Implications of the Principle of Maximum Conformality for the QCD Strong Coupling

Abstract: The Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) provides scale-fixed perturbative QCD predictions which are independent of the choice of the renormalization scheme, as well as the choice of the initial renormalization scale. In this article, we will test the PMC by comparing its predictions for the strong coupling \alpha^s_{g_1}(Q), defined from the Bjorken sum rule, with predictions using conventional pQCD scale-setting. The two results are found to be compatible with each other and with the available experimental data. However, the PMC provides a significantly more precise determination, although its domain of applicability (Q \gtrsim 1.5 GeV) does not extend to as small values of momentum transfer as that of a conventional pQCD analysis (Q \gtrsim 1 GeV). We suggest that the PMC range of applicability could be improved by a modified intermediate scheme choice or using a single effective PMC scale.