On the transition form factors of the axial-vector resonance $f_1(1285)$ and its decay into $e^{+}{e}^{-}$

Abstract

Estimating the contribution from axial-vector intermediate states to hadronic light-by-light scattering requires input on their transition form factors (TFFs). Due to the Landau-Yang theorem, any experiment sensitive to these TFFs needs to involve at least one virtual photon, which complicates their measurement. Phenomenologically, the situation is best for the $f_1(1285)$ resonance, for which information is available from $e^{+}{e}^{-}\to e^{+}{e}^{-}{f}_1$, $f_1\to 4\pi$, $f_1\to \rho \gamma$, $f_1\to \varphi \gamma$, and $f_1\to e^{+}{e}^{-}$. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the $f_1$ TFFs in the framework of vector meson dominance, including short-distance constraints, to determine to which extent the three independent TFFs can be constrained from the available experimental input, a prerequisite for improved calculations of the axial-vector contribution to hadronic light-by-light scattering. In particular, we focus on the process $f_1\to e^{+}{e}^{-}$, evidence for which has been reported recently by SND for the first time, and discuss the impact that future improved measurements will have on the determination of the $f_1$ TFFs.

Comments: 60 pages, 14 figures; v2: Appendix D on alternative $f_1\to 4\pi$ mechanism added, references updated, version published in JHEP