arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G. P. Lepage.
We present new values for the $\bar{MS}$ masses of $b$ and $c$ quarks based on lattice NRQCD simulations of the $Υ(b\bar{b})$ and $ψ(c\bar{c})$ systems. These include three measurements of the $b$ mass based on quenched simulations with lattice spacings ranging from 0.05fm to 0.15fm, which we find to be largely independent of lattice spacing. In addition, we find a consistent value from an unquenched simulation at 0.08fm.
We present results for the spectrum of b-bbar bound states in the quenched approximation for three different values of the lattice spacing, in the range 0.05fm to 0.15fm. We find our results for spin-independent splittings in physical units to be independent of the lattice spacing, indicating the absence of systematic errors from discretisation effects. Spin-dependent splittings are more sensitive to the lattice spacing and higher order corrections to the action; we discuss the size of these effects and what can be done to arrive at a physical result.
We present results for the spectrum of b-bbar bound states in the quenched approximation for three different values of the lattice spacing. Results for spin-independent splittings are shown to have good scaling behaviour; spin-dependent splittings are more sensitive to discretisation effects. We discuss what needs to be done to match the experimental spectrum.
We explore the first stage of the Symanzik improvement program for lattice Dirac fermions, namely the construction of doubler-free, highly improved classical actions on isotropic as well as anisotropic lattices (where the temporal lattice spacing, a_t, is smaller than the spatial one). Using field transformations to eliminate doublers, we derive the previously presented isotropic D234 action with O(a^3) errors, as well as anisotropic D234 actions with O(a^4) or O(a_t^3, a^4) errors. Besides allowing the simulation of heavy quarks within a relativistic framework, anisotropic lattices alleviate potential problems due to unphysical branches of the quark dispersion relation (which are generic to improved actions), facilitate studies of lattice thermodynamics, and allow accurate mass determinations for particles with bad signal/noise properties, like glueballs and P-state mesons. We also show how field transformations can be used to completely eliminate unphysical branches of the dispersion relation. Finally, we briefly discuss future steps in the improvement program.
We present a new determination of the strong coupling constant from lattice QCD simulations. We use four different short-distance quantities to obtain the coupling, three different (infrared) meson splittings to tune the simulation parameters, and a wide range of lattice spacings, quark masses, and lattice volumes to test for systematic errors. Our final result consists of ten different determinations of $α^{(3)}_{P}(8.2 GeV)$, which agree well with each other and with our previous results. The most accurate of these, when evolved perturbatively to the $Z^0$ mass, gives $α^{(5)}_{\msbar}(M_Z) = .1174(24)$. We compare our results with those obtained from other recent lattice simulations.
We describe two ideas useful in the construction of highly improved quark actions for simulations on coarse lattices: (1) Field transformations to solve the doubler problem without destroying tree-level improvement for on- or off-shell quantities. (2) Anisotropic lattices with smaller temporal than spatial lattice spacing. We present first simulation results for the quenched light hadron and charmonium spectra obtained with a D234 action on anisotropic lattices.
We compute the critical temperature $T_c$ for the deconfinement transition of pure QCD on coarse lattices, with $N_t = 2, 3, 4$, and lattice spacings from .33 fm to .15 fm. We employ a perturbatively improved gluon action designed to remove order $a^2$ and $α_s a^2$ errors. We find that $T_c$ in units of the charmonium 1P--1S splitting and the torelon mass is independent of $a$ to within approximately 5\%.
We present first results for $B_c$ spectroscopy using Lattice Non-Relativistic QCD (NRQCD). For the NRQCD action the leading order spin-dependent and next to leading order spin-independent interactions have been included with tadpole-improved coefficients. We use multi-exponential fits to multiple correlation functions to extract ground and excited $S$ states and give accurate values for the $S$ state hyperfine splitting and the P state ($B^{**}_c$) fine structure, including the effects of $^1P_1/^3P_1$ mixing.
We update our results for the heavy-heavy spectrum at $β$ = 5.7, using NRQCD. This includes a scaling comparison with the $Υ$ spectrum at $β$ = 6.0 and first lattice predictions for the $B_c$ spectrum.
NRQCD results for Upsilon and Charmonium using both dynamical and quenched configurations are presented. We investigate dependence on the light dynamical quark mass. Preliminary dynamical ($n_f = 2$) Charmonium data are combined with quenched results to extract the strong coupling constant $α_P^{(n_f)}$ for the physical number of light dynamical quarks, $n_f = 3$. Good agreement is found with calculations based on the Upsilon system. We show that a discrepancy in $α_P^{(n_f=0)}$, found between the Upsilon and Charmonium systems in the quenched theory, disappears upon extrapolating to the physical number of flavors. Results for the strong coupling constant $α_{\overline{MS}}$ are presented and sources of systematic error investigated.
