Status of low-energy constants in

Chiral Perturbation Theory

Martı́n de la Rosa Dı́az

QCD Lagrangian
X 1
LQCD = q f (i D/ − mf )qf − Gµν,a Gaµν
4
f

acquires chiral symmetry U(Nf )L × U(Nf )R when masses

are set to zero, mf = 0

qL 7→ UL qL qR 7→ UR qR
QCD Lagrangian
X 1
LQCD = q f (i D/ − mf )qf − Gµν,a Gaµν
4
f

acquires chiral symmetry U(Nf )L × U(Nf )R when masses

are set to zero, mf = 0

qL 7→ UL qL qR 7→ UR qR

We may put

U(Nf )L ×U(Nf )R = SU(Nf )V ×SU(Nf )A ×U(1)V ×U(1)A

QCD Lagrangian
X 1
LQCD = q f (i D/ − mf )qf − Gµν,a Gaµν
4
f

acquires chiral symmetry U(Nf )L × U(Nf )R when masses

are set to zero, mf = 0

qL 7→ UL qL qR 7→ UR qR

We may put

U(Nf )L ×U(Nf )R = SU(Nf )V ×SU(Nf )A ×U(1)V ×U(1)A

U(1)A symmetry is anomalous at quantum level!

QCD vacuum spontaneously breaks chiral symmetry

SU(Nf )V × SU(Nf )A × U(1)V −→ SU(Nf )V × U(1)V

QCD vacuum spontaneously breaks chiral symmetry

SU(Nf )V × SU(Nf )A × U(1)V −→ SU(Nf )V × U(1)V

Non-vanishing chiral condensate signals SSB.

h0|uu|0i = h0|dd|0i = h0|ss|0i =

6 0
QCD vacuum spontaneously breaks chiral symmetry

SU(Nf )V × SU(Nf )A × U(1)V −→ SU(Nf )V × U(1)V

Non-vanishing chiral condensate signals SSB.

h0|uu|0i = h0|dd|0i = h0|ss|0i =

6 0

Goldstone theorem =⇒ Physical spectrum contains Nf2 − 1

massless pseudoscalar particles.
Quarks masses are not zero =⇒ Chiral symmetry also ex-
plicitly broken =⇒ GB modes have (small) mass.
Quarks masses are not zero =⇒ Chiral symmetry also ex-
plicitly broken =⇒ GB modes have (small) mass.

Look for light pseudoscalars in the spectrum:

Nf = 2 (up, down quarks) −→ Pions (π ± , π 0 )
Nf = 3 (up, down, strange quarks) −→
0
Pions (π ± , π 0 ), kaons (K ± , K 0 , K ), eta (η) [so-called
Eightfold Way ]
Pions (and heavier GB modes) dominate low-energy (non-
perturbative) QCD. Build effective field theory for pion
dynamics...
Pions (and heavier GB modes) dominate low-energy (non-
perturbative) QCD. Build effective field theory for pion
dynamics...
...but how?
Historical approach: Current algebra, pion pole
dominance hypothesis, PCAC, etc.
More rigorous approach: Ward identities,
generating functionals, etc.
Less rigorous approach: Postulate effective
Lagrangian for pion fields π(x) (the one presented
here).
Here enters Weinberg’s folk theorem:

If one writes down the most general possible Lagrangian,

including all terms consistent with assumed symmetry
principles, and then calculates matrix elements with this
Lagrangian to any given order of perturbation theory,
the result will simply be the most general possible S-
matrix consistent with perturbative unitarity, analyti-
city, cluster decomposition, and the assumed symmetry
properties.
Sounds nice, but resulting Lagrangian has infinite number
of terms... =⇒ Need some scheme to organise terms by
some priority indicator.
Sounds nice, but resulting Lagrangian has infinite number
of terms... =⇒ Need some scheme to organise terms by
some priority indicator.

We assume energies and momenta to be small =⇒ Or-

der by powers of momenta and quark masses −→ Chiral
Perturbation Theory. In particular:
Each derivative operator on a pion field contributes
with one power of momentum.
Each quark mass factor contributes with two powers
of momentum (for reaons to be seen later).
Effective Lagrangian to be invariant under global SU(Nf )L ×
SU(Nf )R × U(1)V transformations.
Effective Lagrangian to be invariant under global SU(Nf )L ×
SU(Nf )R × U(1)V transformations.

Goldstone fields φ(x) transform in a highly non-linear way

under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R .
Effective Lagrangian to be invariant under global SU(Nf )L ×
SU(Nf )R × U(1)V transformations.

Goldstone fields φ(x) transform in a highly non-linear way

under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R .

It is customary to define
 
Nf2 −1
i X
U = exp  T a φa 
F a=1

transforming under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R as

U 7→ RUL†
Massless case: Most general effective Lagrangian at LO,
i.e. O(p 2 ), is
F2
L = Tr(∂µ U∂ µ U † )
4
Massless case: Most general effective Lagrangian at LO,
i.e. O(p 2 ), is
F2
L = Tr(∂µ U∂ µ U † )
4
In terms of the fields
1
L ∼ ∂µ φa ∂ µ φa + Lint
2
Massive case: Masses codified in mass matrix M. In the
effective theory, it is convenient to demand M transform
under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R as

M 7→ RML†
Massive case: Masses codified in mass matrix M. In the
effective theory, it is convenient to demand M transform
under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R as

