Related papers: QCD Tests from Tau Decays
Until recently, determinations of alpha_s(M_Z) from hadronic tau decays and the analysis of short-distance-sensitive lattice observables yielded results which, though precise, were not in good agreement. I review new analyses that bring…
The spin asymmetry parameter $A_\tau$ characterizing the angular distribution of the total hadron momentum in the decay of a polarized tau can be calculated rigorously using perturbative QCD and the operator product expansion. Perturbative…
We discuss a new class of expansions in perturbative QCD, based on the technique of conformal mappings of the Borel plane, and apply them for the determination of $\alpha_s$ from the hadronic decays of the $\tau$ lepton. Using the expansion…
Being a determination at low energies, the analysis of hadronic tau decay data provides a rather precise determination of the strong coupling alpha_s after evolving the result to M_Z. At such a level of precision, even small…
We revisit the extraction of $\alpha_s(M_\tau^2)$ from the QCDperturbative corrections to the hadronic $\tau$ branching ratio, using an improved fixed-order perturbation theory based on the explicit summation of all renormalization-group…
The $\tau$ decay rate into hadrons of invariant mass smaller than $\sqrt{s_0}\gg\Lambda_{\rm QCD}$ can be calculated in QCD assuming global quark--hadron duality. It is shown that this assumption holds for $s_0>0.7$~GeV$^2$. From…
The calculation of perturbative corrections to the spectral moments observable in hadronic $\tau$ decays is reconsidered. The exact order-$\alpha_s^3$ results and the resummation procedure of Le~Diberder and Pich are compared with a partial…
The perturbative quark mass corrections to the tau hadronic width are studied to O(alpha_s^3 m_q^2). Including up to dimension four corrections, we get m_s(4 GeV^2)=(143 \pm 42) MeV [m_s(1 GeV^2)=(193 \pm 59) MeV ]. Possible improvements to…
It has been shown in recent analyses by ALEPH [1] and OPAL [2] that precision QCD tests are possible with hadronic tau decays by comparing spectral moments of the hadronic decay ratio of the tau with QCD calculations. In principle e+e- data…
A very precise determination of V_us can be obtained from the semi-inclusive hadronic decay width of the tau lepton into final states with strangeness. The ratio of the Cabibbo-suppressed and Cabibbo-allowed tau decay widths directly…
We show that QCD Minkowski observables such as the $e^{+}e^{-}$ R-ratio and the hadronic tau decay $R_{\tau}$ are completely determined by the effective charge (EC) beta-function, $\rho(x)$, corresponding to the Euclidean QCD vacuum…
Precise measurements of the tau lepton properties provide stringent tests of the Standard Model structure and accurate determinations of its parameters. We overview the present status of a few selected topics: lepton universality, QCD tests…
We describe a theoretical approach to compute inclusive widths of heavy hadrons, based on a systematic expansion in the inverse powers of the heavy quark mass. The method reproduces quite well the experimental ratios of $B$ mesons…
Fits to the ARGUS data on hadronic decays of the tau-lepton, which determine the vector and axial-vector spectral functions, are used in order to determine the size of a dimension $d=2$ term in the Operator Product Expansion. Constraints…
We revisit the determination of alpha_s(m_tau) using a fit to inclusive tau hadronic spectral moments in light of (1) the recent calculation of the fourth-order perturbative coefficient K_4 in the expansion of the Adler function, (2) new…
The semihadronic tau decay width allows a clean extraction of the strong coupling constant at low energies. We present a modification of the standard "contour improved" method based on a derivative expansion of the Adler function. The…
The present status of some selected topics on tau physics is presented: charged-current universality tests, bounds on lepton-flavour violation, the determination of alpha_s from the inclusive tau hadronic width, the measurement of |V_{us}|…
We apply analytic perturbation theory to the inclusive decay of a $\tau$ lepton into hadrons. It is shown that the resulting analyticity of the coupling constant strongly influences the value of the QCD $\Lambda$-parameter extracted from…
The four-loop determination of the strong coupling from fully inclusive observables is reviewed. Special attention is given to the low-energy measurement extracted from the hadronic $\tau$ decay width. A recent exhaustive analysis of the…
The hadronic decay rate of the tau lepton serves as one of the most precise determinations of the QCD coupling alpha_s. The dominant theoretical source of uncertainty at present resides in the seeming disparity of two approaches to…