Published July 12, 2024 | Version Published
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Field Theory of the Fermi Function

Abstract

The Fermi function ๐นโก(๐‘,๐ธ) accounts for QED corrections to beta decays that are enhanced at either small electron velocity ๐›ฝ or large nuclear charge ๐‘. For precision applications, the Fermi function must be combined with other radiative corrections and with scale- and scheme-dependent hadronic matrix elements. We formulate the Fermi function as a field theory object and present a new factorization formula for QED radiative corrections to beta decays. We provide new results for the anomalous dimension of the corresponding effective operator complete through three loops, and resum perturbative logarithms and ๐œ‹ enhancements with renormalization-group methods. Our results are important for tests of fundamental physics with precision beta decay and related processes.

Copyright and License

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

Funding

Funded by SCOAP3.

Acknowledgement

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Additional details

Identifiers

ISSN
1079-7114

Funding

United States Department of Energy
DE-FG02-00ER41132
United States Department of Energy
DE-SC0019095
United States Department of Energy
DEAC02-07CHI11359
United States Department of Energy
DE-AC02-07CH11359
United States Department of Energy
DE-SC0011632
Institute for Advanced Study
SCOAP3
California Institute of Technology
Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics

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Caltech groups
Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics