Non-factorizable corrections and effective field theories

We analyze the structure of higher-order radiative corrections for processes with unstable particles. In particular, we study a model with an unstable, scalar boson decaying into fermions that are subject to gauge interactions. We neglect effects from real radiation. By subsequently integrating out the various scales that are induced by the presence of unstable particles we obtain a hierarchy of effective field theories. In the effective field theory framework the separation of physically different effects is achieved naturally. In particular, we automatically obtain a separation of factorizable and non-factorizable corrections to all orders in perturbation theory. At one loop this treatment is equivalent to the double-pole approximation (DPA). It is known that one-loop non-factorizable corrections to invariant mass distributions are suppressed at high energy. We study the mechanism of this suppression and obtain estimates of higher-order non-factorizable corrections at high energy. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.