# 𝛾⁢𝛾→𝜋⁰⁢𝜋⁰ as a test for the existence of a light 𝜎 meson

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Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) is a powerful theoretical framework developed to systematically analyze the low energy implications of QCD symmetries . This formalism is based on three key ingredients: the chiral symmetry properties of QCD, the concept of Effective Field Theory and the fact that, below the resonance region $`(E<m_R)`$, the hadronic spectrum only contains an octet of very light –Goldstone bosons– pseudoscalar particles $`(\pi ,K,\eta )`$. The resonance region is properly defined for each $`J^P`$ channel, hence the ChPT range of validity depends explicitly on the channel being analyzed.

The reaction $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ currently represents interesting theoretical  and experimental  laboratory for chiral symmetry. It has been longly recognized that this reaction is unique because its amplitude tests the Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) approach at loop level. Indeed, at tree level the amplitude vanishes at orders $`p^2`$ and $`p^4`$, therefore it must be generated at one loop, being necessarily finite and depending only on the pion decay constant and meson masses (no arbitrary counterterms are possible).

It is important to remark that the agreement between the one loop ChPT and $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ data holds in a small range. Unfortunately the threshold behavior of the cross section is not accounted for by ChPT. Two potential sources of corrections have been discussed in the literature. These corrections are:

1. Rescattering effects required by unitarity, supplemented with analiticity as embodied in the dispersive analysis, are found to make substantial modifications to the one loop chiral prediction .
2. The next to leading order terms in the chiral expansion have been evaluated  and the authors conclude that the improved cross section agrees rather well with the data. The enhancement in the cross section is mainly due to $`\pi \pi `$ rescattering and the renormalization of the pion decay constant.

Another scheme could be to doubt the threshold datum itself since this measurement is perhaps the most difficult one. Mass resolution, background subtraction, and efficiency corrections could affect the cross section measurement. By looking at the data, one might tend to average the first two values and consider them as a single data point centered at 300 MeV. But even when this is done, the trend of the data suggests a faster growth of the cross section at threshold than predicted by one-loop ChPT. Under this scheme the two loop effects and rescattering effects seem to bring theory and experiment into agreement.

An alternative model independent, phenomenological approach was developed by Morgan and Pennington . In that analysis, the experimental $`\pi \pi `$ phase shifts in the $`I=0J=0`$ channel are used as an input. The results obtained in this approach for the threshold cross section is very similar to that of two-loop CHPT. It still remains however, to understand the dynamics underlying the experimental $`\pi \pi `$ phase shifts. In particular, the authors show that the current algebra results for the $`\pi \pi `$ phase shifts yields a poor description of the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section near threshold.

Bijnens, Dawson, and Valencia (BDV)  have studied the Chiral Quark model (ChQM) predictions for the reaction $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$. The ChQM  describes effective interactions between constituent quark fields and the octet of pseudoscalar bosons. Interactions among these fields are introduced using a non-linear realization of chiral symmetry. The BDV predictions for the cross section are in agreement with those of one-loop ChPT and Vector Meson Dominance for energies below 400 MeV, thus failing to reproduce the data near threshold.

The process under consideration has been also studied in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model . The conclusion of this analysis is that the enhancement of the cross section near threshold is almost accounted for by the tree level corrections of $`𝒪(p^6)`$ in which a sigma is exchanged and that higher order corrections do not affect the low energy region.

We face a privileged theoretical and experimental situation which deserves a reanalysis of the facts supporting the ChPT approach to low energy QCD. Effective Field Theories describe low energy physics, where low is defined with respect to some energy scale $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$. The effective action explicitly contains only those states with mass $`m\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, while the information of the heavier excitations is absorbed in the couplings of the resulting low-energy Lagrangian. One gets in this way non-renormalizable interactions among the light states, which can be organized as an expansion in powers of (p/$`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$). In particular, the behavior of the process we are interested in ($`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$), is described in the context of SU(2)$`\times `$SU(2) ChPT, with pions as the only degrees of freedom. However, during the last years evidence  has accumulated for the $`f_0(4001200)`$ to form part of the scalar nonet, together with $`f_0(980)`$, $`a_0(980)`$, and $`\kappa (900)`$. If the $`f_0(4001200)`$ mass happens to be near the threshold energy for two pion production, then it must be incorporated in the low energy physics description in a consistent way with the chiral symmetry of QCD.

It is our purpose in this letter to work out the predictions for the behavior of the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section in the low energy region ($`\sqrt{s}<600`$ MeV) within the context of the Linear Sigma Model (L$`\sigma `$M). This choice implies –contrary to ChPT and ChQM– the explicit incorporation of the $`\sigma `$ meson. Note that, if the sigma width $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_\sigma `$ is considered, the requirement of introducing the sigma meson in a consistent maner with chiral symmetry is far from trivial. The problem is that the vertices and propagators are related by Ward identities which have to be respected. A similar problem ocurrs in the Standard Model where the width of the gauge bosons have to be included without breaking the gauge symmetry . In our calculation we modified both the sigma propagator and vertices, ensuring thus the preservation of chiral symmetry.

