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The pion-pole contribution to hadronic light-by-light scattering in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g − 2) µ is fully determined by the doubly-virtual pion transition form factor. Although this crucial input quantity is, in principle, directly accessible in experiment, a complete measurement covering all kinematic regions relevant for (g − 2) µ is not realistic in the foreseeable future. Here, we report in detail on a reconstruction from available data, both space-and time-like, using a dispersive representation that accounts for all the low-lying singularities, reproduces the correct high-and low-energy limits, and proves convenient for the evaluation of the (g − 2) µ loop integral. We concentrate on the systematics of the fit to e + e − → 3π data, which are key in constraining the isoscalar dependence, as well as the matching to the asymptotic limits. In particular, we provide a detailed account of the pion transition form factor at low energies in the time-and space-like region, including the error estimates underlying our final result for the pion-pole contribution, a π 0 -pole µ = 62.6 +3.0 −2.5 × 10 −11 , and demonstrate how forthcoming singly-virtual measurements will further reduce its uncertainty.

We address the contribution of the 3π channel to hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) using a dispersive representation of the e + e − → 3π amplitude. This channel gives the second-largest individual contribution to the total HVP integral in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g − 2) µ , both to its absolute value and uncertainty. It is largely dominated by the narrow resonances ω and φ, but not to the extent that the off-peak regions were negligible, so that at the level of accuracy relevant for (g − 2) µ an analysis of the available data as model independent as possible becomes critical. Here, we provide such an analysis based on a global fit function using analyticity and unitarity of the underlying γ * → 3π amplitude and its normalization from a chiral low-energy theorem, which, in particular, allows us to check the internal consistency of the various e + e − → 3π data sets. Overall, we obtain a 3π µ | ≤1.8 GeV = 46.2(6)(6) × 10 −10 as our best estimate for the total 3π contribution consistent with all (low-energy) constraints from QCD. In combination with a recent dispersive analysis imposing the same constraints on the 2π channel below 1 GeV, this covers nearly 80% of the total HVP contribution, leading to a HVP µ = 692.3(3.3) × 10 −10 when the remainder is taken from the literature, and thus reaffirming the (g−2) µ anomaly at the level of at least 3.4σ. As side products, we find for the vacuum-polarization-subtracted masses M ω = 782.63(3)(1) MeV and M φ = 1019.20(2)(1) MeV, confirming the tension to the ω mass as extracted from the 2π channel.

The π^{0} pole constitutes the lowest-lying singularity of the hadronic light-by-light (HLBL) tensor, and thus, it provides the leading contribution in a dispersive approach to HLBL scattering in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g-2)_{μ}. It is unambiguously defined in terms of the doubly virtual pion transition form factor, which in principle, can be accessed in its entirety by experiment. We demonstrate that, in the absence of a direct measurement, the full spacelike doubly virtual form factor can be reconstructed very accurately based on existing data for e^{+}e^{-}→3π, e^{+}e^{-}→e^{+}e^{-}π^{0}, and the π^{0}→γγ decay width. We derive a representation that incorporates all the low-lying singularities of the form factor, matches correctly onto the asymptotic behavior expected from perturbative QCD, and is suitable for the evaluation of the (g-2)_{μ} loop integral. The resulting value, a_{μ}^{π^{0}-pole}=62.6_{-2.5}^{+3.0}×10^{-11}, for the first time, represents a complete data-driven determination of the pion-pole contribution with fully controlled uncertainty estimates. In particular, we show that already improved singly virtual measurements alone would allow one to further reduce the uncertainty in a_{μ}^{π^{0}-pole}.

We study the reaction $$e^+e^-\rightarrow \pi ^0\gamma $$ e + e - → π 0 γ based on a dispersive representation of the underlying $$\pi ^0\rightarrow \gamma \gamma ^*$$ π 0 → γ γ ∗ transition form factor. As a first application, we evaluate the contribution of the $$\pi ^0\gamma $$ π 0 γ channel to the hadronic-vacuum-polarization correction to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. We find $$a_\mu ^{\pi ^0\gamma }\big |_{\le 1.35\,\text {GeV}}=43.8(6)\times 10^{-11}$$ a μ π 0 γ | ≤ 1.35 GeV = 43.8 ( 6 ) × 10 - 11 , in line with evaluations from the direct integration of the data. Second, our fit determines the resonance parameters of $$\omega $$ ω and $$\phi $$ ϕ . We observe good agreement with the $$e^+e^-\rightarrow 3\pi $$ e + e - → 3 π channel, explaining a previous tension in the $$\omega $$ ω mass between $$\pi ^0\gamma $$ π 0 γ and $$3\pi $$ 3 π by an unphysical phase in the fit function. Combining both channels we find $${\bar{M}}_\omega =782.736(24)\,\text {MeV}$$ M ¯ ω = 782.736 ( 24 ) MeV and $${\bar{M}}_\phi =1019.457(20)\,\text {MeV}$$ M ¯ ϕ = 1019.457 ( 20 ) MeV for the masses including vacuum-polarization corrections. The $$\phi $$ ϕ mass agrees perfectly with the PDG average, which is dominated by determinations from the $${\bar{K}} K$$ K ¯ K channel, demonstrating consistency with $$3\pi $$ 3 π and $$\pi ^0\gamma $$ π 0 γ . For the $$\omega $$ ω mass, our result is consistent but more precise, exacerbating tensions with the $$\omega $$ ω mass extracted via isospin-breaking effects from the $$2\pi $$ 2 π channel.

The 3π-channel contribution to hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g−2)µ is examined based on a dispersive representation of the γ* → 3π amplitude. This decay amplitude is reconstructed from dispersion relations, fulfilling the low-energy theorem of QCD. The global fit function is applied to the data sets of the 3π channel below 1.8 GeV, which constitutes the secondlargest exclusive contribution to HVP and its uncertainty. The dominant ωand φ-peak regions in the e+e− → 3π cross section as well as the non-resonant regions are precisely described to obtain our best estimate. The final result, $ a_\mu ^{3\pi }\left| { \le 1.8\,{\rm{GeV}}\,{\rm{ = }}\,{\rm{46}}{\rm{.2(6)(6)}} \times {\rm{1}}{{\rm{0}}^{ - 10}}} \right. $, reduces the model dependence owing to the fundamental principles of analyticity and unitarity and provides a cross check for the compatibility of the different e+e− → 3π data sets. A combination of the current analysis and the recent similar treatment of the 2π channel yields a dispersive determination of almost 80% of the entire HVP contribution. Our analysis reaffirms the muon anomaly at 3.4σ level, when the rest of the contributions is taken from the literature.

By far the biggest contribution to hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) arises from the two-pion channel. Its quark-mass dependence can be evaluated by combining dispersion relations with chiral perturbation theory, providing guidance on the functional form of chiral extrapolations, or even interpolations around the physical point. In addition, the approach allows one to estimate in a controlled way the isospin-breaking (IB) corrections that arise from the pion mass difference. As an application, we present an updated estimate of phenomenological expectations for electromagnetic and strong IB corrections to the HVP contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. In particular, we include IB effects in the K𝐾 channel, which are enhanced due to the proximity of the K𝐾 threshold and the 𝜙 resonance. The resulting estimates make it unlikely that the current tension between lattice-QCD and data-driven evaluations of the HVP contribution is caused by IB corrections.

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