Anomalous lepton-hadron interactions and gauge models

Abstract

Parameters for anomalous lepton-hadron interactions (such as their signs, $V$ and $A$ character, and allowed and forbidden nature of certain transitions) are abstracted from the class of guage models proposed earlier by the authors. This information is used to determine the strength of the anomalous interactions by fitting ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}{e}^{+}$-annihilation data. We then make quantitative estimates of the energy dependence of this cross section, the deviation of the ratio of ($\frac{{e}^{+}p}{{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}p}$) cross sections from unity at high ${q}^{2}$, and (apparent) deviations from scaling in $\mathrm{ep}$ scattering. Also discussed are consequences of anomalous interactions (with the restrictions mentioned above) on enhanced lepton production in hadronic collisions, hyperfine structure splitting in hydrogen, and leptonic decay modes of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and $\ensuremath{\eta}$. On the theoretical side, we discuss variants of the basic gauge model which allow the anomalous lepton-hadron interactions to be relevant at present energies. An analysis of the data involving ${e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ alone inclines one to the view that the electron is likely to be "strange" if its interaction with hadrons is "anomalous" at present energies. Further data are needed to test this possibility and also whether the muon and the electron neutrino are anomalous and whether parity is conserved in these anomalous lepton-hadron interactions. It may, of course, be that leptons do possess anomalously strong interactions but only at high energies proposed in our basic gauge model, in which case such interactions are irrelevant for SLAC energies. Several intriguing consequences of the maximal ${\mathrm{SU}(16)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathrm{SU}(16)}_{R}$ local symmetry are mentioned.