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Field redefinitions are commonly used to reduce the number of operators in the Lagrangian by removing redundant operators and transforming to a minimal operator basis. We give a general argument that such field redefinitions, while leaving the $S$-matrix invariant and consequently finite, lead not only to infinite Green's functions, but also to infinite field anomalous dimensions $\gamma_\phi$. These divergences cannot be removed by counterterms without reintroducing redundant operators., Comment: 10+6 pages, 2 figures

We derive a general formula for two-loop counterterms in Effective Field Theories (EFTs) using a geometric approach. This formula allows the two-loop results of our previous paper to be applied to a wide range of theories. The two-loop results hold for loop graphs in EFTs where the interaction vertices contain operators of arbitrarily high dimension, but at most two derivatives. We also extend our previous one-loop result to include operators with an arbitrary number of derivatives, as long as there is at most one derivative acting on each field. The final result for the two-loop counterterms is written in terms of geometric quantities such as the Riemann curvature tensor of the scalar manifold and its covariant derivatives. As applications of our results, we give the two-loop counterterms and renormalization group equations for the O(n) EFT to dimension six, the scalar sector of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) to dimension six, and chiral perturbation theory to order $p^6$., Comment: ChPT results to O($p^6$) now agree with Bijnens, Colangelo, and Ecker, hep-ph/9907333

We find a general formula for the two-loop renormalization counterterms of a scalar quantum field theory with interactions containing up to two derivatives, extending 't~Hooft's one-loop result. The method can also be used for theories with higher derivative interactions, as long as the terms in the Lagrangian have at most one derivative acting on each field. We show that diagrams with factorizable topologies do not contribute to the renormalization group equations. The results in this paper will be combined with the geometric method in a subsequent paper to obtain the counterterms and renormalization group equations for the scalar sector of effective field theories (EFT) to two-loop order., Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, 6 tables

The geometry of field space governs on-shell scattering amplitudes. We formulate a geometric description of effective field theories which extends previous results for scalars and gauge fields to fermions. The field-space geometry reorganizes and simplifies the computation of quantum loop corrections. Using this geometric framework, we calculate the fermion loop contributions to the renormalization group equations for bosonic operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory up to mass dimension eight., Comment: 28 pages

$S$-matrix elements are invariant under field redefinitions of the Lagrangian. They are determined by geometric quantities such as the curvature of the field-space manifold of scalar and gauge fields. We present a formalism where scalar and gauge fields are treated together, with a metric on the combined space of both types of fields. Scalar and gauge scattering amplitudes are given by the Riemann curvature $R_{ijkl}$ of this combined space, with indices $i,j,k,l$ chosen to be scalar or gauge indices depending on the type of external particle. One-loop divergences can also be computed in terms of geometric invariants of the combined space, which greatly simplifies the computation of renormalization group equations. We apply our formalism to the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT), and compute the renormalization group equations for even-parity bosonic operators to mass dimension eight., Comment: 40 pages, 8 tables, 1 figure

We formulate the field-space geometry for an effective field theory of scalars and gauge bosons. Geometric invariants such as the field-space curvature enter in both scattering amplitudes and the renormalization group equations, with the scalar and gauge results unified in a single expression., Comment: 7 pages. Updated references and corrected typo

We present a new formula for the angular momentum $J^{\mu\nu}$ carried away by gravitational radiation in classical scattering. This formula, combined with the known expression for the radiated linear momentum $P^\mu$, completes the set of radiated Poincare charges due to scattering. We parametrize $P^\mu$ and $J^{\mu\nu}$ by non-perturbative form factors and derive exact relations using the Poincare algebra. There is a contribution to $J^{\mu\nu}$ due to static (zero-frequency) modes, which can be derived from Weinberg's soft theorem. Using tools from scattering amplitudes and effective field theory, we calculate the radiated $J^{\mu\nu}$ due to the scattering of two spinless particles to third order in Newton's constant $G$, but to all orders in velocity. Our form-factor analysis elucidates a novel relation found by Bini, Damour, and Geralico between energy and angular momentum loss at $\mathcal{O}(G^3)$. Our new results have several nontrivial implications for binary scattering at $\mathcal{O}(G^4)$. We give a procedure to bootstrap an effective radiation reaction force from the loss of Poincare charges due to scattering., Comment: 5 pages +refs, two figures and one Mathematica ancillary file for table I; minor revision and fixed a typo in the definition of \Delta b, matched to PRL version in v2

The Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) and the Low Energy Effective Field Theory (LEFT) can be extended by adding additional spin 0, 1/2 and 1 dark matter particles which are singlets under the Standard Model (SM) gauge group. We classify all gauge invariant interactions in the Lagrangian up to terms of dimension six, and present the tree-level matching conditions between the two theories at the electroweak scale. The most widely studied dark matter models, such as those based on the Higgs portal or on kinetic mixing between the photon and a dark photon, are based on dimension-four interactions with the SM sector. We consider a model with dark vector particles with a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry, so that the lightest dark matter particle is stable. The leading interaction with the SM is through dimension-six operators involving two dark vector field-strength tensors and the electromagnetic field-strength tensor. This model is a viable dark matter model in the freeze-in scenario for a wide range of parameters., Comment: 50 pages, 3 figures, matches published version

At small momentum transfer, the quark-gluon scattering cross section d{\sigma}/dt has a power-law divergence in the backward scattering region where the outgoing quark is nearly collinear to the incoming gluon. In this Regge limit |t|<< s, the leading behavior of the 2 2 amplitude can be described by the exchange of Glauber quarks. In Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) at leading power, Glauber quark exchange is given by five non-local Glauber quark operators, of which only one is generated at tree-level. We show that at leading power the QCD amplitude for quark-gluon backscattering at one-loop can be exactly reproduced by SCET using the tree-level Glauber operator. The agreement between QCD and SCET of the ultraviolet, infrared, and rapidity divergences as well as all logarithms, Glauber phases and finite parts for all polarizations of the external gluons is a strong check on the effective theory. We find that the entire one-loop matching vanishes -- there is no correction to the operator generated at tree-level, and the coefficients of the other four operators remain zero at one-loop. This suggests that SCET with Glauber operators may be useful for uncovering new aspects of Regge physics in a systematically improveable way., Comment: 39 pages

We perform a model-independent analysis of the magnetic and electric dipole moments of the muon and electron. We give expressions for the dipole moments in terms of operator coefficients of the low-energy effective field theory (LEFT) and the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT). We use one-loop renormalization group improved perturbation theory, including the one-loop matching from SMEFT onto LEFT, and one-loop lepton matrix elements of the effective-theory operators. Semileptonic four-fermion operators involving light quarks give sizable non-perturbative contributions to the dipole moments, which are included in our analysis. We find that only a very limited set of the SMEFT operators is able to generate the current deviation of the magnetic moment of the muon from its Standard Model expectation., Comment: 34 pages, 7 figures; v2: numbers updated to new experimental value for g-2; version published in JHEP

The resummation of radiative corrections to collider jet observables using soft collinear effective theory is encoded in differential renormalization group equations (RGEs), with anomalous dimensions depending on the observable under consideration. This observable dependence arises from the ultraviolet (UV) singular structure of real phase space integrals in the effective field theory. We show that the observable dependence of anomalous dimensions in SCETI problems can be disentangled by introducing a suitable UV regulator in real radiation integrals. Resummation in the presence of the new regulator can be performed by solving a two-dimensional system of RGEs in the collinear and soft sectors, and resembles many features of resummation in SCETII theories by means of the rapidity renormalization group. We study the properties of SCETI with the additional regulator and explore the connection with the system of RGEs in SCETII theories, highlighting some universal patterns that can be exploited in perturbative calculations. As an application, we compute the two-loop soft and jet anomalous dimensions for a family of recoil-free angularities and give new analytic results. This allows us to study the relations between the SCETI and SCETII limits for these observables. We also discuss how the extra UV regulator can be exploited to calculate anomalous dimensions numerically, and the prospects for numerical resummation., Comment: Fixing an incorrect statement in the first version of the paper, results and conclusions are unaffected

