Two-Loop Bethe logarithms for higher excited S levels -: art. no. 052108

Processes mediated by two virtual low-energy photons contribute quite significantly to the energy of hydrogenic S states. The corresponding level shift is of the order of (alpha/pi)(2) (Zalpha)(6) m(e)c(2) and may be ascribed to a two-loop generalization of the Bethe logarithm. For 1S and 2S states, the correction has recently been evaluated by Pachucki and Jentschura [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 113005 (2003)]. Here, we generalize the approach to higher excited S states, which in contrast to the 1S and 2S states can decay to P states via the electric-dipole (E1) channel. The more complex structure of the excited-state wave functions and the necessity to subtract P-state poles lead to additional calculational problems. In addition to the calculation of the excited-state two-loop energy shift, we investigate the ambiguity in the energy level definition due to squared decay rates.