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Claude Bernard

Publications and source records attributed to Claude Bernard.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2024

Update on the gradient flow scale on the 2+1+1 HISQ ensembles

We report on the ongoing effort of improving the determination of the gradient flow scale on the (2+1+1)-flavor HISQ ensembles generated by the MILC collaboration. We compute the scales $\sqrt{t_0}/a$ and $w_0/a$ with the Wilson and Symanzik flow using three discretizations for the action density: clover, Wilson and tree-level Symanzik improved. For the absolute scale setting, we intend to employ the $\Omega$-baryon mass, but are also using the pion decay constant while the $\Omega$-mass calculations are in progress.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2017

Twisted finite-volume corrections to $K_{l3}$ decays with partially-quenched and rooted-staggered quarks

The determination of $|V_{us}|$ from kaon semileptonic decays requires the value of the form factor $f_+(q^2=0)$ which can be calculated precisely on the lattice. We provide the one-loop partially quenched chiral perturbation theory expressions both with and without including the effects of staggered quarks for all form factors at finite volume and with partially twisted boundary conditions for both the vector current and scalar density matrix elements at all $q^2$. We point out that at finite volume there are more form factors than just $f_+$ and $f_-$ for the vector current matrix element but that the Ward identity is fully satisfied. The size of the finite-volume corrections at present lattice sizes is small. This will help improve the lattice determination of $f_+(q^2=0)$ since the finite-volume error is the dominant error source for some calculations. The size of the finite-volume corrections may be estimated on a single lattice ensemble by comparing results for various twist choices.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2016

Non-equilibration of topological charge and its effects

In QCD simulations at small lattice spacings, the topological charge Q evolves very slowly and, if this quantity is not properly equilibrated, we could get incorrect results for physical quantities, or incorrect estimates of their errors. We use the known relation between the dependence of masses and decay constants on the QCD vacuum angle theta and the squared topological charge Q^2 together with chiral perturbation theory results for the dependence of masses and decay constants on theta to estimate the size of these effects and suggest strategies for dealing with them. For the partially quenched case, we sketch an alternative derivation of the known $χ$PT results of Aoki and Fukaya, using the nonperturbatively correct chiral theory worked out by Golterman, Sharpe and Singleton, and by Sharpe and Shoresh. With the MILC collaboration's ensembles of lattices with four flavors of HISQ dynamical quarks, we measure the $Q^2$ dependence of masses and decay constants and compare to the $χ$PT forms. The observed agreement gives us confidence that we can reliably estimate the errors from slow topology change, and even correct for its leading effects.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2015

$D$-meson semileptonic form factors at zero momentum transfer in (2+1+1)-flavor lattice QCD

We present a calculation of the $D\to K \ell ν$ and $D\toπ\ell ν$ semileptonic form factors at $q^2=0$, which enable determinations of the CKM matrix elements $\lvert{V_{cs}}\rvert$ and $\lvert{V_{cd}}\rvert$, respectively. We use gauge-field configurations generated by the MILC collaboration with four flavors of highly-improved staggered (HISQ) quarks, analyzing several ensembles including those with physical pion masses and approximate lattice spacings ranging from 0.12~fm to 0.042~fm. We also use the HISQ action for the valence quarks. We employ twisted boundary conditions to calculate the form factors at zero momentum transfer directly. We use heavy-light-meson chiral perturbation theory modified for energetic pions and kaons, and supplemented by terms to describe the lattice-spacing dependence, to obtain preliminary results at the physical point and in the continuum limit.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2014

Review of lattice results concerning low energy particle physics

We review lattice results related to pion, kaon, D- and B-meson physics with the aim of making them easily accessible to the particle physics community. More specifically, we report on the determination of the light-quark masses, the form factor f+(0), arising in semileptonic K -> pi transition at zero momentum transfer, as well as the decay constant ratio fK/fpi of decay constants and its consequences for the CKM matrix elements Vus and Vud. Furthermore, we describe the results obtained on the lattice for some of the low-energy constants of SU(2)LxSU(2)R and SU(3)LxSU(3)R Chiral Perturbation Theory and review the determination of the BK parameter of neutral kaon mixing. The inclusion of heavy-quark quantities significantly expands the FLAG scope with respect to the previous review. Therefore, for this review, we focus on D- and B-meson decay constants, form factors, and mixing parameters, since these are most relevant for the determination of CKM matrix elements and the global CKM unitarity-triangle fit. In addition we review the status of lattice determinations of the strong coupling constant alpha_s.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2013

