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H. Thacker

Publications and source records attributed to H. Thacker.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Topological Charge Membranes in 2D and 4D Gauge Theory

Local topological charge structure in the 2D CP(N-1) sigma models is studied using the overlap Dirac operator. Long-range coherence of topological charge along locally 1D regions in 2D space-time is observed. We discuss the connection between these results and the recent discovery of coherent 3D sheets of topological charge in 4D QCD. In both cases, coherent regions of topological charge form along surfaces of approximmate codimension 1.

hep-lat

Quark mass dependence of the pseudoscalar hairpin vertex

In a recent investigation of chiral behavior in quenched lattice QCD, the flavor-singlet pseudoscalar ``hairpin'' vertex associated with the eta prime mass was studied for pion masses ranging from approximately 275 to 675 MeV. Throughout this mass range, the quark-disconnected pseudoscalar correlator is well-described by a pure double-pion-pole diagram with a p^2 independent mass insertion. The residue of the double pole was found to exhibit a significant quark mass dependence, evidenced by a negative slope of the effective mass insertion (m_0^{eff})^2 as a function of m_π^2. It has been observed by Sharpe that, with a consistent NLO calculation in quenched chiral perturbation theory, this mass dependence is uniquely predicted in terms of the single-pole coefficient α_Φ and the Leutwyler parameter L_5. Since α_Φ is found to be approximately zero, the chiral slope of the double-pole residue determines a value for L_5. This provides a consistency check between the chiral slope of the hairpin mass insertion and that of the pion decay constant. We investigate the consistency of these mass dependences in our Monte Carlo results at two values of lattice spacing. Within statistics, the slopes are found to be consistent with the Q\chiPT prediction, confirming that the observed negative slope of m_0^{eff} arises as an effect of the L_5 Leutwyler term.

hep-lat

Chiral Lagrangian Parameters for Scalar and Pseudoscalar Mesons

The results of a high-statistics study of scalar and pseudoscalar meson propagators in quenched lattice QCD are presented. For two values of lattice spacing, $β=5.7$ ($a \approx .18$ fm) and 5.9 ($a \approx .12$ fm), we probe the light quark mass region using clover improved Wilson fermions with the MQA pole-shifting ansatz to treat the exceptional configuration problem. The quenched chiral loop parameters $m_0$ and $α_Φ$ are determined from a study of the pseudoscalar hairpin correlator. From a global fit to the meson correlators, estimates are obtained for the relevant chiral Lagrangian parameters, including the Leutwyler parameters $L_5$ and $L_8$. Using the parameters obtained from the singlet and nonsinglet pseudoscalar correlators, the quenched chiral loop effect in the nonsinglet scalar meson correlator is studied. By removing this QCL effect from the lattice correlator, we obtain the mass and decay constant of the ground state scalar, isovector meson $a_0$.

hep-lat

Low Energy Chiral Lagrangian Parameters for Scalar and Pseudoscalar Mesons

We present results of a high-statistics study of scalar and pseudoscalar meson propagators in quenched QCD at two values of lattice spacing, beta = 5.7 and 5.9, with clover-improved Wilson fermions. The study of the chiral limit is facilitated by the pole-shifting ansatz of the modified quenched approximation. Pseudoscalar masses and decay constants are determined as a function of quark mass and quenched chiral log effects are estimated. A study of the flavor singlet eta prime hairpin diagram yields a precise determination of the eta prime mass insertion. The corresponding value of the quenched chiral log parameter delta is compared with the observed QCL effects. Removal of QCL effects from the scalar propagator allows a determination of the mass of the lowest lying isovector scalar $q\bar{q}$ meson.

hep-lat

Topological Charge Correlators, Spectral Bounds, and Contact Terms

The structure of topological charge fluctuations in the QCD vacuum is strongly restricted by the spectral negativity of the Euclidean 2-point correlator for $x\neq 0$ and the presence of a positive contact term. Some examples are considered which illustrate the physical origin of these properties.

hep-lat

Unquenched Studies Using the Truncated Determinant Algorithm

A truncated determinant algorithm is used to study the physical effects of the quark eigenmodes associated with eigenvalues below 420 MeV. This initial high statistics study focuses on coarse ($6^4$) lattices (with O($a^2$) improved gauge action), light internal quark masses and large physical volumes. Three features of full QCD are examined: topological charge distributions, string breaking as observed in the static energy and the eta prime mass.

hep-lat

Chiral Loop Effects in the Quenched Scalar Isovector Propagator

The scalar isovector meson propagator is studied in quenched QCD. For the lightest quark masses used, this propagator is dominated by a quenched chiral loop effect associated with the $η'$-$π$ two-meson intermediate state. Both the time dependence and the pion mass dependence of the effect are well-described by quenched chiral perturbation theory.

