arXiv subjects

A. Schäfer

Publications and source records attributed to A. Schäfer.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Baryon Axial Charges and Momentum Fractions with N_f=2+1 Dynamical Fermions

We report on recent results of the QCDSF/UKQCD Collaboration on investigations of baryon structure using configurations generated with N_f=2+1 dynamical flavours of O(a) improved Wilson fermions. With the strange quark mass as an additional dynamical degree of freedom in our simulations we avoid the need for a partially quenched approximation when investigating the properties of particles containing a strange quark, e.g. the hyperons. In particular, we will focus on the nucleon and hyperon axial charges and quark momentum fractions.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2011

Hyperon Form Factors from N_f=2+1 QCD

We present results from the QCDSF/UKQCD collaboration for the electromagnetic and semi-leptonic form factors for the hyperons. The simulations are performed on our new ensembles generated with 2+1 flavours of dynamical O(a)-improved Wilson fermions. A unique feature of these configurations is that the quark masses are tuned so that the singlet quark mass is held fixed at its physical value. We use 5 such choices of the individual quark masses on 24^3x48 lattices with a lattice spacing of about 0.078 fm.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2011

Nucleon form factors and structure functions

We give an update on our ongoing efforts to compute the nucleon's form factors and moments of structure functions using Nf=2 flavours of non-perturbatively improved Clover fermions. We focus on new results obtained on gauge configurations where the pseudo-scalar meson mass is in the range of 170-270 MeV. We will compare our results with various estimates obtained from chiral effective theories since we have some overlap with the quark mass region where results from such theories are believed to be applicable.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Flavour symmetry breaking and tuning the strange quark mass for 2+1 quark flavours

QCD lattice simulations with 2+1 flavours typically start at rather large up-down and strange quark masses and extrapolate first the strange quark mass to its physical value and then the up-down quark mass. An alternative method of tuning the quark masses is discussed here in which the singlet quark mass is kept fixed, which ensures that the kaon always has mass less than the physical kaon mass. Using group theory the possible quark mass polynomials for a Taylor expansion about the flavour symmetric line are found, which enables highly constrained fits to be used in the extrapolation of hadrons to the physical pion mass. Numerical results confirm the usefulness of this expansion and an extrapolation to the physical pion mass gives hadron mass values to within a few percent of their experimental values.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Nucleon and $N^* (1535)$ Distribution Amplitudes

The QCDSF collaboration has investigated the distribution amplitudes and wavefunction normalization constants of the nucleon and its parity partner, the $N^* (1535)$. We report on recent progress in the calculation of these quantities on configurations with two dynamical flavors of $\mathcal{O}(a)$-improved Wilson fermions. New data at pion masses of approximately 270 MeV helps in significantly reducing errors in the extrapolation to the physical point.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Renormalisation of composite operators in lattice QCD: perturbative versus nonperturbative

The perturbative and nonperturbative renormalisation of quark-antiquark operators in lattice QCD with two flavours of clover fermions is investigated within the research programme of the QCDSF collaboration. Operators with up to three derivatives are considered. The nonperturbative results based on the RI-MOM scheme are compared with estimates from one- and two-loop lattice perturbation theory.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

Chaotic behavior in classical Yang-Mills dynamics

Understanding the underlying mechanisms causing rapid thermalization deduced for high-energy heavy ion collisions is still a challenge. To estimate the thermalization time, entropy growth for classical Yang-Mills theories is studied, based on the determination of Lyapunov exponents. Distinct regimes for short, medium and long sampling times are characterized by different properties of their spectrum of Lyapunov exponents. Clarifying the existence of these regimes and their implications for gauge-field dynamics is one of the results of this contribution. As a phenomenological application we conclude that for pure gauge theories with random initial conditions thermalization occurs within few fm/c, an estimate which can be reduced by the inclusion of fermions, specific initial conditions, etc.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Tuning the strange quark mass in lattice simulations

QCD lattice simulations with 2+1 flavours typically start at rather large up-down and strange quark masses and extrapolate first the strange quark mass to its physical value and then the up-down quark mass. An alternative method of tuning the quark masses is discussed here in which the singlet quark mass is kept fixed, which ensures that the kaon always has mass less than the physical kaon mass. It can also take into account the different renormalisations (for singlet and non-singlet quark masses) occurring for non-chirally invariant lattice fermions and so allows a smooth extrapolation to the physical quark masses. This procedure enables a wide range of quark masses to be probed, including the case with a heavy up-down quark mass and light strange quark mass. Results show the correct order for the baryon octet and decuplet spectrum and an extrapolation to the physical pion mass gives mass values to within a few percent of their experimental values.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

QPACE -- a QCD parallel computer based on Cell processors

QPACE is a novel parallel computer which has been developed to be primarily used for lattice QCD simulations. The compute power is provided by the IBM PowerXCell 8i processor, an enhanced version of the Cell processor that is used in the Playstation 3. The QPACE nodes are interconnected by a custom, application optimized 3-dimensional torus network implemented on an FPGA. To achieve the very high packaging density of 26 TFlops per rack a new water cooling concept has been developed and successfully realized. In this paper we give an overview of the architecture and highlight some important technical details of the system. Furthermore, we provide initial performance results and report on the installation of 8 QPACE racks providing an aggregate peak performance of 200 TFlops.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Lattice Investigations of Nucleon Structure at Light Quark Masses