M 7→ RML†

Most general effective Lagrangian at LO is

F2 F 2B
L = µ †
Tr(∂µ U∂ U ) + Tr(MU † + UM † )
4 2
Massive case: Masses codified in mass matrix M. In the
effective theory, it is convenient to demand M transform
under SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R as

M 7→ RML†

Most general effective Lagrangian at LO is

F2 F 2B
L = µ †
Tr(∂µ U∂ U ) + Tr(MU † + UM † )
4 2
Expansion of second term reveals mass terms for the Golds-
tone bosons, e.g. Mπ2 ∝ B(mu + md )
Parameters F , B are known as low-energy constants or
LECs.
Parameters F , B are known as low-energy constants or
LECs.
There are two LECs at LO.
Electroweak interactions for pions may be implemented via
the external field method: Enlarge the QCD Lagrangian
thus

L = LQCD + qγ µ (vµ + aµ γ5 )q − q(s − iγ5 p)q

where vµ , aµ , s, p are background vector, axial, scalar and

pseudoscalar fields, respectively.
Electroweak interactions for pions may be implemented via
the external field method: Enlarge the QCD Lagrangian
thus

L = LQCD + qγ µ (vµ + aµ γ5 )q − q(s − iγ5 p)q

where vµ , aµ , s, p are background vector, axial, scalar and

pseudoscalar fields, respectively.
The combinations

rµ = vµ + aµ lµ = vµ − aµ
(ext) +,(ext)
are related to external gauge fields Aµ , Wµ , etc.
In the effective Lagrangian, the new fields appear as a result
of gauging the global SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R symmetry

∂µ U −→ Dµ U = ∂µ U − irµ U + iUlµ

and incorporating the mass matrix M into the scalar part

of the field
χ ≡ 2B(s + ip)
In the effective Lagrangian, the new fields appear as a result
of gauging the global SU(Nf )L × SU(Nf )R symmetry

∂µ U −→ Dµ U = ∂µ U − irµ U + iUlµ

and incorporating the mass matrix M into the scalar part

of the field
χ ≡ 2B(s + ip)
Lagrangian at LO becomes
F2 F2
L = Tr[Dµ U(D U) ] + Tr(χU † + Uχ† )
µ †
4 4
For Nf = 2, the most general effective Lagrangian at NLO,
i.e. O(p 4 ), is
For Nf = 2, the most general effective Lagrangian at NLO,
i.e. O(p 4 ), is

Adds 7 LECs (h1 , h2 , h3 not measurable).

After renormalisation, it is conventional to work with the
scale-independent parameters
32π 2 r Mπ2
`i = ` (µ) − ln 2
γi i µ
LEC F is related to pion decay π + −→ µ+ νν
LEC F is related to pion decay π + −→ µ+ νν

The effective interaction between the pion and the W boson

is seen to be
F2 F
Tr[Dµ U(D µ U)† ] ∼ −g Vud Wµ− ∂ µ π + + . . .
4 2
Combining with the usual SM interaction between W bo-
sons and fermions, the half-life of the pion is found to be
2 2
!
2 2 mµ
1 G |Vud | 2
= F F Mπ mµ2 1 − 2
τ 4π Mπ
Combining with the usual SM interaction between W bo-
sons and fermions, the half-life of the pion is found to be
2 2
!
2 2 mµ
1 G |Vud | 2
= F F Mπ mµ2 1 − 2
τ 4π Mπ

F is known as the pion-decay constant in the chiral limit.

LEC B is related to the chiral condensate as follows
h0|qq|0i
B =−
3F 2
LEC B is related to the chiral condensate as follows
h0|qq|0i
B =−
3F 2
Chiral condensate can be estimated using Lattice QCD (see
later).
LECs `1 , `2 can be obtained from ππ scattering parameters,
e.g. D-wave scattering lengths [Gasser and Leutwyler, 1984]
49
`1 = 480π 3 Fπ4 (−a20 + 4a22 ) +
40
27
`2 = 480π 3 Fπ4 (a20 − a22 ) +
20
LECs `1 , `2 can be obtained from ππ scattering parameters,
e.g. D-wave scattering lengths [Gasser and Leutwyler, 1984]
49
`1 = 480π 3 Fπ4 (−a20 + 4a22 ) +
40
27
`2 = 480π 3 Fπ4 (a20 − a22 ) +
20
Using experimental data [Petersen, 1977] gives

`1 = −2,3 ± 3,7 `2 = 6,0 ± 1,3

LEC `3 is extracted from the dependence of the pion mass
on the parameter m̂ = (mu + md )/2, giving

`3 = 2,9 ± 2,4
LEC `4 is related to the scalar radius of the pion hr 2 iπS ,
in turn having to do with the scalar form factor hπ|us|K i
measured in Kl3 decays [PDG], e.g.

K 0 −→ π − e + νe

giving
`4 = 4,3 ± 0,9
LEC `5 is obtained from difference between vector and axial-
vector two-point functions (actually requires SU(3) O(p 4 )
LEC L10 ) [M. González-Alonso, A. Pich and J. Prades,
2008]
`5 = 12,24 ± 0,21
LEC `6 determines the electromagnetic charge radius of the
pion hr 2 iπV , which can be measured. It has been found [J.
Bijnens, G. Colangelo and P. Talavera, 1998]

`6 = 16,0 ± 0,5 ± 0,7

Lattice results? −→ FLAG review 2019
Σ1/3 = 266 ± 10 MeV Fπ /F = 1,073 ± 0,015

`3 = 3,41 ± 0,82 `4 = 4,40 ± 0,28

`6 = 15,1 ± 1,2
Not all results so good...