Reexamination of vacuum-polarization corrections to the self-energy in muonic bound systems

TL;DR

This paper revisits the self-energy corrections in muonic atoms, emphasizing the impact of combined vacuum-polarization effects on the bound-state energies, which are crucial for interpreting high-precision measurements.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of combined self-energy and vacuum-polarization effects, updating previous calculations for various muonic systems and highlighting their significance.

Findings

Combined effects perturb self-energy at the percent level for Z=1-6

Updated corrections for muonic hydrogen, deuterium, and helium

Highlights importance for precision experimental interpretation

Abstract

In muonic bound systems, the dominant radiative correction is due to vacuum polarization. Yet, for the interpretation of precision experiments, self-energy effects are also important. In turn, additional vacuum-polarization loops perturb the self-energy. Here, we show that combined self-energy vacuum-polarization effects can perturb the bound-state self-energy at the percent level in one-muon bound systems with nuclear charges Z = 1-6. We also update previous treatments of the corrections for muonic hydrogen, muonic deuterium, and muonic helium bound systems.