Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Deriving experimental constraints on the scalar form factor in the second-class $\tau \to\eta \pi \nu$ mode

  Bachir Moussallam

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 009 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The rare second-class decay mode of the $\tau$ into $\eta\pi\nu$ could be observed for the first time at Belle II. It is important to try to derive a reliable evaluation of the branching fraction and of the energy distribution of this mode within the standard-model. Many predictions exist already in the literature which can differ by one to two orders of magnitude. Here, an approach based on a systematic use of the property of analyticity of form factors and scattering amplitudes in QCD is discussed. In particular, we will show that the scalar form factor in the $\tau$ decay can be related to photon-photon scattering and radiative $\phi$ decay amplitudes for which precise experimental measurements have been performed by the Belle and KLOE collaborations.

• On the scalar $\pi K$ form factor beyond the elastic region

  Frederic Noël, Leon von Detten, Christoph Hanhart, Martin Hoferichter, Bastian Kubis

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 008 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Pion-kaon ($\pi K$) final states, often appearing in heavy-particle decays at the precision frontier, are important for Standard-Model tests, to describe crossed channels with exotic states, and for spectroscopy of excited kaon resonances. We construct a representation of the $\pi K$ $S$-wave form factor using the elastic $\pi K$ scattering phase shift via dispersion relations in the elastic region and extend this model into the inelastic region using resonance exchange, while maintaining unitarity and the correct analytic structure. As a first application, we successfully described the $\tau \to K_S \pi \nu_\tau$ spectrum to not only achieve a better distinction between $S$- and $P$-wave contributions, but also to provide an improved estimate of the $CP$ asymmetry produced by a tensor operator as well as the forward-backward asymmetry, both of which can be confronted with future data at Belle II. The work presented here is published in [L. von Detten et al., Eur. Phys. J. C 81, 420 (2021)].

• Reconciling the FOPT and CIPT predictions for the hadronic tau decay rate

  Miguel A. Benitez-Rathgeb, Diogo Boito, Andre H. Hoang, Matthias Jamin

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 007 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In a recent work it was suggested that the discrepancy observed in the perturbation series behavior of the $\tau$ hadronic decay rate determined in the FOPT and CIPT approaches can be explained from a different infrared sensitivity inherent to both methods, assuming that the major source of the discrepancy is the asymptotic behavior of the series related to the gluon condensate renormalon. This implies that the predictions of both methods may be reconciled in infrared subtracted perturbation theory. In this talk we explore this implication concretely in the large-$\beta_0$ approximation, where the perturbation series is known to all orders, using a renormalon-free scheme for the gluon condensate.

  1 citation

• On the use of the operator product expansion in finite-energy sum rules for light-quark correlators

  Diogo Boito, Maarten Golterman, Kim Maltman, Santiago Peris

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 006 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Tau-based finite-energy sum-rule (FESR) analyses often assume that scales $s_0\sim m_\tau^2$ 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 $(\Lambda_{QCD}/m_\tau )^D$, 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 $\alpha_s$-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. [M. Davier et al., Eur. Phys. J. C 74, 2803 (2014); A. Pich and A. Rodríguez-Sánchez, Phys. Rev. D 94, 034027 (2016)] and earlier work by the same authors, we find that this strategy fails to yield reliable results for the strong coupling from hadronic $\tau$ decays.

• Exclusive hadronic $\tau$ decays, within & beyond the Standard Model

  Pablo Roig

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 005 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Semileptonic exclusive tau decays in the Standard Model are reviewed. As it is well-known, they are a privileged arena to learn about low-energy hadronization. They also allow for a number of clean new physics tests, which have attracted much attention recently, probing scales as high as a few TeV. In light of forthcoming Belle-II data, perspectives on this area are bright.

• Strong coupling at the $\tau$-mass scale from an improved vector isovector spectral function

  Diogo Boito, Maarten Golterman, Kim Maltman, Santiago Peris, Marcus V. Rodrigues, Wilder Schaaf

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 004 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We perform a precise extraction of the QCD coupling at the $\tau$-mass scale, $\alpha_s(m_\tau)$, from a new vector isovector spectral function which combines ALEPH and OPAL distributions for the dominant channels, $\tau\to\pi \pi^0\nu_\tau$, $\tau\to 3\pi \pi^0\nu_\tau$ and $\tau\to \pi 3\pi^0\nu_\tau$, with estimates of sub-leading contributions obtained from electroproduction cross-sections using CVC, as well as BaBar results for $\tau \to K^-K^0\nu_\tau$. The fully inclusive spectral function thus obtained is entirely based on experimental data, without Monte Carlo input. From this new data set, we obtain $\alpha_s(m_\tau)=0.3077±0.0075$, which corresponds to $\alpha_s(m_Z)=0.1171±0.0010$. This analysis can be improved on the experimental side with new measurements of the dominant $\pi\pi^0$, $\pi 3\pi^0$, and $3\pi \pi^0$ $\tau$ decay modes.

• Monte Carlo Event Generator updates, for tau pair events at Belle II energies

  Sw. Banerjee, D. Biswas, T. Przedzinski, Z. Was

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 003 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Monte Carlo for lepton pair production and $\tau$ decays consist of KKMC for lepton pair production, tauola for $\tau$ lepton decays and photos for radiative corrections in decays. An effort for adaptation of the system for precision data to be collected at Belle II experiment lead to extension of phase space generation modules both in photos and tauola to enable decays and/or radiative corrections of additional light lepton pairs. The phase-space and matrix element parts of the programs are separated, that is why extension to processes where lepton pair is produced through narrow resonances, like dark photon, was straight forward. In the present version of tauola, the list of $\tau$ decay channels is enriched with multitude of exotic ones, useful for searches of new physics. The hadronic currents parametrization of main decay channels is prepared for basic simulation in the experiment. The basis for future work on precise fits of hadronic currents including Machine Learning is retained, but development of necessary software solutions is left for the forthcoming years. Presented programs versions are available in stand-alone format from GitLab or through the basf2 system of Belle II software. Official distribution web pages, documenting programs tests, are retained but not necessarily up to date.

• Updated determinations of |V$_{us}$| with tau decays using new recent estimates of radiative corrections for light-meson leptonic decay rates

  Alberto Lusiani

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 002 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We update the |V$_{us}$| determinations using the HFLAV 2018 report tau branching fraction results with recent new estimates of the $\pi\ell2$ and $K\ell2$ radiative corrections. There are minor changes of the central values and uncertainties.

• Workshop on Tau Lepton Physics: $\mathbf{30^{th}}$ Anniversary

  Antonio Pich

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 001 (2025) · published 14 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The first Workshop on Tau Lepton Physics took place at Orsay in 1990. The evolution of the field and some physics highlights are briefly described, following the presentations discussed at the fifteen $\tau$ workshops that have been held since then.

• Search for light WIMP recoils on methane with NEWS-G

  Francisco A. Vazquez de Sola Fernandez on behalf of the NEWS-G collaboration

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 073 (2024) · published 4 June 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The NEWS-G collaboration is searching for light dark matter using single-electron-threshold Spherical Proportional Counters (SPCs) filled with light gaseous targets (H, He, Ne). NEWS-G has built a new 140 cm diameter SPC equipped with a multi-anode ACHINOS sensor. Robust calibrations with a UV laser and an $\mathrm{^{37}}$Ar source were performed to characterize the detector response to low energy events and achieve statistical background rejection. This work presents preliminary results from physics data taken with methane, leading to world-leading spin-dependent sensitivity under 2 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$ WIMP masses.

  1 citation