Abstract

The renormalizable Abelian quantum field theory model of Kroll, Lee, and Zumino is used at the one loop level to compute vertex corrections to the tree-level, Vector Meson Dominance (VMD) electromagnetic pion form factor. These corrections, together with the one-loop vacuum polarization contribution, imply a resulting electromagnetic pion form factor in excellent agreement with data in the whole range of accessible momentum transfers in the space-like region. The time-like form factor, which reproduces the Gounaris-Sakurai formula at and near the rho-meson peak, is unaffected by the vertex correction at order O (g2). The KLZ model is also used to compute the scalar radius of the pion at the one loop level, finding < rp 2 >S = 0.40 f m2. This value implies for the low energy constant of chiral perturbation theory over(l, -)4 = 3.4. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.