Factorization and resummation of QED radiative corrections for neutron beta decay

Details of the two-loop analysis of long-distance QED radiative corrections to neutron beta decay are presented. Explicit expressions are given for hard, jet, and soft functions appearing in the factorization formula that describes the limit of small electron mass and large electron energy. Numerical enhancements from the infrared region are resummed using renormalization group methods. Power corrections, cancellation of singularities in the small-mass expansion, renormalization scheme dependence, and bound-state effects are also discussed. These results provide the most precise determination of long-distance radiative corrections to neutron beta decay and impact the determination of <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <a:mo stretchy="false">|</a:mo> <a:msub> <a:mi>V</a:mi> <a:mrow> <a:mi>u</a:mi> <a:mi>d</a:mi> </a:mrow> </a:msub> <a:mo stretchy="false">|</a:mo> </a:math> from the measured neutron lifetime and thus set a target for uncertainty reductions in the experimental and short-distance inputs.