Anomalous anomalous scaling?

TL;DR

This paper investigates potential deviations in the running of coupling constants in quantum field theories, motivated by anomalies in magnetic moments, and confirms standard model predictions with high precision.

Contribution

It proposes that infrared deviations could manifest as anomalous running of couplings and analyzes experimental data for such effects.

Findings

Electron and muon magnetic moments suggest faster coupling running.

Standard Model predictions for alpha_em and alpha_s are confirmed up to the weak scale.

No significant deviations from standard running are observed.

Abstract

Motivated by speculations about infrared deviations from the standard behavior of local quantum field theories, we explore the possibility that such effects might show up as an anomalous running of coupling constants. The most sensitive probes are presently given by the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron and the muon, that suggest that alpha_{em} runs 1.00047 +- 0.00018 times faster than predicted by the Standard Model. The running of alpha_{em} and alpha_s up to the weak scale is confirmed with a precision at the % level.