We apply effective field theory (EFT) methods to compute the renormalization group improved effective potential for theories with a large mass hierarchy. Our method allows one to compute the effective potential in a systematic expansion in powers of the mass ratio, as well as to sum large logarithms of mass ratios using renormalization group evolution. The effective potential is the sum of one-particle irreducible diagrams (1PI) but information about which diagrams are 1PI is lost after matching to the EFT, since heavy lines get shrunk to a point. We therefore introduce a tadpole condition in place of the 1PI condition, and use the renormalization group improved value of the tadpole in computing the effective potential. We explain why the effective potential computed using an EFT is not the same as the effective potential of the EFT. We illustrate our method using the $O(N)$ model, a theory of two scalars in the unbroken and broken phases, and the Higgs-Yukawa model. Our leading-log result, obtained by integrating the one-loop $\beta$-functions, correctly reproduces the log-squared term in explicit two-loop calculations. Our method does not have a Goldstone boson infrared divergence problem., Comment: Added a section explaining why the EFT method does not suffer from the Goldstone boson infrared divergence problem. Typos fixed

We explore the cosmological consequences of the superconductivity of QCD axion strings. Axion strings can support a sizeable chiral electric current and charge, which alters their early universe dynamics. Shrinking axion string loops can become effectively stable remnants called vortons, supported by the electromagnetic force of the string current. Generically, vortons produced by axion strings overclose the universe, unless there are efficient current leakage processes. Furthermore, if a primordial magnetic field (PMF) exists in the early universe, a large current is induced on axion strings, creating a significant drag force from interactions with the surrounding plasma. As a result, the strings are slowed down, which leads to an orders of magnitude enhancement in the number of strings per Hubble volume. Finally, we study the implications for the QCD axion relic abundance. The QCD axion window is shifted by orders of magnitude in some parts of our parameter space., Comment: 40 pages, 11 figures

We compute the non-perturbative contribution of semileptonic tensor operators $(\bar q \sigma^{\mu \nu} q)(\bar \ell \sigma_{\mu \nu} \ell)$ to the purely leptonic process $\mu \to e \gamma$ and to the electric and magnetic dipole moments of charged leptons by matching onto chiral perturbation theory at low energies. This matching procedure has been used extensively to study semileptonic and leptonic weak decays of hadrons. In this paper, we apply it to observables that contain no strongly interacting external particles. The non-perturbative contribution to $\mu \to e $ processes is used to extract the best current bound on lepton-flavor-violating semileptonic tensor operators, $\Lambda_\text{BSM} \gtrsim 450$ TeV. We briefly discuss how the same method applies to dark-matter interactions., Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure; version published in JHEP

Lecture notes from the 2017 Les Houches Summer School on Effective Field Theories. The lectures covered introductory material on EFTs as used in high energy physics to compute experimentally observable quantities. Other lectures at the school covered a wide range of applications in greater depth., Comment: 94 pages

Transverse and longitudinal electroweak gauge boson parton distribution functions (PDFs) are computed in terms of deep-inelastic scattering structure functions, following the recently developed method to determine the photon PDF. The calculation provides initial conditions at the electroweak scale for PDF evolution to higher energies. Numerical results for the $W^\pm$ and $Z$ transverse, longitudinal and polarized PDFs, as well as the $\gamma Z$ transverse and polarized PDFs are presented., Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures; v2: journal version

We develop the framework to perform all-orders resummation of electroweak logarithms of Q/M for inclusive scattering processes at energies Q much above the electroweak scale M. We calculate all ingredients needed at next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) order and provide an explicit recipe to implement this for 2 $\to$ 2 processes. PDF evolution including electroweak corrections, which lead to Sudakov double logarithms, is computed. If only the invariant mass of the final state is measured, all electroweak logarithms can be resummed by the PDF evolution, at least to LL. However, simply identifying a lepton in the final state requires the corresponding fragmentation function and introduces angular dependence through the exchange of soft gauge bosons. Furthermore, we show the importance of polarization effects for gauge bosons, due to the chiral nature of SU(2) - even the gluon distribution in an unpolarized proton becomes polarized at high scales due to electroweak effects. We justify our approach with a factorization analysis, finding that the objects entering the factorization theorem do not need to be SU(2) $\times$ U(1) gauge singlets, even though we perform the factorization and resummation in the symmetric phase. We also discuss a range of extensions, including jets and how to calculate the EW logarithms when you are fully exclusive in the central (detector) region and fully inclusive in the forward (beam) regions., Comment: 55 pages, 3 figures, 9 tables, v2: includes polarization effects, v3: journal version

