Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen-II. Analysis of the discrepancy of theory and experiment

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Annals of Physics (New York)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2010.11.011· OSTI ID:21579848

Jentschura, U.D., E-mail: [e-mail] ^[1]; National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, MD 20899 ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, MO 65409 (United States)
2. (United States)

Research Highlights: > Various theoretical explanation for the recently observed experimental-theoretical discrepancy in the muonic hydrogen Lamb shift are explored. > These include a dip in the proton form factor slope, nonperturbative vacuum polarization and millicharged virtual particles, as well as process-dependent screening corrections. > Screening corrections may need to be explored further. > The need for an alternative determination of the Rydberg constant is highlighted. - Abstract: Currently, both the g factor measurement of the muon as well as the Lamb shift 2S-2P measurement in muonic hydrogen are in disagreement with theory. Here, we investigate possible theoretical explanations, including proton structure effects and small modifications of the vacuum polarization potential. In particular, we investigate a conceivable small modification of the spectral function of vacuum polarization in between the electron and muon energy scales due to a virtual millicharged particle and due to an unstable vector boson originating from a hidden sector of an extended standard model. We find that a virtual millicharged particle which could explain the muonic Lamb shift discrepancy alters theoretical predictions for the muon anomalous magnetic moment by many standard deviations and therefore is in conflict with experiment. Also, we find no parameterizations of an unstable virtual vector boson which could simultaneously explain both 'muonic' discrepancies without significantly altering theoretical predictions for electronic hydrogen, where theory and experiment currently are in excellent agreement. A process-dependent correction involving electron screening is evaluated to have the right sign and order-of-magnitude to explain the observed effect in muonic hydrogen. Additional experimental evidence from light muonic atoms and ions is needed in order to reach further clarification.

• OSTI ID: 21579848
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics (New York), Vol. 326, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.aop.2010.11.011; PII: S0003-4916(10)00200-9; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0003-4916
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
FORM FACTORS
FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS
HYDROGEN
IONS
LAMB SHIFT
LANDE FACTOR
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MUONIC ATOMS
POTENTIALS
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
SPECTRAL FUNCTIONS
VACUUM POLARIZATION
ATOMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
NONMETALS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SPECTRAL SHIFT