arXiv subjects

Andrew D. Hanlon

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew D. Hanlon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Proton isovector helicity PDF at NNLO and the twist-3 moment $\tilde{d}_2$ from lattice QCD at physical quark masses

We present a lattice quantum chromodynamics calculation of the $x$-dependent isovector quark helicity parton distribution function (PDF) of the proton in the large momentum effective theory (LaMET) framework. Through operator product expansion (OPE) we also extract the $\tilde{d}_2$ moment of the twist-3 PDF $g_T(x)$ for the first time in the $\overline{\rm MS}$ scheme, which is proportional to the average color Lorentz force experienced by the quark in the proton. This calculation is performed on a lattice of spacing $a$ = 0.076 fm at physical quark masses. The quasi-PDF matrix elements are measured in proton states boosted to momenta $P_z=\{0, 0.25, 1.02, 1.53\}$ GeV. We first extract the lowest few helicity PDF moments from the renormalization-group (RG) invariant ratios of the matrix elements with OPE. Combined with the matrix elements relevant for $g_T(x)$, we obtain $\tilde{d}_2^{u-d}(2\ {\rm GeV})=0.0024(46)$ at next-to-leading order in $\overline{\rm MS}$. Then, the helicity quasi-PDF matrix elements are renormalized in the hybrid scheme with linear renormalon resummation and Fourier transformed to the $x$-space after an asymptotic extrapolation. The quasi-PDF is perturbatively matched to the $\overline{\rm MS}$ PDF with RG and threshold resummations at next-to-leading power and next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracies. After resummations, we determine the PDF in the region $x\in[0.25,0.75]$ with controlled systematic uncertainties. The end-point regions are then parameterized, combined with the LaMET prediction at moderate $x$, and fitted to the short-distance matrix elements in coordinate space.

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arXiv2026

Investigating the role of tetraquark operators in lattice QCD studies of the $a_0(980)$ and $\kappa$ resonances

The role of tetraquark operators in studying the isodoublet strange $\kappa$ and isovector nonstrange $a_0(980)$ scalar mesons in lattice QCD is examined using an ensemble with $m_\pi\approx230$ MeV and spatial extent $L$ such that $m_\pi L\approx4.4$. Hermitian correlation matrices using both single-meson, meson-meson, and tetraquark interpolating operators are used to extract the spectrum of finite-volume stationary states in the appropriate symmetry channels. Hundreds of local and extended tetraquark operators are explored. Determinations of the spectrum in each channel are found to be unreliable without the inclusion of at least one tetraquark operator. For example, the inclusion of tetraquark operators with isospin 1/2 and strangeness 1 quantum numbers reveals the existence of an additional energy level in the $K\eta$ sub-system below the $K\eta$ threshold. The implications of this on parametrizing the scattering $K$-matrix through a well-known quantization condition to extract properties of the $\kappa$ and $a_0(980)$ scalar meson resonances are discussed.

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arXiv2026

Preliminary study of the $H$ dibaryon in $N_{\rm f}=2+1$ lattice QCD

We present preliminary results on the $I=0$, $S=-2$ $H$ dibaryon in $N_{\rm f}=2+1$ QCD. The calculation is performed with heavier-than-physical quarks ($m_π\approx 280$ MeV) on a single CLS ensemble. Correlation matrices are constructed using the distillation technique and the three relevant channels, $ΛΛ$, $NΞ$, $ΣΣ$, are investigated to determine the interacting spectrum relevant for $S$-wave across multiple momentum frames. The scattering amplitude is determined by solving the corresponding two-body quantization condition. These preliminary results are part of the ongoing efforts to determine the properties of di-hyperons and to establish whether the $H$ dibaryon exists down to physical quark masses.

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arXiv2026

Di-nucleons do not form bound states at heavy pion mass

We perform a high-statistics lattice QCD calculation of the low-energy two-nucleon scattering amplitudes. In order to address discrepancies in the literature, the calculation is performed at a heavy pion mass in the limit that the light quark masses are equal to the physical strange quark mass, $m_π= m_K \simeq 714 $ MeV. Using a state-of-the-art momentum space method, we rule out the presence of a bound di-nucleon in both the isospin 0 (deuteron) and 1 (di-neutron) channels, in contrast with many previous results that made use of compact hexaquark creation operators. In order to diagnose the discrepancy, we add such hexaquark interpolating operators to our basis and find that they do not affect the determination of the two-nucleon finite volume spectrum, and thus they do not couple to deeply bound di-nucleons that are missed by the momentum-space operators. Further, we perform a high-statistics calculation of the HAL QCD potential on the same gauge ensembles and find qualitative agreement with our main results. We conclude that di-nucleons do not form bound states at heavy pion masses and that previous identification of deeply bound di-nucleons must have arisen from a misidentification of the spectrum from off-diagonal elements of a correlation function.

