Challenging Conventional Wisdom in QCD Perturbation Theory

A recent paper titled "QCD Perturbation Theory: It's not what you were taught" by P. M. Stevenson presents significant insights into Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The paper, submitted on September 2, 2024, challenges conventional understanding by asserting that physical quantities in QCD do not depend on the strong coupling constant, denoted as (\alpha_s(Q)). Stevenson emphasizes that there is no experimental method to measure (\alpha_s(Q)), a claim that may surprise many in the field.

The author argues that the traditional view of renormalized perturbation theory as a simple power-series expansion is misleading. Instead, he posits that the ambiguity in renormalization schemes is a fundamental aspect of the theory, suggesting that invariance under redefinitions of the coupling should be regarded as a crucial symmetry.

Stevenson calls for a shift in mindset within the scientific community regarding perturbative QCD, stating that without this change, the field cannot progress as a scientific discipline. The paper spans 16 pages and includes three figures to illustrate its points.

This work is positioned within the broader context of high energy physics, specifically in the phenomenology and theoretical aspects of QCD. The findings could have implications for future research and experimental approaches in the field, as they challenge established norms and encourage a reevaluation of methods used in QCD studies.

For those interested in further details, the full paper can be accessed at arXiv:2409.01228.