Evaluating `elliptic' master integrals at special kinematic values: using differential equations and their solutions via expansions near singular points

This is a sequel of our previous paper where we described an algorithm to find a solution of differential equations for master integrals in the form of an $\epsilon$-expansion series with numerical coefficients. The algorithm is based on using generalized power series expansions near singular points of the differential system, solving difference equations for the corresponding coefficients in these expansions and using matching to connect series expansions at two neighboring points. Here we use our algorithm and the corresponding code for our example of four-loop generalized sunset diagrams with three massive and two massless propagators, in order to obtain new analytical results. We analytically evaluate the master integrals at threshold, $p^2=9 m^2$, in an expansion in $\epsilon$ up to $\epsilon^1$. With the help of our code, we obtain numerical results for the threshold master integrals in an $\epsilon$-expansion with the accuracy of 6000 digits and then use the PSLQ algorithm to arrive at analytical values. Our basis of constants is build from bases of multiple polylogarithm values at sixth roots of unity.Comment: Discussion extende

Describing neutrino oscillations in matter with Magnus expansion

We present new formalism for description of the neutrino oscillations in matter with varying density. The formalism is based on the Magnus expansion and has a virtue that the unitarity of the S-matrix is maintained in each order of perturbation theory. We show that the Magnus expansion provides better convergence of series: the restoration of unitarity leads to smaller deviations from the exact results especially in the regions of large transition probabilities. Various expansions are obtained depending on a basis of neutrino states and a way one splits the Hamiltonian into the self-commuting and non-commuting parts. In particular, we develop the Magnus expansion for the adiabatic perturbation theory which gives the best approximation. We apply the formalism to the neutrino oscillations in matter of the Earth and show that for the solar oscillation parameters the second order Magnus adiabatic expansion has better than 1% accuracy for all energies and trajectories. For the atmospheric $\Delta m^2$ and small 1-3 mixing the approximation works well ($< 3$ accuracy for $\sin^2 \theta_{13} = 0.01$) outside the resonance region (2.7 - 8) GeV.Comment: Discussions expanded, two figures and references added, the version will appear in Nucl. Phys.

Attenuation effect and neutrino oscillation tomography

Attenuation effect is the effect of weakening of contributions to the oscillation signal from remote structures of matter density profile. The effect is a consequence of integration over the neutrino energy within the energy resolution interval. Structures of a density profile situated at distances larger than the attenuation length, $\lambda_{att}$, are not "seen". We show that the origins of attenuation are (i) averaging of oscillations in certain layer(s) of matter, (ii) smallness of matter effect: $\epsilon \equiv 2EV/\Delta m^2 \ll 1$, where $V$ is the matter potential, and (iii) specific initial and final states on neutrinos. We elaborate on the graphic description of the attenuation which allows us to compute explicitly the effects in the $\epsilon^2$ order for various density profiles and oscillation channels. The attenuation in the case of partial averaging is described. The effect is crucial for interpretation of oscillation data and for the oscillation tomography of the Earth with low energy (solar, supernova, atmospheric, {\it etc.}) neutrinos.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, typos corrected, more explanations adde

The Four-Loop Dressing Phase of N=4 SYM

We compute the dilatation generator in the su(2) sector of planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory at four-loops. We use the known world-sheet scattering matrix to constrain the structure of the generator. The remaining few coefficients can be computed directly from Feynman diagrams. This allows us to confirm previous conjectures for the leading contribution to the dressing phase which is proportional to zeta(3).Comment: 19 pages, v2: referenced adde

Four-loop quark form factor with quartic fundamental colour factor

We analytically compute the four-loop QCD corrections for the colour structure $(d_F^{abcd})^2$ to the massless non-singlet quark form factor. The computation involves non-trivial non-planar integral families which have master integrals in the top sector. We compute the master integrals by introducing a second mass scale and solving differential equations with respect to the ratio of the two scales. We present details of our calculational procedure. Analytical results for the cusp and collinear anomalous dimensions, and the finite part of the form factor are presented. We also provide analytic results for all master integrals expanded up to weight eight.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figure

Three-loop massive form factors: complete light-fermion and large-NcN_c corrections for vector, axial-vector, scalar and pseudo-scalar currents

We compute the three-loop QCD corrections to the massive quark form factors with external vector, axial-vector, scalar and pseudo-scalar currents. All corrections with closed loops of massless fermions are included. The non-fermionic part is computed in the large-$N_c$ limit, where only planar Feynman diagrams contribute.Comment: 33 page

Dimensional recurrence relations: an easy way to evaluate higher orders of expansion in ϵ\epsilon

Applications of a method recently suggested by one of the authors (R.L.) are presented. This method is based on the use of dimensional recurrence relations and analytic properties of Feynman integrals as functions of the parameter of dimensional regularization, $d$. The method was used to obtain analytical expressions for two missing constants in the $\epsilon$-expansion of the most complicated master integrals contributing to the three-loop massless quark and gluon form factors and thereby present the form factors in a completely analytic form. To illustrate its power we present, at transcendentality weight seven, the next order of the $\epsilon$-expansion of one of the corresponding most complicated master integrals. As a further application, we present three previously unknown terms of the expansion in $\epsilon$ of the three-loop non-planar massless propagator diagram. Only multiple $\zeta$ values at integer points are present in our result.Comment: Talk given at the International Workshop `Loops and Legs in Quantum Field Theory' (April 25--30, 2010, W\"orlitz, Germany)

Form-factors of the sausage model obtained with bootstrap fusion from sine-Gordon theory

We continue the investigation of massive integrable models by means of the bootstrap fusion procedure, started in our previous work on O(3) nonlinear sigma model. Using the analogy with SU(2) Thirring model and the O(3) nonlinear sigma model we prove a similar relation between sine-Gordon theory and a one-parameter deformation of the O(3) sigma model, the sausage model. This allows us to write down a free field representation for the Zamolodchikov-Faddeev algebra of the sausage model and to construct an integral representation for the generating functions of form-factors in this theory. We also clear up the origin of the singularities in the bootstrap construction and the reason for the problem with the kinematical poles.Comment: 16 pages, revtex; references added, some typos corrected. Accepted for publication in Physical Review