Theory Seminar: Aida El-Khadra

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Speaker: Aida El-Khadra (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Title: The Dance of the Muon

Abstract: More than eighty years after the muon was first discovered, it is still a source of mystery. Indeed, experiments are underway or planned that use measurements of the muon's magnetic moment as a window to search for new physics — a central goal towards a deeper understanding of the fundamental particles and their interactions. The current difference between experiment and Standard-Model theory for the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon stands at 4.2 standard deviations. The Fermilab E989 experiment, which released their first measurement result in 2021, and the planned J-PARC E34 experiment aim to reduce the experimental uncertainties by a factor of four. To leverage this anticipated improvement in experimental precision, and determine unambiguously whether or not new-physics effects contribute to this quantity, the theoretical errors must be made more reliable and reduced to a commensurate level. The Muon g-2 Theory Initiative was formed in 2017 to provide platforms that facilitate interactions between the different groups to consolidate the Standard-Model prediction. Recent developments have created several puzzles in the evaluation of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution, which is the dominant source of theory uncertainty. I will review the current status of Standard Model theory for this quantity and map out the future prospects.