Understand
The discrepancy between the Standard Model theory and experimental measurement of the muon magnetic moment anomaly, $a_{\mu}=\left(g_{\mu}-2\right)/2$, is connected to precision electroweak (EW) predictions via their common dependence on hadronic vacuum polarization effects.
- The same data for the total $e^+e^- \rightarrow \text{hadrons}$ cross section, $\sigma_{\rm had}(s)$, are used as input into dispersion relations to estimate the hadronic vacuum polarization contributions, $a_{\mu}^{\rm had,\,VP}$, as well as the five-flavor hadronic contribution to the running QED coupling at the $Z$-pole, $\Delta\alpha_{\rm had}^{(5)}(M_{Z}^2)$, which enters natural relations and global EW fits.
- The EW fit prediction of $\Delta\alpha_{\rm had}^{(5)}(M_{Z}^2) = 0.02722(41)$ agrees well with $\Delta\alpha_{\rm had}^{(5)}(M_{Z}^2) = 0.02761(11)$ obtained from the dispersion relation approach, but exhibits a smaller central value suggestive of a larger discrepancy $\Delta a_{\mu}=a_{\mu}^{\rm exp} - a_{\mu}^{\rm SM}$ than currently expected.
- Postulating that the $\Delta a_{\mu}$ difference may be due to missing $\sigma_{\rm had}(s)$ contributions, implications for $M_W$, $\sin^2 \! \theta^{\rm lep}_{\rm eff}$ and $M_H$ obtained from global EW fits are investigated.