An examination of proton charge radius extractions from e-p scattering data

TL;DR

This paper critically analyzes the methods and uncertainties involved in extracting the proton charge radius from electron-proton scattering data, highlighting potential underestimations of systematic errors and their implications for the proton radius puzzle.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of systematic uncertainties and model dependencies in proton radius extractions, comparing recent Mainz data with previous measurements.

Findings

Larger uncertainties than previously estimated may be necessary.

Systematic differences between data sets can impact radius extraction.

No definitive correction found to resolve the proton radius puzzle.

Abstract

A detailed examination of issues associated with proton radius extractions from elastic electron-proton scattering experiments is presented. Sources of systematic uncertainty and model dependence in the extractions are discussed, with an emphasis on how these may impact the proton charge and magnetic radii. A comparison of recent Mainz data to previous world data is presented, highlighting the difference in treatment of systematic uncertainties as well as tension between different data sets. We find several issues that suggest that larger uncertainties than previously quoted may be appropriate, but do not find any corrections which would resolve the proton radius puzzle.