Radiative corrections to neutrino-induced neutral-current phenomena in the SU(2)L×U(1) theory

Weak corrections of order α to ν-induced neutral-current phenomena are studied in the SU(2)_L×U(1) theory. Calculations are carried out using a simple renormalization framework in which θ_W=m_Wm_z exactly and amplitudes are expressed in terms of G_μ, the universal constant of the weak interactions obtained from muon decay. To rigorously evaluate corrections to hadronic vertices, we employ the current-algebra formulation of radiative corrections. Our main emphasis is on large-momentum-transfer processes such as deep-inelastic scattering; however, we also discuss low-momentum transfers and ν-lepton interactions. We find that the weak radiative corrections to ν-hadron neutral-current scattering give rise to a universal renormalization factor ρ^(νh)_Nc multiplying the overall amplitude, a correction factor κ^(νh)(q²) multiplying ²θ_W, and two new induced currents not present at the tree level. For nonexotic values of m_φ1 (Higgs-scalar mass) and m_t t-quark mass), the corrections ρ^(νh)_Nc- 1 and κ^(νh)(q²)- 1 turn out to be small over a wide range of momentum transfers. The smallness of these corrections is mainly due to the renormalization framework employed; but it is helped by a subtle partial cancellation between hadronic and bosonic contributions. Photonic corrections to the hadronic vertices are also briefly discussed in the leading-logarithm approximation of the quark-parton model. Detailed expressions for the ZZ, WW, γZ, and γγ self-energies along with a discussion of the effect of large m_t on these quantities are given. They play an important role in our renormalization scheme and are useful in the study of radiative corrections to many other processes of physical interest.