We demonstrate that lattice QCD calculations can be made $10^3$--$10^6$ times faster by using very coarse lattices. To obtain accurate results, we replace the standard lattice actions by perturbatively-improved actions with tadpole-improved correction terms that remove the leading errors due to the lattice. To illustrate the power of this approach, we calculate the static-quark potential, and the charmonium spectrum and wavefunctions using a desktop computer. We obtain accurate results that are independent of the lattice spacing and agree well with experiment.
We present results for Charmonium spectroscopy using Non-Relativistic QCD (NRQCD). For the NRQCD action the leading order spin-dependent and next to leading order spin-independent interactions have been included with tadpole-improved coefficients. We use multi-exponential fits to multiple correlation functions to extract ground and excited $S$ states. Splittings between the lowest $S$, $P$ and $D$ states are given and we have accurate values for the $S$ state hyperfine splitting and the $χ_c$ fine structure. Agreement with experiment is good - the remaining systematic errors are discussed.
Recent results from lattice QCD simulations provide a realistic picture, based upon first principles, of~$Υ$ physics. We combine these results with the experimentally measured mass of the $Υ$~meson to obtain an accurate and reliable value for the $b$-quark's pole mass. We use two different methods, each of which yields a mass consistent with $M_b = 5.0(2)$~GeV. This corresponds to a bare mass of $M_b^0 = 4.0(1)$~GeV in our lattice theory and an $\msbar$~mass of $M_b^\msbar(M_b)=4.0(1)$~GeV. We discuss the implications of this result for the $c$-quark mass. ******************************************************************************* THIS IS THE VERSION WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED IN PRL. SUBSTANTIAL MATERIAL HAS BEEN ADDED, INCLUDING RESULTS WITH DYNAMICAL FERMIONS AND A CALCULATION OF THE MSBAR MASS. *******************************************************************************
We present a new determination of the QCD strong coupling constant based on precise lattice calculations of the $Υ$ spectrum. The largest systematic uncertainty in previous such determinations resulted from the absence of vacuum polarization from light quarks. We substantially reduce this error by including two flavors of dynamical light quarks and extrapolating to three. We find $\alphathree_\V(8.2~\GeV) = 0.196(3)$ for three light flavors, corresponding to $\alphafive_\msbar(M_Z) = 0.115(2)$. This is significantly more accurate than previous determinations using this or any other technique.
The spectrum of the Upsilon system is investigated using the Nonrelativistic Lattice QCD approach to heavy quarks and ignoring light quark vacuum polarization. We find good agreement with experiment for the Upsilon(1S), Upsilon(2S), Upsilon(3S) and for the center of mass and fine structure of the chi_b states. The lattice calculations predict b-bbar D-states with center of mass at (10.20 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.03)GeV. Fitting procedures aimed at extracting both ground and excited state energies are developed. We calculate a nonperturbative dispersion mass for the Upsilon(1S) and compare with tadpole-improved lattice perturbation theory.
These lectures discuss field theoretic techniques that might allow for realistic simulations of lattice QCD on small computers.
We discuss how contributions to the order ${\cal O} (m α^8)$ orthopositronium decay rate can be separated into two categories, one due to relativistic momenta and calculable in terms of QED scattering amplitudes, the other due to low momenta and calculable in the simpler framework of a low-energy effective theory (NRQED). We report new results for all low-momentum contributions, and give a formula relating the remaining contributions to conventional (on-shell) QED scattering amplitudes.
In this paper we show that the apparent failure of QCD lattice perturbation theory to account for Monte Carlo measurements of perturbative quantities results from choosing the bare lattice coupling constant as the expansion parameter. Using instead ``renormalized'' coupling constants defined in terms of physical quantities, like the heavy-quark potential, greatly enhances the predictive power of lattice perturbation theory. The quality of these predictions is further enhanced by a method for automatically determining the coupling-constant scale most appropriate to a particular quantity. We present a mean-field analysis that explains the large renormalizations relating lattice quantities, like the coupling constant, to their continuum analogues. This suggests a new prescription for designing lattice operators that are more continuum-like than conventional operators. Finally, we provide evidence that the scaling of physical quantities is asymptotic or perturbative already at $β$'s as low as 5.7, provided the evolution from scale to scale is analyzed using renormalized perturbation theory. This result indicates that reliable simulations of (quenched) QCD are possible at these same low $β$'s.