We perform a calculation in quantum field theory of neutrino oscillation probabilities, where we include simultaneously the source, detector, and neutrino fields in the Hamiltonian. Within the appropriate limits associated with current neutrino oscillation experiments, we recover the standard oscillation formula. On the other hand, we find that the dominant contributions to the amplitude are associated with different neutrino mass eigenstates being emitted at different times, such that they arrive at the detector at the same time. This is contrary to the neutrino wave packet picture, where they are emitted simultaneously and separate as they travel to the detector. This has direct consequences regarding the mechanisms that lead to a damping of neutrino oscillations for very long baselines. Our analysis also provides a pedagogical example of a measurement process in quantum mechanics., Comment: 12+12 pages, 3 figures; v2: improved appendix B, added refs, close to published version

We compute the one-loop anomalous dimensions of the low-energy effective Lagrangian below the electroweak scale, up to terms of dimension six. The theory has 70 dimension-five and 3631 dimension-six Hermitian operators that preserve baryon and lepton number, as well as additional operators that violate baryon number and lepton number. The renormalization group equations for the quark and lepton masses and the QCD and QED gauge couplings are modified by dimension-five and dimension-six operator contributions. We compute the renormalization group equations from one insertion of dimension-five and dimension-six operators, as well as two insertions of dimension-five operators, to all terms of dimension less than or equal to six. The use of the equations of motion to eliminate operators can be ambiguous, and we show how to resolve this ambiguity by a careful use of field redefinitions., Comment: 50 pages, 2 tables, 144 diagrams; version published in JHEP; includes erratum JHEP 12 (2023) 042

The gauge-invariant operators up to dimension six in the low-energy effective field theory below the electroweak scale are classified. There are 70 Hermitian dimension-five and 3631 Hermitian dimension-six operators that conserve baryon and lepton number, as well as $\Delta B= \pm \Delta L = \pm 1$, $\Delta L=\pm 2$, and $\Delta L=\pm 4$ operators. The matching onto these operators from the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) up to order $1/\Lambda^2$ is computed at tree level. SMEFT imposes constraints on the coefficients of the low-energy effective theory, which can be checked experimentally to determine whether the electroweak gauge symmetry is broken by a single fundamental scalar doublet as in SMEFT. Our results, when combined with the one-loop anomalous dimensions of the low-energy theory and the one-loop anomalous dimensions of SMEFT, allow one to compute the low-energy implications of new physics to leading-log accuracy, and combine them consistently with high-energy LHC constraints., Comment: 46 pages, 22 tables; version published in JHEP; includes erratum JHEP 12 (2023) 043

The photon PDF of the proton is needed for precision comparisons of LHC cross sections with theoretical predictions. In a recent paper, we showed how the photon PDF could be determined in terms of the electromagnetic proton structure functions $F_2$ and $F_L$ measured in electron-proton scattering experiments, and gave an explicit formula for the PDF including all terms up to next-to-leading order. In this paper we give details of the derivation. We obtain the photon PDF using the factorisation theorem and applying it to suitable BSM hard scattering processes. We also obtain the same PDF in a process-independent manner using the usual definition of PDFs in terms of light-cone Fourier transforms of products of operators. We show how our method gives an exact representation for the photon PDF in terms of $F_2$ and $F_L$, valid to all orders in QED and QCD, and including all non-perturbative corrections. This representation is then used to give an explicit formula for the photon PDF to one order higher than our previous result. We also generalise our results to obtain formul\ae\ for the polarised photon PDF, as well as the photon TMDPDF. Using our formula, we derive the $P_{\gamma i}$ subset of DGLAP splitting functions to order $\alpha \alpha_s$ and $\alpha^2$, which agree with known results. We give a detailed explanation of the approach that we follow to determine a photon PDF and its uncertainty within the above framework., Comment: 75 pages, 25 figures, data files corresponding to the figures available at http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.837233, LUXqed17 PDF files available in LHAPDF, references added in v2