The need to preserve the symmetry when introducing the sigma meson shows up clearly in the analysis of $`\pi \pi `$ scattering. If the vertices are not properly modified, then the prediction of the linear sigma model fails to reproduce the derivative coupling of the pions, typical of the current algebra results associated to the chiral symmetry. In a separate paper we discuss at length this point and show that the predictions of the linear sigma model properly reproduce the experimental $`\pi \pi `$ phase shifts.

Lorentz covariance and gauge invariance dictate the most general form of the amplitude for the $`\gamma (k_1)+\gamma (k_2)\pi ^0(k_3)+\pi ^0(k_4)`$ process:

$$=\frac{i\alpha }{\pi }\frac{m_\pi ^2}{f_\pi ^2}\left[A_1(s,t,u)\frac{P_1^{\mu \nu }}{s}+A_2(s,t,u)\frac{P_2^{\mu \nu }}{sk_T^2}\right]ϵ_{1\mu }ϵ_{2\nu },$$
(1)   
where $`s,t,u`$ are the conventional Mandelstam variables, $`k_T=\sqrt{(tum_\pi ^4)/s}`$ denotes the c.m.s. transverse (to the incoming photons) momentum of the pion and

$`P_1^{\mu \nu }`$ $`=`$ $`k_2^\mu k_1^\nu {\displaystyle \frac{s}{2}}g^{\mu \nu },`$ (2)   
$`P_2^{\mu \nu }`$ $`=`$ $`m_\pi ^2k_2^\mu k_1^\nu +{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}(tum_\pi ^4)g^{\mu \nu }+(m_\pi ^2t)k_3^\mu k_1^\nu +(m_\pi ^2u)k_2^\mu k_3^\nu +sk_3^\mu k_3^\nu .`$ (3)   
In terms of the $`A_i(s,t,u)`$ amplitudes, and the scale $`\mathrm{\Lambda }_\chi =4\pi f_\pi `$, the cross section is given by:

$$\sigma (\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0)=\frac{\pi \alpha ^2}{s^2}\left(\frac{m_\pi }{\mathrm{\Lambda }_\chi }\right)^4_{t_+}^t_{}𝑑t\underset{i=1}{\overset{2}{}}|A_i|^2.$$
(4)   
The SU(2)$`\times `$SU(2) L$`\sigma `$M describes the interactions of pions and a scalar $`\sigma `$ meson through the Lagrangian

$$_{int}=g^{}\sigma (\sigma ^2+\pi ^2)+\frac{\lambda }{4}(\sigma ^2+\pi ^2)^2,$$
(5)   
where

$$g^{}=\lambda f_\pi ,\lambda =\frac{m_\sigma ^2m_\pi ^2}{2f_\pi ^2}.$$
(6)   
In this model, the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ amplitude is generated at one-loop level by the diagrams shown in Fig. 1(a), which include pion loops and sigma effects. We use a Breit-Wigner type for the sigma propagator in order to deal with a possible pole in the $`s`$ channel. However, in order to respect chiral Ward identities it is necessary to modify also the vertex functions (this point is further elaborated in ). As for the present process, the incorporation of the sigma width in a consistent way with chiral symmetry is achieved by the replacement $`m_\sigma ^2\stackrel{~}{m}_\sigma ^2m_\sigma ^2i\mathrm{\Gamma }_\sigma m_\sigma `$ in the couplings $`\lambda `$ and $`g^{}`$, given in Eq. 6.

With these modifications, the analytical calculation of the amplitudes leads to: 

$`A_1(s,t,u)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{sm_\pi ^2}{m_\pi ^2}}\left(1{\displaystyle \frac{sm_\pi ^2}{s\stackrel{~}{m}_\sigma ^2}}\right)F(\xi )/2,`$ (7)   
$`A_2(s,t,u)`$ $`=`$ $`0,`$ (8)   
where

$$F(\xi )=1+\xi (ln(\frac{1+\sqrt{14\xi }}{1\sqrt{14\xi }})i\pi )^2,\xi =\frac{m_\pi ^2}{s}.$$
(9)   
Notice that to lowest order in $`sm_\pi ^2`$ the amplitude given in Eq. (7) reproduces the ChPT result (Compare to Eq. (37) in Ref. ), and that the $`\sigma `$ meson induces a next to leading order correction vanishing in the $`m_\sigma \mathrm{}`$ limit idependently of the value of $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_\sigma `$.

The model just described can be extended to include effective quarks. The linear chiral realization counterpart of the BDV model has been discussed in the literature . The resulting Linear Chiral Quark Model (LChQM) contributes with the diagrams shown in Fig. 1(b) in addition to those in Fig. 1(a). Elsewhere we report details of the full calculation whose results are expressed in terms of the $`C_0`$ and $`D_0`$ Veltman-Pasarino scalar functions. The results depend on the quark masses and the $`\sigma `$ meson properties. In our calculation we used $`m_u=m_d=m_P/3`$, where $`m_P`$ stands for the proton mass, leaving the mass and width of the $`\sigma `$ meson as free parameters. Predictions for the cross section are obtained after the phase space integrals are numerically evaluated using the FF program .

