Chiral perturbation theory of muonic hydrogen Lamb shift: polarizability contribution

Abstract

The proton polarizability effect in the muonic-hydrogen Lamb shift comes out as a prediction of baryon chiral perturbation theory at leading order and our calculation yields for it: $\Delta E^{(\mathrm{pol})} (2P-2S) = 8^{+3}_{-1}\, \mu$eV. This result is consistent with most of evaluations based on dispersive sum rules, but is about a factor of two smaller than the recent result obtained in {\em heavy-baryon} chiral perturbation theory. We also find that the effect of $\Delta(1232)$-resonance excitation on the Lamb-shift is suppressed, as is the entire contribution of the magnetic polarizability; the electric polarizability dominates. Our results reaffirm the point of view that the proton structure effects, beyond the charge radius, are too small to resolve the `proton radius puzzle'.