arXiv subjects

Amy Nicholson

Publications and source records attributed to Amy Nicholson.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Two-Nucleon Higher Partial-Wave Scattering from Lattice QCD

We present a determination of nucleon-nucleon scattering phase shifts for l >= 0. The S, P, D and F phase shifts for both the spin-triplet and spin-singlet channels are computed with lattice Quantum ChromoDynamics. For l > 0, this is the first lattice QCD calculation using the Luscher finite-volume formalism. This required the design and implementation of novel lattice methods involving displaced sources and momentum-space cubic sinks. To demonstrate the utility of our approach, the calculations were performed in the SU(3)-flavor limit where the light quark masses have been tuned to the physical strange quark mass, corresponding to m_pi = m_K ~ 800 MeV. In this work, we have assumed that only the lowest partial waves contribute to each channel, ignoring the unphysical partial wave mixing that arises within the finite-volume formalism. This assumption is only valid for sufficiently low energies; we present evidence that it holds for our study using two different channels. Two spatial volumes of V ~ (3.5 fm)^3 and V ~ (4.6 fm)^3 were used. The finite-volume spectrum is extracted from the exponential falloff of the correlation functions. Said spectrum is mapped onto the infinite volume phase shifts using the generalization of the Luscher formalism for two-nucleon systems.

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arXiv2016

Neutrinoless double beta decay from lattice QCD

While the discovery of non-zero neutrino masses is one of the most important accomplishments by physicists in the past century, it is still unknown how and in what form these masses arise. Lepton number-violating neutrinoless double beta decay is a natural consequence of Majorana neutrinos and many BSM theories, and many experimental efforts are involved in the search for these processes. Understanding how neutrinoless double beta decay would manifest in nuclear environments is key for understanding any observed signals. In these proceedings we present an overview of a set of one- and two-body matrix elements relevant for experimental searches for neutrinoless double beta decay, describe the role of lattice QCD calculations, and present preliminary lattice QCD results.

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arXiv2016

Low energy scattering phase shifts for meson-baryon systems

In this work, we calculate meson-baryon scattering phase shifts in four channels using lattice QCD methods. From a set of calculations at four volumes, corresponding to spatial sizes of 2, 2.5, 3, and 4 fm, and a pion mass of m_pi ~ 390 MeV, we determine the scattering lengths and effective ranges for these systems at the corresponding quark masses. We also perform the calculation at a lighter quark mass, m_pi ~ 230 MeV, on the largest volume. Using these determinations, along with those in previous work, we perform a chiral extrapolation of the scattering lengths to the physical point after correcting for the effective range contributions using the multi-volume calculations performed at m_pi ~ 390 MeV.

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arXiv2015

Nuclear Parity Violation from Lattice QCD

The electroweak interaction at the level of quarks and gluons are well understood from precision measurements in high energy collider experiments. Relating these fundamental parameters to Hadronic Parity Violation in nuclei however remains an outstanding theoretical challenge. One of the most interesting observables in this respect is the parity violating hadronic neutral current: it is hard to measure in collider experiments and is thus the least constrained observable of the Standard Model. Precision measurements of parity violating transitions in nuclei can help to improve these constraints. In these systems however, the weak interaction is masked by effects of the seven orders of magnitude stronger non-perturbative strong interaction. Therefore, in order to relate experimental measurements of the parity violating pion-nucleon couplings to the fundamental Lagrangian of the SM, these non-perturbative effects have to be well understood. In this paper, we are going to present a Lattice QCD approach for computing the $ΔI{=}2$ parity violating matrix element in proton proton scattering. This process does not involve disconnected diagrams in the isospin symmetric limit and is thus a perfect testbed for studying the feasibility of the more involved calculation of the parity violating pion-nucleon coupling.

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arXiv2015

Two-nucleon scattering in multiple partial waves

We determine scattering phase shifts for S,P,D, and F partial wave channels in two-nucleon systems using lattice QCD methods. We use a generalization of Luscher's finite volume method to determine infinite volume phase shifts from a set of finite volume ground- and excited-state energy levels on two volumes, V=(3.4 fm)^3 and V=(4.5 fm)^3. The calculations are performed in the SU(3)-flavor limit, corresponding to a pion mass of approximately 800 MeV. From the energy dependence of the phase shifts we are able to extract scattering parameters corresponding to an effective range expansion.

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