The $S$-matrix of a quantum field theory is unchanged by field redefinitions, and so only depends on geometric quantities such as the curvature of field space. Whether the Higgs multiplet transforms linearly or non-linearly under electroweak symmetry is a subtle question since one can make a coordinate change to convert a field that transforms linearly into one that transforms non-linearly. Renormalizability of the Standard Model (SM) does not depend on the choice of scalar fields or whether the scalar fields transform linearly or non-linearly under the gauge group, but only on the geometric requirement that the scalar field manifold ${\mathcal M}$ is flat. We explicitly compute the one-loop correction to scalar scattering in the SM written in non-linear Callan-Coleman-Wess-Zumino (CCWZ) form, where it has an infinite series of higher dimensional operators, and show that the $S$-matrix is finite. Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) and Higgs Effective Field Theory (HEFT) have curved ${\mathcal M}$, since they parametrize deviations from the flat SM case. We show that the HEFT Lagrangian can be written in SMEFT form if and only if ${\cal M}$ has a $SU(2)_L \times U(1)_Y$ invariant fixed point. Experimental observables in HEFT depend on local geometric invariants of ${\mathcal M}$ such as sectional curvatures, which are of order $1/\Lambda^2$, where $\Lambda$ is the EFT scale. We give explicit expressions for these quantities in terms of the structure constants for a general $\mathcal G \to \mathcal H$ symmetry breaking pattern. (Full abstract in pdf)

We construct Higgs Effective Field Theory (HEFT) based on the scalar manifold H^n, which is a hyperbolic space of constant negative curvature. The Lagrangian has a non-compact O(n,1) global symmetry group, but it gives a unitary theory as long as only a compact subgroup of the global symmetry is gauged. Whether the HEFT manifold has positive or negative curvature can be tested by measuring the S-parameter, and the cross sections for longitudinal gauge boson and Higgs boson scattering, since the curvature (including its sign) determines deviations from Standard Model values.

A geometric formulation of Higgs Effective Field Theory (HEFT) is presented. Experimental observables are given in terms of geometric invariants of the scalar sigma model sector such as the curvature of the scalar field manifold $\mathcal M$. We show how the curvature can be measured experimentally via Higgs cross-sections, $W_L$ scattering, and the $S$ parameter. The one-loop action of HEFT is given in terms of geometric invariants of $\mathcal M$. The distinction between the Standard Model (SM) and HEFT is whether $\mathcal M$ is flat or curved, not whether the scalars transform linearly or non-linearly under the electroweak group., Comment: Journal version. The introduction has been rewritten to make clearer the distinction between SM, SMEFT and HEFT. A slight change of notation has been introduced to connect observables with sectional curvature

We study electroweak Sudakov corrections in high energy scattering, and the cancellation between real and virtual Sudakov corrections. Numerical results are given for the case of heavy quark production by gluon collisions involving the rates $gg \to t \bar t, b \bar b, t \bar b W, t \bar t Z, b \bar b Z, t \bar t H, b \bar b H$. Gauge boson virtual corrections are related to real transverse gauge boson emission, and Higgs virtual corrections to Higgs and longitudinal gauge boson emission. At the LHC, electroweak corrections become important in the TeV regime. At the proposed 100 TeV collider, electroweak interactions enter a new regime, where the corrections are very large and need to be resummed., Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, 1 table. v2: Journal version

The anomalous dimensions of dimension-six operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) respect holomorphy to a large extent. The holomorphy conditions are reminiscent of supersymmetry, even though the SMEFT is not a supersymmetric theory., Comment: Minor corrections in Table I, see note added at end of paper. The complete SMEFT RGE will be maintained at http://einstein.ucsd.edu/smeft

We calculate the one-loop anomalous dimension matrix for the dimension-six baryon number violating operators of the Standard Model effective field theory, including right-handed neutrino fields. We discuss the flavor structure of the renormalization group evolution in the contexts of minimal flavor violation and unification., Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, 1 table. v2: Journal version

We develop a method for calculating the correlation structure of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) using Feynman diagrams, when the CMB has been modified by gravitational lensing, Faraday rotation, patchy reionization, or other distorting effects. This method is used to calculate the bias of the Hu-Okamoto quadratic estimator in reconstructing the lensing power spectrum up to O(\phi^4) in the lensing potential $\phi$. We consider both the diagonal noise TTTT, EBEB, etc. and, for the first time, the off-diagonal noise TTTE, TBEB, etc. The previously noted large O(\phi^4) term in the second order noise is identified to come from a particular class of diagrams. It can be significantly reduced by a reorganization of the $\phi$ expansion. These improved estimators have almost no bias for the off-diagonal case involving only one $B$ component of the CMB, such as EEEB., Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures

