Quest for precision in hadronic cross sections at low energy: Monte Carlo tools vs. experimental data

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent experimental and theoretical efforts to measure hadronic cross sections at low energy e+e- colliders, focusing on Monte Carlo tools, their precision, and future prospects.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the status and accuracy of Monte Carlo generators and radiative corrections used in low energy hadronic cross section measurements.

Findings

High-precision Monte Carlo generators are crucial for analyzing low energy e+e- data.

Radiative corrections and vacuum polarization significantly impact measurement accuracy.

Future improvements are expected from ongoing experimental and theoretical developments.

Abstract

We present the achievements of the last years of the experimental and theoretical groups working on hadronic cross section measurements at the low energy e+e- colliders in Beijing, Frascati, Ithaca, Novosibirsk, Stanford and Tsukuba and on tau decays. We sketch the prospects in these fields for the years to come. We emphasise the status and the precision of the Monte Carlo generators used to analyse the hadronic cross section measurements obtained as well with energy scans as with radiative return, to determine luminosities and tau decays. The radiative corrections fully or approximately implemented in the various codes and the contribution of the vacuum polarisation are discussed.