[Physics] Most trivial neutral pion decay

pionsquantum-chromodynamicsquantum-electrodynamicsquarks

Literature states neutral pion decay by QED cannot occur directly because the pion is uncharged.
pion decay from http://www.physnet.org/modules/pdf_modules/m279.pdf

However, I cannot see why Photons are not allowed to interact with the Quarks directly.
direct interaction

Please elaborate which statement is false and why.

Best Answer

A comment which answered the question:

Your quark diagram is incomplete. You skipped the vertex $\pi^0 \bar{u} u$ involving a pion resolving to this virtual pair of quarks, and ending up with the type of triangle diagram similar to the old-fashioned one involving virtual Ks or ps. Remarkably, when you include all u and d quarks of all colors, you get roughly the same rate in the hadron triangle calculation, as in the quark triangle calculation.

Do the hadronic processes contribute/exist or are they just of historic meaning?

The hadronic processes are not used anymore, and , as such, they are historical vestiges, superceded by the quark calculations. Nevertheless, as an effective low energy calculational technique, they never had their death certified: lots of alternative techniques can live side-by-side in complementarity. The states in the triangles are virtual, so "exist" is a charged and evanescent fighting word!