We develop a Feynman diagram approach to calculating correlations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) in the presence of distortions. As one application, we focus on CMB distortions due to gravitational lensing by Large Scale Structure (LSS). We study the Hu-Okamoto quadratic estimator for extracting lensing from the CMB and derive the noise of the estimator up to ${\mathcal O}(\phi^4)$ in the lensing potential $\phi$. The previously noted large ${\mathcal O}(\phi^4)$ term can be significantly reduced by a reorganization of the $\phi$ expansion. Our approach makes it simple to obtain expressions for quadratic estimators based on any CMB channel. We briefly discuss other applications to cosmology of this diagrammatic approach, such as distortions of the CMB due to patchy reionization, or due to Faraday rotation from primordial axion fields., Comment: 5 pages, 8 figures, v2: journal version

We calculate the gauge terms of the one-loop anomalous dimension matrix for the dimension-six operators of the Standard Model effective field theory (SM EFT). Combining these results with our previous results for the $\lambda$ and Yukawa coupling terms completes the calculation of the one-loop anomalous dimension matrix for the dimension-six operators. There are 1350 $CP$-even and $1149$ $CP$-odd parameters in the dimension-six Lagrangian for 3 generations, and our results give the entire $2499 \times 2499$ anomalous dimension matrix. We discuss how the renormalization of the dimension-six operators, and the additional renormalization of the dimension $d \le 4$ terms of the SM Lagrangian due to dimension-six operators, lays the groundwork for future precision studies of the SM EFT aimed at constraining the effects of new physics through precision measurements at the electroweak scale. As some sample applications, we discuss some aspects of the full RGE improved result for essential processes such as $gg \to h$, $h \to \gamma \gamma$ and $h \to Z \gamma$, for Higgs couplings to fermions, for the precision electroweak parameters $S$ and $T$, and for the operators that modify important processes in precision electroweak phenomenology, such as the three-body Higgs boson decay $h \rightarrow Z \, \ell^+ \, \ell^-$ and triple gauge boson couplings. We discuss how the renormalization group improved results can be used to study the flavor problem in the SM EFT, and to test the minimal flavor violation (MFV) hypothesis. We briefly discuss the renormalization effects on the dipole coefficient $C_{e\gamma}$ which contributes to $\mu \to e \gamma$ and to the muon and electron magnetic and electric dipole moments., Comment: 28 pages + appendices v5: Minor corrections. The complete SMEFT RGE will be maintained at http://einstein.ucsd.edu/smeft/

We calculate the complete order y^2 and y^4 terms of the 59 x 59 one-loop anomalous dimension matrix for the dimension-six operators of the Standard Model effective field theory, where y is a generic Yukawa coupling. These terms, together with the terms of order lambda, lambda^2 and lambda y^2 depending on the Standard Model Higgs self-coupling lambda which were calculated in a previous work, yield the complete one-loop anomalous dimension matrix in the limit of vanishing gauge couplings. The Yukawa contributions result in non-trivial flavor mixing in the various operator sectors of the Standard Model effective theory., Comment: 23 pp, 1 figure, v3: minor corrections. The complete SMEFT RGE will be maintained at http://einstein.ucsd.edu/smeft/

We show that naive dimensional analysis (NDA) is equivalent to the result that L-loop scattering amplitudes have perturbative order N=L+Delta, with a shift Delta that depends on the NDA-weight of operator insertions. The NDA weight of an operator is defined in this paper, and the general NDA formula for perturbative order N is derived. The formula is used to explain why the one-loop anomalous dimension matrix for dimension-six operators in the Standard Model effective field theory has entries with perturbative order ranging from 0 to 4. The results in this paper are valid for an arbitrary effective field theory, and they constrain the coupling constant dependence of anomalous dimensions and scattering amplitudes in a general effective field theory., Comment: 10 pages, 1 fig

