A Pionic Hadron Explains the Muon Magnetic Moment Anomaly

TL;DR

This paper proposes that pionic states, specifically $ ho$ meson mixing with $ ext{pi}^+ ext{pi}^-$ states, can explain the muon magnetic moment anomaly, challenging previous assumptions and suggesting new experimental searches.

Contribution

It introduces a simple 2-state mixing model involving pionic states to account for the muon magnetic moment discrepancy, highlighting overlooked hadronic contributions.

Findings

A mixing angle of order $ ext{alpha} \\sim 10^{-2}$ explains the anomaly.

Predicts a tiny bump in $e^+ e^-$ annihilation ratio at low energy.

Reverses the burden of proof for conventional physics explanations.

Abstract

A significant discrepancy exists between experiment and calculations of the muon's magnetic moment. We find that standard formulas for the hadronic vacuum polarization term have overlooked pionic states known to exist. Coulomb binding alone guarantees $\pi^+ \pi^-$ states that quantum mechanically mix with the $\rho$ meson. A simple 2-state mixing model explains the magnetic moment discrepancy for a mixing angle of order $\alpha \sim 10^{-2}$. The relevant physical state is predicted to give a tiny observable bump in the ratio R(s) of $e^+ e^-$ annihilation at a low energy not previously searched. The burden of proof is reversed for claims that conventional physics cannot explain the muon's anomalous moment.