Lattice simulations of hadronic structure are now reaching a level where they are able to not only complement, but also provide guidance to current and forthcoming experimental programmes at, e.g. Jefferson Lab, COMPASS/CERN and FAIR/GSI. By considering new simulations at low quark masses and on large volumes, we review the recent progress that has been made in this exciting area by the QCDSF/UKQCD collaboration. In particular, results obtained close to the physical point for several quantities, including electromagnetic form factors and moments of ordinary parton distribution functions, show some indication of approaching their phenomenological values.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Semileptonic form factors D to pi, K and B to pi, K from a fine lattice

We extract the form factors relevant for semileptonic decays of D and B mesons from a relativistic computation on a fine lattice in the quenched approximation. The lattice spacing is a=0.04 fm (corresponding to a^{-1}=4.97 GeV), which allows us to run very close to the physical B meson mass, and to reduce the systematic errors associated with the extrapolation in terms of a heavy quark expansion. For decays of D and D_s mesons, our results for the physical form factors at q^2=0 are as follows: f_+^{D to pi}(0)= 0.74(6)(4), f_+^{D to K}(0)= 0.78(5)(4) and f_+^{D_s to K}(0)=0.68(4)(3). Similarly, for B and B_s we find: f_+^{B to pi}(0)=0.27(7)(5), f_+^{B to K}(0)=0.32(6)(6) and f_+^{B_s to K}(0)=0.23(5)(4). We compare our results with other quenched and unquenched lattice calculations, as well as with light-cone sum rule predictions, finding good agreement.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Excited hadrons in n_f=2 QCD

The chirally improved (CI) fermion action allows us to obtain results for pion masses down to 320 MeV on (in lattice units) comparatively small lattices with physical extent of 2.4 fm. We use differently smeared quarks sources to build sets of several interpolators. The variational method then leads to excellent ground state masses for most mesons and baryons. The excited state signals weaken in quality towards smaller quark masses. In particular the excited baryons come out too high.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Results from 2+1 flavours of SLiNC fermions

QCD results are presented for a 2+1 flavour fermion clover action (which we call the SLiNC action). A method of tuning the quark masses to their physical values is discussed. In this method the singlet quark mass is kept fixed, which solves the problem of different renormalisations (for singlet and non-singlet quark masses) occuring for non-chirally invariant lattice fermions. This procedure enables a wide range of quark masses to be probed, including the case with a heavy up-down quark mass and light strange quark mass. Preliminary results show the correct splittings for the baryon (octet and) decuplet spectrum.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

From 0 to 5000 in $2\times 10^{-24}$ seconds: Entropy production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We review what is known about the contributions to the final entropy from the different stages of a relativistic nuclear collision, including recent results on the decoherence entropy and the entropy produced during the hydrodynamic phase by viscous effects. We then present a general framework, based on the Husimi distribution function, for the calculation of entropy growth in quantum field theories, which is applicable to the earliest ("glasma") phase of the collision during which most of the entropy is generated. The entropy calculated from the Husimi distribution exhibits linear growth when the quantum field contains unstable modes and is asymptotically equal to the Kolmogorov-Sinaï (KS) entropy. We outline how the approach can be used to investigate the problem of entropy production in a relativistic heavy-ion reaction from first principles.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2009

The spin structure of the pion

We present the first calculation of the transverse spin structure of the pion in lattice QCD. Our simulations are based on two flavors of non-perturbatively improved Wilson fermions, with pion masses as low as 400 MeV in volumes up to (2.1 fm)^3 and lattice spacings below 0.1 fm. We find a characteristic asymmetry in the spatial distribution of transversely polarized quarks. This asymmetry is very similar in magnitude to the analogous asymmetry we previously obtained for quarks in the nucleon. Our results support the hypothesis that all Boer-Mulders functions are alike.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Intrinsic quark transverse momentum in the nucleon from lattice QCD

A better understanding of transverse momentum (k_T-) dependent quark distributions in a hadron is needed to interpret several experimentally observed large angular asymmetries and to clarify the fundamental role of gauge links in non-abelian gauge theories. Based on manifestly non-local gauge invariant quark operators we introduce process-independent k_T-distributions and study their properties in lattice QCD. We find that the longitudinal and transverse momentum dependence approximately factorizes, in contrast to the behavior of generalized parton distributions. The resulting quark k_T-probability densities for the nucleon show characteristic dipole deformations due to correlations between intrinsic k_T and the quark or nucleon spin. Our lattice calculations are based on N_f=2+1 mixed action propagators of the LHP collaboration.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

2+1 Flavor QCD simulated in the epsilon-regime in different topological sectors

We generated configurations with the parametrized fixed-point Dirac operator D_{FP} on a (1.6 fm)^4 box at a lattice spacing a=0.13 fm. We compare the distributions of the three lowest k=1,2,3 eigenvalues in the nu= 0,1,2 topological sectors with that of the Random Matrix Theory predictions. The ratios of expectation values of the lowest eigenvalues and the cumulative eigenvalue distributions are studied for all combinations of k and nu. After including the finite size correction from one-loop chiral perturbation theory we obtained for the chiral condensate in the MSbar scheme Sigma(2GeV)^{1/3}=0.239(11) GeV, where the error is statistical only.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2009

Non-perturbative improvement of stout-smeared three flavour clover fermions

We discuss a 3-flavour lattice QCD action with clover improvement in which the fermion matrix has single level stout smearing for the hopping terms together with unsmeared links for the clover term. With the (tree-level) Symanzik improved gluon action this constitutes the Stout Link Non-perturbative Clover or SLiNC action. To cancel O(a) terms the clover term coefficient has to be tuned. We present here results of a non-perturbative determination of this coefficient using the Schroedinger functional and as a by-product a determination of the critical hopping parameter. Comparisons of the results are made with lowest order perturbation theory.

hep-lat↗