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arXiv2025

Two- and three-meson scattering amplitudes with physical quark masses from lattice QCD

We study systems of two and three mesons composed of pions and kaons at maximal isospin using four CLS ensembles with $a\approx 0.063\;$fm, including one with approximately physical quark masses. Using the stochastic Laplacian-Heaviside method, we determine the energy spectrum of these systems including many levels in different momentum frames and irreducible representations. Using the relativistic two- and three-body finite-volume formalism, we constrain the two and three-meson K matrices, including not only the leading $s$ wave, but also $p$ and $d$ waves. By solving the three-body integral equations, we determine, for the first time, the physical-point scattering amplitudes for $3π^+$, $3K^+$, $π^+π^+ K^+$ and $K^+ K^+ π^+$ systems. These are determined for total angular momentum $J^P=0^-$, $1^+$, and $2^-$. We also obtain accurate results for $2π^+$, $π^+ K^+$, and $2K^+$ phase shifts. We compare our results to Chiral Perturbation Theory, and to phenomenological fits.

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arXiv2025

QCD predictions for physical multimeson scattering amplitudes

We use lattice QCD calculations of the finite-volume spectra of systems of two and three mesons to determine, for the first time, three-particle scattering amplitudes with physical quark masses. Our results are for combinations of $π^+$ and $K^+$, at a lattice spacing $a=0.063\;$fm, and in the isospin-symmetric limit. We also obtain accurate results for maximal-isospin two-meson amplitudes, with those for $π^+ K^+$ and $2K^+$ being the first determinations at the physical point. Dense lattice spectra are obtained using the stochastic Laplacian-Heaviside method, and the analysis leading to scattering amplitudes is done using the relativistic finite-volume formalism. Results are compared to chiral perturbation theory and to phenomenological fits to experimental data, finding good agreement.

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arXiv2024

QCD Predictions for Meson Electromagnetic Form Factors at High Momenta: Testing Factorization in Exclusive Processes

We report the first lattice QCD computation of pion and kaon electromagnetic form factors, $F_M(Q^2)$, at large momentum transfer up to 10 and 28 $\mathrm{GeV}^2$, respectively. Utilizing physical masses and two fine lattices, we achieve good agreement with JLab experimental results at $Q^2 \lesssim 4~\mathrm{GeV}^2$. For $Q^2 \gtrsim 4~\mathrm{GeV}^2$, our results provide $\textit{ab-initio}$ QCD benchmarks for the forthcoming experiments at JLab 12 GeV and future electron-ion colliders. We also test the QCD collinear factorization framework utilizing our high-$Q^2$ form factors at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbation theory, which relates the form factors to the leading Fock-state meson distribution amplitudes. Comparisons with independent lattice QCD calculations using the same framework demonstrate, within estimated uncertainties, the universality of these nonperturbative quantities.

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arXiv2024

Transversity PDFs of the proton from lattice QCD with physical quark masses

We present a lattice QCD calculation of the transversity isovector- and isoscalar-quark parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton utilizing a perturbative matching at next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy. Additionally, we determine the isovector and isoscalar tensor charges for the proton. In both calculations, the disconnected contributions to the isoscalar matrix elements have been ignored. The calculations are performed using a single ensemble of $N_f = 2 +1$ highly-improved staggered quarks simulated with physical-mass quarks and a lattice spacing of $a = 0.076$ fm. The Wilson-clover action, with physical quark masses and smeared gauge links obtained from one iteration of hypercubic smearing, is used in the valence sector. Using the NLO operator product expansion, we extract the lowest four to six Mellin moments and the PDFs via a neural network from the matrix elements in the pseudo-PDF approach. In addition, we calculate the PDFs in the quasi-PDF approach with hybrid-scheme renormalization and the recently developed leading-renormalon resummation technique, at NLO with the resummation of leading small-$x$ logarithms.

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arXiv2024

Hadron spectroscopy and few-body dynamics from lattice QCD

Despite quantum chromodynamics (QCD) being established as the theory of the strong interaction and its many successes since then, significant challenges in our understanding of hadron physics remain. The lack of a full understanding for how the observed hadrons arise from the quark and gluon degrees of freedom which define QCD represents a real challenge in connecting the theory to experiment. In particular, the rich spectrum of hadrons marks a significant gap in our understanding, as no model can currently explain all observed hadrons and QCD itself has only been used to study a small subset of the full spectrum. The significant hurdle for using QCD directly is due to the non-perturbative nature of the theory at low energies, requiring methods like lattice QCD. Here, the spectrum of hadrons and how it relates to few-body dynamics is reviewed, with a focus on state-of-the-art methods for their study through lattice QCD.

