Can Large Extra Dimensions Solve the Proton Radius Puzzle?

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether large extra dimensions could explain the proton radius puzzle by modifying gravity at small scales, potentially accounting for the discrepancy in muonic hydrogen measurements.

Contribution

It proposes that four or more large extra dimensions might resolve the proton radius puzzle by altering the energy levels in muonic hydrogen.

Findings

Large extra dimensions can affect the 2S energy level.

Four or more large extra dimensions are compatible with current constraints.

Extra dimensions could provide a solution to the proton radius discrepancy.

Abstract

The proton charge radius extracted from the recent muonic hydrogen spectroscopy [Antognini et al. 2013; Pohl et al. 2010] differs from the CODATA 2010 recommended value [Mohr et al. 2012] by more than 4% or $4.4 \sigma$. This discrepancy, dubbed as the "Proton Radius Puzzle", is a big challenge to the Standard Model of particle physics, and has triggered a number of works on the quantum electrodynamic calculations recently. The proton radius puzzle may indicate the presence of an extra correction which enlarges the 2S-2P energy gap in muonic hydrogen. Here we explore the possibility of large extra dimensions which could modify the Newtonian gravity at small scales and lower the 2S state energy while leaving the 2P state nearly unchanged. We find that such effect could be produced by four or more large extra dimensions which are allowed by the current constraints from low energy physics.