The Measurement of the Muon's Anomalous Magnetic Moment Isn't

Abstract

Recent results announced as measurements of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment are in fact measurements of the muon's anomalous spin precession frequency. This precession frequency receives contributions from both the muon's anomalous magnetic and electric dipole moments. We note that all existing data cannot resolve this ambiguity, and the current deviation from standard model predictions may equally well be interpreted as evidence for new physics in the muon's anomalous magnetic moment, new physics in the muon's electric dipole moment, or both.

Comments: 2 pages, 1 figure, published version