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arXiv2024

Lattice QCD study of $πΣ-\bar{K}N$ scattering and the $Λ(1405)$ resonance

A lattice QCD computation of the coupled channel $πΣ-\bar{K}N$ scattering amplitudes in the $Λ(1405)$ region is detailed. Results are obtained using a single ensemble of gauge field configurations with $N_{\rm f} = 2+1$ dynamical quark flavors and $m_π \approx 200$ MeV and $m_K\approx487$ MeV. Hermitian correlation matrices using both single baryon and meson-baryon interpolating operators for a variety of different total momenta and irreducible representations are used. Several parametrizations of the two-channel scattering $K$-matrix are utilized to obtain the scattering amplitudes from the finite-volume spectrum. The amplitudes, continued to the complex energy plane, exhibit a virtual bound state below the $πΣ$ threshold and a resonance pole just below the $\bar{K}N$ threshold.

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arXiv2024

Two-pole nature of the $Λ(1405)$ from lattice QCD

This letter presents the first lattice QCD computation of the coupled channel $πΣ-\bar{K}N$ scattering amplitudes at energies near $1405\,{\rm MeV}$. These amplitudes contain the resonance $Λ(1405)$ with strangeness $S=-1$ and isospin, spin, and parity quantum numbers $I(J^P)=0(1/2^-)$. However, whether there is a single resonance or two nearby resonance poles in this region is controversial theoretically and experimentally. Using single-baryon and meson-baryon operators to extract the finite-volume stationary-state energies to obtain the scattering amplitudes at slightly unphysical quark masses corresponding to $m_π\approx200$ MeV and $m_K\approx487$ MeV, this study finds the amplitudes exhibit a virtual bound state below the $πΣ$ threshold in addition to the established resonance pole just below the $\bar{K}N$ threshold. Several parametrizations of the two-channel $K$-matrix are employed to fit the lattice QCD results, all of which support the two-pole picture suggested by $SU(3)$ chiral symmetry and unitarity.

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arXiv2023

The $Λ(1405)$ from Lattice QCD: Determining the Finite-volume Spectra

This work presents technical details of determining the finite-volume energy spectra for the scattering amplitude of the coupled-channel $πΣ- \bar{K}N$ from lattice QCD data. The importance of reliably extracting such spectra lies in the crucial dependence of the hadronic scattering amplitudes analysis on the energy spectrum when using Lüscher's formalism. Results of the methods used are presented and the final finite-volume spectra are shown. The analysis of the scattering amplitude based on these results, exhibits a two-pole structure for the $Λ(1405)$, a virtual bound state below the $πΣ$ threshold and a resonance pole right below the $\bar{K}N$ threshold.

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arXiv2023

Lattice QCD studies of the $Δ$ baryon resonance and the $K_0^\ast(700)$ and $a_0(980)$ meson resonances: the role of exotic operators in determining the finite-volume spectrum

Studies of the $Δ$ baryon resonance and the $K_0^\ast(700)$ and $a_0(980)$ meson resonances using $N_f=2+1$ lattice QCD for pion masses near 200 MeV are presented. The $s$-wave scattering lengths for both the $I=1/2$ $N π$ and $I=3/2$ $N π$ channels and properties of the $Δ$ resonance are identified from the finite-volume energy levels of the lattice simulation. The importance of a three-quark $Δ$-operator in the $Nπ$ system and tetraquark operators in the mesonic systems is investigated.

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arXiv2023

Low-lying baryon resonances from lattice QCD

Recent results studying the masses and widths of low-lying baryon resonances in lattice QCD are presented. The $S$-wave $Nπ$ scattering lengths for both total isospins $I = 1/2$ and $I = 3/2$ are inferred from the finite-volume spectrum below the inelastic threshold together with the $I = 3/2$ $P$-wave containing the $Δ(1232)$ resonance. A lattice QCD computation employing a combined basis of three-quark and meson-baryon interpolating operators with definite momentum to determine the coupled channel $Σπ$-$N\overline{K}$ scattering amplitude in the $Λ(1405)$ region is also presented. Our results support the picture of a two-pole structure suggested by theoretical approaches based on $SU(3)$ chiral symmetry and unitarity.

