The Vector and Scalar Form Factors of the Pion to Two Loops

We calculate the vector and scalar form factors of the pion to two loops in Chiral Perturbation Theory. We estimate the unknown O(p^6) constants using resonance exchange. We make a careful comparison to the available data and determine two O(p^4) constants rather precisely, and two O(p^6) constants less precisely. We also use Chiral Perturbation Theory to two loops to extract in a model--independent manner the charge radius of the pion from the available data, and obtain \rpiV=0.437\pm 0.016 fm^2.Comment: Latex2e, JHEP.cls, 30 pages 5 figure

Matching the Heavy Vector Meson Theory

We show how to obtain a ``heavy'' meson effective lagrangian for the case where the number of heavy particles is not conserved. We apply the method in a simple example at tree level and perform then the reduction for the case of vector mesons in Chiral Perturbation Theory in a manifestly chiral invariant fashion. Some examples showing that ``heavy'' meson effective theory also works at the one-loop level are included.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, revte

Low Energy Constants from Kl4 Form-Factors

We have calculated the form-factors F and G in K ---> pi pi e nu decays (Kl4) to two-loop order in Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT). Combining this together with earlier two-loop calculations an updated set of values for the L's, the ChPT constants at p^4, is obtained. We discuss the uncertainties in the determination and the changes compared to previous estimates.Comment: 6 pages, uses axodraw.sty, 2 figures, bug in program corrected, new numerical result

Conformal and Nonconformal Symmetries in 2d Dilaton gravity

We study finite-dimensional extra symmetries of generic 2D dilaton gravity models. Using a non-linear sigma model formulation we show that the unique theories admitting an extra (conformal) symmetry are the models with an exponential potential $V \propto e^{\beta\phi}$ ($S ={1\over2\pi} \int d^2 x \sqrt{-g} [ R \phi + 4 \lambda^2 e^{\beta\phi} ]$), which include the CGHS model as a particular though limiting ($\beta=0$) case. These models give rise to black hole solutions with a mass-dependent temperature. The underlying extra symmetry can be maintained in a natural way in the one-loop effective action, thus implying the exact solubility of the semiclassical theory including back-reaction. Moreover, we also introduce three different classes of (non-conformal) transformations which are extra symmetries for generic 2D dilaton gravity models. Special linear combinations of these transformations turn out to be the (conformal) symmetries of the CGHS and $V \propto e^{\beta\phi}$ models. We show that one of the non-conformal extra symmetries can be converted into a conformal one by means of adequate field redefinitions involving the metric and the derivatives of the dilaton. Finally, by expressing the Polyakov-Liouville effective action in terms of an invariant metric, we are able to provide semiclassical models which are also invariant. This generalizes the solvable semiclassical model of Bose, Parker and Peleg (BPP) for a generic 2D dilaton gravity model.Comment: Latex, no figures. Revised version published i