calculation. Here, we provide the one-loop matching coefficients for the $CP$-odd three-gluon operator between two different minimally subtracted 't Hooft-Veltman schemes and the gradient flow. This completes our program to obtain the one-loop gradient-flow matching coefficients for all $CP$-violating and flavor-conserving operators in the low-energy effective field theory up to dimension six.

hep-lat↗