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arXiv2023

Interactions of $πK$, $ππK$ and $KKπ$ systems at maximal isospin from lattice QCD

We study the interactions of systems of two and three nondegenerate mesons composed of pions and kaons at maximal isospin using lattice QCD, specifically $π^+K^+$, $π^+π^+K^+$ and $K^+K^+π^+$. Utilizing the stochastic LapH method, we determine the spectrum of these systems on two CLS $N_f=2+1$ ensembles with pion masses of $200$ MeV and $340$ MeV, and include many levels in different momentum frames. We constrain the K matrices describing two- and three-particle interactions by fitting the spectrum to the results predicted by the finite-volume formalism, including up to $p$ waves. This requires also results for the $π^+π^+$ and $K^+ K^+$ spectrum, which have been obtained previously on the same configurations. We explore different fitting strategies, comparing fits to energy shifts with fits to energies boosted to the rest frame, and also comparing simultaneous global fits to all relevant two- and three-particle channels to those where we first fit two-particle channels and then add in the three-particle information. We provide the first determination of the three-particle K matrix in $π^+π^+K^+$ and $K^+ K^+ π^+$ systems, finding statistically significant nonzero results in most cases. We include $s$ and $p$ waves in the K matrix for $π^+ K^+$ scattering, finding evidence for an attractive $p$-wave scattering length. We compare our results to Chiral Perturbation Theory, including an investigation of the impact of discretization errors, for which we provide the leading order predictions obtained using Wilson Chiral Perturbation Theory.

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arXiv2023

Unpolarized proton PDF at NNLO from lattice QCD with physical quark masses

We present a lattice QCD calculation of the unpolarized isovector quark parton distribution function (PDF) of the proton utilizing a perturbative matching at next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO). The calculations are carried out using a single ensemble of gauge configurations generated with $N_f = 2 + 1$ highly-improved staggered quarks with physical masses and a lattice spacing of $a = 0.076$ fm. We use one iteration of hypercubic smearing on these gauge configurations, and the resulting smeared configurations are then used for all aspects of the subsequent calculation. For the valence quarks, we use the Wilson-clover action with physical quark masses. We consider several methods for extracting information on the PDF. We first extract the lowest four Mellin moments using the leading-twist operator product expansion approximation. Then, we determine the $x$ dependence of the PDF through a deep neural network within the pseudo-PDF approach and additionally through the framework of large-momentum effective theory utilizing a hybrid renormalization scheme. This is the first application of the NNLO matching coefficients for the nucleon directly at the physical point.

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arXiv2023

Elastic nucleon-pion scattering at $m_π = 200~{\rm MeV}$ from lattice QCD

Elastic nucleon-pion scattering amplitudes are computed using lattice QCD on a single ensemble of gauge field configurations with $N_{\rm f} = 2+1$ dynamical quark flavors and $m_π = 200~{\rm MeV}$. The $s$-wave scattering lengths with both total isospins $I=1/2$ and $I=3/2$ are inferred from the finite-volume spectrum below the inelastic threshold together with the $I=3/2$ $p$-wave containing the $Δ(1232)$ resonance. The amplitudes are well-described by the effective range expansion with parameters constrained by fits to the finite-volume energy levels enabling a determination of the $I=3/2$ scattering length with statistical errors below $5\%$, while the $I = 1/2$ is somewhat less precise. Systematic errors due to excited states and the influence of higher partial waves are controlled, providing a pathway for future computations down to the physical light quark masses with multiple lattice spacings and physical volumes.

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arXiv2022

Continuum-extrapolated NNLO Valence PDF of Pion at the Physical Point

We present lattice QCD calculations of valence parton distribution function (PDF) of pion employing next-to-next-leading-order (NNLO) perturbative QCD matching. Our calculations are based on three gauge ensembles of 2+1 flavor highly improved staggered quarks and Wilson--Clover valance quarks, corresponding to pion mass $m_π=140$~MeV at a lattice spacing $a=0.076$~fm and $m_π=300$~MeV at $a=0.04, 0.06$~fm. This enables us to present, for the first time, continuum-extrapolated lattice QCD results for NNLO valence PDF of the pion at the physical point. Applying leading-twist expansion for renormalization group invariant (RGI) ratios of bi-local pion matrix elements with NNLO Wilson coefficients we extract $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$, $4^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $6^{\mathrm{th}}$ Mellin moments of the PDF. We reconstruct the Bjorken-$x$ dependence of the NNLO PDF from real-space RGI ratios using a deep neural network (DNN) as well as from momentum-space matrix elements renormalized using a hybrid-scheme. All our results are in broad agreement with the results of global fits to the experimental data carried out by the xFitter and JAM collaborations.

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