Chiral Perturbation Theory for All-Staggered Heavy-Light Mesons

In highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) simulations by the HPQCD, MILC, and Fermilab Lattice collaborations, both the light quarks and the charm quark are staggered. We extend chiral perturbation theory for staggered quarks to include such all-staggered heavy-light mesons. We assume that the heavy quark action is sufficiently improved that we may take $a m_Q <<1$ (where $m_Q$ is the heavy quark mass), but also that $m_Q>>Λ_{QCD}$ so that a continuum heavy quark expansion is appropriate. We develop this effective chiral theory through next-to-leading order, and use it to study the pattern of taste splittings in the heavy-light meson and to compute the leptonic decay constant of the heavy-light meson to one-loop in the chiral expansion.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2013

On the foundations of partially quenched chiral perturbation theory

It has been widely assumed that partially quenched chiral perturbation theory is the correct low-energy effective theory for partially quenched QCD. Here we present arguments supporting this assumption. First, we show that, for partially quenched QCD with staggered quarks, a transfer matrix can be constructed. This transfer matrix is not Hermitian, but it is bounded, and it can be used to construct correlation functions in the usual way. Combining these observations with an extension of the Vafa--Witten theorem to the partially quenched theory allows us to argue that the partially quenched theory satisfies the cluster property. By extending Leutwyler's analysis of the unquenched case to the partially quenched theory, we then conclude that the existence and properties of the transfer matrix as well as clustering are sufficient for partially quenched chiral perturbation theory to be the correct low-energy theory for partially quenched QCD.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2012

Staggered Chiral Perturbation Theory for All-Staggered Heavy-Light Mesons

In HISQ simulations by the MILC and Fermilab Lattice collaborations, both the light quarks and the charm quark are staggered. We extend staggered chiral perturbation theory (\schpt) to include such all-staggered heavy-light mesons. We assume that the heavy quark action is sufficiently improved that we may take $a m_Q <<1$ (where $m_Q$ is the heavy quark mass), but also that $m_Q>>Λ_{QCD}$ so that a continuum heavy quark expansion is appropriate. Using this \schpt, the leptonic decay constant of the heavy-light meson is calculated at next-to-leading-order. The pattern of taste splittings in the heavy-light meson masses is also investigated.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2010

Transfer Matrix for Partially Quenched QCD

We construct the transfer matrix for the ghost sector of partially quenched QCD. This transfer matrix is not hermitian, but we show that it is still bounded. We thus expect that all euclidean correlation functions will decay exponentially with distance (up to possible powers), and demonstrate that this is indeed the case for free ghost quarks.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2008

't Hooft vertices, partial quenching, and rooted staggered QCD

We discuss the properties of 't Hooft vertices in partially quenched and rooted versions of QCD in the continuum. These theories have a physical subspace, equivalent to ordinary QCD, that is contained within a larger space that includes many unphysical correlation functions. We find that the 't Hooft vertices in the physical subspace have the expected form, despite the presence of unphysical 't Hooft vertices appearing in correlation functions that have an excess of valence quarks (or ghost quarks). We resolve an apparent paradox that arises when one uses rooted staggered fermions to study one-flavor QCD, by showing how, in partially quenched theories, it is possible to have spontaneous symmetry breaking of a non-anomalous symmetry in finite volume. Using these results, we demonstrate that arguments recently given by Creutz--claiming to disprove the validity of rooted staggered QCD--are incorrect. In particular, the unphysical 't Hooft vertices do not present an obstacle to the recovery of taste symmetry in the continuum limit.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2008

Effective field theories for QCD with rooted staggered fermions

Even highly improved variants of lattice QCD with staggered fermions show significant violations of taste symmetry at currently accessible lattice spacings. In addition, the "rooting trick" is used in order to simulate with the correct number of light sea quarks, and this makes the lattice theory nonlocal, even though there is good reason to believe that the continuum limit is in the correct universality class. In order to understand scaling violations, it is thus necessary to extend the construction of the Symanzik effective theory to include rooted staggered fermions. We show how this can be done, starting from a generalization of the renormalization-group approach to rooted staggered fermions recently developed by one of us. We then explain how the chiral effective theory follows from the Symanzik action, and show that it leads to "rooted" staggered chiral perturbation theory as the correct chiral theory for QCD with rooted staggered fermions. We thus establish a direct link between the renormalization-group based arguments for the correctness of the continuum limit and the success of rooted staggered chiral perturbation theory in fitting numerical results obtained with the rooting trick. In order to develop our argument, we need to assume the existence of a standard partially-quenched chiral effective theory for any local partially-quenched theory. Other technical, but standard, assumptions are also required.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2007