We calculate the order \lambda, \lambda^2 and \lambda y^2 terms of the 59 x 59 one-loop anomalous dimension matrix of dimension-six operators, where \lambda and y are the Standard Model Higgs self-coupling and a generic Yukawa coupling, respectively. The dimension-six operators modify the running of the Standard Model parameters themselves, and we compute the complete one-loop result for this. We discuss how there is mixing between operators for which no direct one-particle-irreducible diagram exists, due to operator replacements by the equations of motion., Comment: 19 pages, 4 fig, v4: minor corrections, the complete SMEFT RGE will be maintained at http://einstein.ucsd.edu/smeft/

An exactly solvable large $N$ model is constructed which reduces at low energies to the Standard Model plus the dimension six Higgs-gauge operators $g_1^2 H^\dagger H B_{\mu \nu} B^{\mu \nu}$, $g_2^2 H^\dagger H W^a_{\mu \nu} W^{a\mu \nu}$, $g_1 g_2 H^\dagger \tau^a H W^a_{\mu \nu} B^{\mu \nu}$, and $\epsilon^{abc} W^a_{\mu}{}^\nu W^b_{\nu}{}^\rho W^c_{\rho}{}^\mu$. All other dimension six operators are suppressed by powers of $1/N$. The Higgs-gauge operators lead to deviations from the Standard Model $h \to \gamma\gamma$ and $h \to \gamma Z$ rates. A simple variant of the model can be used to also generate the Higgs-gluon operator $g_3^2 H^\dagger H G^A_{\mu \nu} G^{A\mu \nu}$ which contributes to the Higgs production rate via gluon fusion.

We give a general decomposition of the h -> VF amplitude where V={W,Z} and F is a generic leptonic or hadronic final state, in the standard model (SM), and in the context of a general effective field theory. The differential distributions for F=l^+l^-, l nu (l =e, mu) are reported, and we show how such distributions can be used to determine modified Higgs couplings that cannot be directly extracted from a global fit to Higgs signal strengths. We also demonstrate how rare h -> VP decays, where P is a single hadron, with SM rates in the 10^{-5} range, can be used to provide complementary information on the couplings of the newly discovered Higgs-like scalar and are an interesting probe of the vacuum structure of the theory., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures [v3: numerics updated, refs added, accepted PLB version]

The principle of minimal coupling has been used in the study of Higgs boson interactions to argue that certain higher dimensional operators in the low-energy effective theory generalization of the Standard Model are suppressed by loop factors, and thus smaller than others. It also has been extensively used to analyze beyond-the-standard-model theories. We show that in field theory, and even in quantum mechanics, the concept of minimal coupling is ill-defined and inapplicable as a general principle, and give many pedagogical examples which illustrate this fact. We also clarify some related misconceptions about the dynamics of strongly coupled gauge theories. Many arguments in the literature on Higgs boson interactions that use minimal coupling, particularly in pseudo-Goldstone Higgs theories, are inherently flawed., Comment: 25 pp, 2 figures v2: refs added, JHEP version, conclusions unchanged

We analyze seven year and nine year WMAP temperature maps for signatures of three finite flat topologies M_0=T^3, M_1=T^2 x R^1, and M_2=S^1 x R^2. We use Monte-Carlo simulations with the Feldman-Cousins method to obtain confidence intervals for the size of the topologies considered. We analyze the V, W, and Q frequency bands along with the ILC map and find no significant difference in the results. The 95.5% confidence level lower bound on the size of the topology is 1.5L_0 for M_0, 1.4L_0 for M_1, and 1.1L_0 for M_2, where L_0 is the radius of the last scattering surface. Our results agree very well with the recently released results from the Planck temperature data. We show that the likelihood function is not Gaussian in the size, and therefore simulations are important for obtaining accurate bounds on the size. We then introduce the formalism for including polarization data in the analysis. The improvement that we find from WMAP polarization maps is small because of the high level of instrumental noise, but our forecast for Planck maps shows a much better improvement on the lower bound for L. For the M_0 topology we expect an improvement on the lower bound of L from 1.7L_0 to 1.9L_0 at 95.5% confidence level. Using both polarization and temperature data is important because it tests the hypothesis that deviations in the TT spectrum at small l originate in the primordial perturbation spectrum., Comment: Updated to match the published version