In the LChQM both amplitudes in Eq. (1) get non-vanishing contributions. The loop of pions, the triangle loop of fermions, and the box diagrams contribute to the $`A_1`$ amplitude. $`A_2`$ only receive contributions from the quark box diagrams. We have verified that the analytical results possess the appropriate symmetries under the exchange of identical particles, and we have numerically checked that our amplitude reproduces the BDV results for $`m_\sigma \mathrm{}`$.

Both L$`\sigma `$M and LChQM predict a cross section dominated by a Breit-Wigner peak if it was the case that $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_\sigma <<m_\sigma `$. On the other hand, a wide Breit-Wigner peak ($`\mathrm{\Gamma }_\sigma m_\sigma `$) would appear as a shoulder in the spectrum. Since we expect that neither L$`\sigma `$M nor LChQM describe well the reaction $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ for energies above 600 MeV, we perform fits to the experimental results considering only data from the first seven points. We have phenomenologically incorporated the crossed channel $`\rho `$ and $`\omega `$ contributions to the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ process and found that it does not appreciable affect the predictions of the L$`\sigma `$M, except for $`\sqrt{s}>600`$ MeV, where these contributions improve the fit. However, at such high energies other important contributions are expected. Fig. 2 shows a fit of the L$`\sigma `$M predictions (no vector mesons included) which yields a sigma mass and width of 375 and 365 MeV, respectively.

At threshold our predictions are close to the two-loop ChPT whereas above 350 MeV the models differ substantially. It is worth remarking that our results completelly agree with those obtained in  on the ground of general arguments and experimental phase shifts. This is not surprising as experimental phase shifts are well reproduced by the $`L\sigma M`$ .

The large error bars of existing experimental data makes it impossible to rule out either L$`\sigma `$M or ChPT predictions. Higher quality data in the 350–600 MeV region could settle the question, providing thus further insight on the existence of a low lying scalar meson. At this point a word of caution is worth. Long ago Meißner  mentioned that the effect of a low lying scalar can be represented by properly summed pion loops. Comparison of the L$`\sigma `$M and ChPT at threshold seem to confirm the results in Ref. . Thus, the unitarity corrections seen in the two loop effects within the ChPT scheme are reproduced in the linear realization approach at the one loop level. It is important to remark, however, that considering the dynamical effects of a light scalar meson provides a simple description of data without requering aditional free parameters.

The incorporation of quarks in the L$`\sigma `$M may produce a much steeper growth at threshold than ChPT or the L$`\sigma `$M, as shown in Fig. 3. Unfortunatelly, the fit value obtained for the $`\sigma `$ is unreasonable low that we do not pursue the analysis further along this line.

Summarizing, we point out that the failure of CHPT $`𝒪(p^4)`$ calculations in the description of the data for the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section near threshold could be due to the Effective Lagrangian Approximation used in that approach, in which it is assumed that the only degrees of freedom in the low energy region are the pseudoscalar mesons and the scalar sigma meson is integrated out from the action. In this letter we report the full one loop calculation of the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section within the sigma model, in which the Chiral Symmetry is linearly realized and the sigma meson degrees of freedom are explicitly considered. The sigma width is introduced in a consistent way with chiral symmetry. The $`L\sigma M`$ results agree with those obtained in a dispersive analysis with experimental $`\pi \pi `$ phase shifts as input. In the region near threshold, the $`L\sigma M`$ also agree with two-loop CHPT calculations, but substantially differ above 450 MeV. Thus, although present data seems to indicate the existence of a light and broad scalar meson, further data on the behavior of the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section could settle the existence of such a particle. The DA$`\mathrm{\Phi }`$NE facility will have the opportunity to perform a detailed study of the two photon process, unraveling perhaps a clean signature of the $`\sigma `$ meson.

Two of us (JLL and MN) wish to acknowledge Prof. M. Scadron for usefull discussions. This work was supported in part by CONACYT of México under Grant Nos. 3979P-E9608, 4009P-E9608 and J27604-E.

Fig.1

(a) One-loop level diagrams in the L$`\sigma `$M and (b) quark contributions of the LChQM for the process $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$. All diagrams, but the seagull type, also contribute with the interchange $`\gamma _1\gamma _2`$.

Fig.2

The solid line is the L$`\sigma `$M fit to the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section data of Marsiske et al. . The dotted and dashed lines correspond to the one and two loop ChPT predictions, respectively.

Fig.3

The solid line is the LChQM fit to the $`\gamma \gamma \pi ^0\pi ^0`$ cross section data of Marsiske et al. . The dotted and dashed lines correspond to the one and two loop ChPT predictions, respectively.