Effective field theories for rooted staggered fermions

We extend the construction of the Symanzik effective action to include rooted staggered fermions, starting from a generalization of the renormalization-group approach to rooted staggered fermions. The Symanzik action, together with the usual construction of a partially quenched chiral effective theory from a local, partially quenched, fundamental theory, can then be used to derive the chiral effective theory. The latter reproduces rooted staggered chiral perturbation theory.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2007

Scalar Meson Spectroscopy with Lattice Staggered Fermions

With sufficiently light up and down quarks the isovector ($a_0$) and isosinglet ($f_0$) scalar meson propagators are dominated at large distance by two-meson states. In the staggered fermion formulation of lattice quantum chromodynamics, taste-symmetry breaking causes a proliferation of two-meson states that further complicates the analysis of these channels. Many of them are unphysical artifacts of the lattice approximation. They are expected to disappear in the continuum limit. The staggered-fermion fourth-root procedure has its purported counterpart in rooted staggered chiral perturbation theory (rSXPT). Fortunately, the rooted theory provides a strict framework that permits the analysis of scalar meson correlators in terms of only a small number of low energy couplings. Thus the analysis of the point-to-point scalar meson correlators in this context gives a useful consistency check of the fourth-root procedure and its proposed chiral realization. Through numerical simulation we have measured correlators for both the $a_0$ and $f_0$ channels in the ``Asqtad'' improved staggered fermion formulation in a lattice ensemble with lattice spacing $a = 0.12$ fm. We analyze those correlators in the context of rSXPT and obtain values of the low energy chiral couplings that are reasonably consistent with previous determinations.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2007

Comment on "Chiral anomalies and rooted staggered fermions"

In hep-lat/0701018, Creutz claims that the rooting trick used in simulations of staggered fermions to reduce the number of tastes misses key physics whenever the desired theory has an odd number of continuum flavors, and uses this argument to call into question the rooting trick in general. Here we show that his argument fails as the continuum limit is approached, and therefore does not imply any problem for staggered simulations. We also show that the cancellations necessary to restore unitarity in physical correlators in the continuum limit are a straightforward consequence of the restoration of taste symmetry.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2006

Regularizing QCD with staggered fermions and the fourth root trick

We investigate the properties of staggered-fermion lattice QCD in which the fourth root of the fermion determinant is taken. We show that this theory is non-local at non-zero lattice spacing $a$, and that the non-locality is caused by the breaking of taste symmetry at $a\ne 0$. We then present a renormalization-group based argument that the theory restores taste symmetry in the continuum limit. As a consequence the theory is local in that limit, and falls into the correct universality class. Finally, we argue that the correct effective theory for the physics of Goldstone bosons at $a\ne 0$ is given by staggered chiral perturbation theory with the replica trick.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2006

Observations on staggered fermions at non-zero lattice spacing

We show that the use of the fourth-root trick in lattice QCD with staggered fermions corresponds to a non-local theory at non-zero lattice spacing, but argue that the non-local behavior is likely to go away in the continuum limit. We give examples of this non-local behavior in the free theory, and for the case of a fixed topologically non-trivial background gauge field. In both special cases, the non-local behavior indeed disappears in the continuum limit. Our results invalidate a recent claim that at non-zero lattice spacing an additive mass renormalization is needed because of taste-symmetry breaking.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2005

Chiral Perturbation Theory for Staggered Sea Quarks and Ginsparg-Wilson Valence Quarks

We study lattice QCD with staggered sea and Ginsparg-Wilson valence quarks. The Symanzik effective action for this mixed lattice theory, including the lattice spacing contributions of O(a^2), is derived. Using this effective theory we construct the leading order chiral Lagrangian. The masses and decay constants of pseudoscalars containing two Ginsparg-Wilson valence quarks are computed at one loop order.

hep-lat↗