Cheng, PengYao, Zhao-QuianBinosi, DanieleRoberts, Craig D.2026-02-252026-02-252025Cheng, P., Yao, Z.-Q., Binosi, D., & Roberts, C. D. (2025). Likelihood of a zero in the proton elastic electric form factor. Physics Letters B, 862, 139323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2025.1393230370-26931873-2445 (electrónico)https://hdl.handle.net/10272/28009Working with the 29 available data on the ratio of proton electric and magnetic form factors, 𝜇𝑝𝐺𝑝𝐸(𝑄2)/𝐺𝑝𝑀(𝑄2), and independent of any model or theory of strong interactions, we use the Schlessinger point method to objectively address the question of whether the ratio possesses a zero and, if so, its location. Our analysis predicts that, with 50% cofidence, the data are consistent with the existence of a zero in the ratio on 𝑄2 ≤ 10.37 GeV2. The level of cofidence increases to 99.9% on 𝑄2 ≤ 13.06 GeV2. Significantly, the likelihood that existing data are consistent with the absence of a zero in the ratio on 𝑄2 ≤ 14.49 eV2 is 1∕1-million.engAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Elastic electromagnetic form factorsElectron + proton scatteringMathematical methods in physicsProton structureQuantum chromodynamicsSchlessinger point methodjournal article10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139323open access2207 Física Atómica y Nuclear1206 Análisis Numérico