QCD Predictions for Meson Electromagnetic Form Factors at High Momenta: Testing Factorization in Exclusive Processes

Abstract

We report the first lattice QCD computation of pion and kaon electromagnetic form factors, $F_M(Q^2)$, at large momentum transfer up to 10 and 28 ${\mathrm{GeV}}^2$, respectively. Utilizing physical masses and two fine lattices, we achieve good agreement with JLab experimental results at $Q^2\lesssim 4{\mathrm{GeV}}^2$. For $Q^2\gtrsim 4{\mathrm{GeV}}^2$, our results provide $\text{ab-initio}$ QCD benchmarks for the forthcoming experiments at JLab 12 GeV and future electron-ion colliders. We also test the QCD collinear factorization framework utilizing our high-$Q^2$ form factors at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbation theory, which relates the form factors to the leading Fock-state meson distribution amplitudes. Comparisons with independent lattice QCD calculations using the same framework demonstrate, within estimated uncertainties, the universality of these nonperturbative quantities.

Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 181902; 15 pages, 9 figures