nLab radiative correction

Idea

In perturbative quantum field theory a radiative correction is a contribution to the Feynman perturbation series corresponding to Feynman diagrams that describe exchange of virtual quanta of radiation, such as photons (for electromagnetic radiation).

Example

• The main contribution to the Lamb shift (often referred to as the vertex correction) is due to the radiative correction induced by the electron emitting a virtual photon, then interacting with the background electromagnetic field, and and re-absorbing the virtual photon; described by this Feynman diagram:

Related concepts

• radiation

References

• C. Was, Radiative corrections, 1994 (pdf)

Specifically for Lamb shift-like corrections:

• Michael Eides, Howard Grotch, Valery A. Shelyuto, Theory of Light Hydrogenlike Atoms, Phys. Rept. 342:63-261, 2001 (arXiv:hep-ph/0002158)

On radiative corrections (ir)relevant for branching ratios in which flavour anomalies seem to be detected:

• Marzia Bordone, Gino Isidori, Andrea Pattori, On the Standard Model predictions for $R_K$ and $R_{K^\ast}$, Eur. Phys. J. C 76, 440 (2016). (arXiv:1605.07633, doi:10.1140/epjc/s10052-016-4274-7)