hep-lat

Chiral Loops and Ghost States in the Quenched Scalar Propagator

The scalar, isovector meson propagator is analyzed in quenched QCD, using the MQA pole-shifting ansatz to study the chiral limit. In addition to the expected short-range exponential falloff characteristic of a heavy scalar meson, the propagator also exhibits a longer-range, negative metric contribution which becomes pronounced for smaller quark masses. We show that this is a quenched chiral loop effect associated with the anomalous structure of the $η'$ propagator in quenched QCD. Both the time dependence and the quark mass dependence of this effect are well-described by a chiral loop diagram corresponding to an $η'- π$ intermediate state, which is light and effectively of negative norm in the quenched approximation. The relevant parameters of the effective Lagrangian describing the scalar sector of the quenched theory are determined.

hep-lat

String Breaking in Four Dimensional Lattice QCD

Virtual quark pair screening leads to breaking of the string between fundamental representation quarks in QCD. For unquenched four dimensional lattice QCD, this (so far elusive) phenomenon is studied using the recently developed truncated determinant algorithm (TDA). The dynamical configurations were generated on an Athlon 650 MHz PC. Quark eigenmodes up to 420 MeV are included exactly in these TDA studies performed at low quark mass on large coarse (but O($a^2$) improved) lattices. A study of Wilson line correlators in Coulomb gauge extracted from an ensemble of 1000 two-flavor dynamical configurations reveals evidence for flattening of the string tension at distances R $\geq$ approximately 1 fm.

hep-lat

Anomalous Chiral Behavior in Quenched Lattice QCD

A study of the chiral behavior of pseudoscalar masses and decay constants is carried out in quenched lattice QCD with Wilson fermions. Using the modified quenched approximation (MQA) to cure the exceptional configuration problem, accurate results are obtained for pion masses as low as $\approx$ 200 MeV. The anomalous chiral log effect associated with quenched $η'$ loops is studied in both the relation between $m_π^2$ vs. $m_q$ and in the light-mass behavior of the pseudoscalar and axial vector matrix elements. The size of these effects agrees quantitatively with a direct measurement of the $η'$ hairpin graph, as well as with a measurement of the topological susceptibility, thus providing several independent and quantitatively consistent determinations of the quenched chiral log parameter $δ$. For $β=5.7$ with clover-improved fermions $(C_{sw} =1.57)$ all results are consistent with $δ=0.065\pm 0.013$ .

hep-lat

Chiral Effects of Quenched Eta-Prime Loops

Preliminary results of a study of quenched chiral logarithms at beta=5.7 are presented. Four independent determinations of the quenched chiral log parameter delta are obtained. Two of these are from estimates of the eta-prime mass, one from the residue of the hairpin diagram and the other from the topological susceptibility combined with the Witten-Veneziano formula. The other two determinations of delta are from measurement of virtual eta-prime loop effects in mpi^2 vs. quark mass and in the chiral behavior of the pseudoscalar decay constant. All results are consistent with delta=.080(15). The expected absence of quenched chiral logs in the axial-vector decay constant is also observed.

hep-lat

Physical Effects of Infrared Quark Eigenmodes in LQCD

A truncated determinant algorithm is used to study the physical effects of the quark eigenmodes associated with eigenvalues below 400 MeV. This initial study focuses on coarse lattices (with O(a^2) improved gauge action), light internal quark masses and large physical volumes. Four bellwether full QCD processes are discussed: topological charge distributions, the eta prime propagator, string breaking as observed in the static energy and the rho decay into two pions.

hep-lat

Modelling the Quark Determinant in Full QCD Simulations

The computational requirements and dynamics of Monte Carlo simulations of unquenched QCD incorporating the infrared quark eigenmodes (up to $\approx Λ_{QCD}$) exactly and UV modes via a loop representation are discussed. The accuracy of such a loop representation is studied for a variety of lattice volumes and quark masses. The method has been successfully applied for lattices up to 10$^3$x20 at $a \simeq$0.17F with improved (clover) action, and allows simulations at or near kappa critical.

hep-lat

Loop Representations of the Quark Determinant in Lattice QCD

The modelling of the ultraviolet contributions to the quark determinant in lattice QCD in terms of a small number of Wilson loops is examined. Complete Dirac spectra are obtained for sizeable ensembles of SU(3) gauge fields at $β$=5.7 on 6$^4$, 8$^4$, and 10$^4$ lattices allowing for the first time a detailed study of the volume dependence of the effective loop action generating the quark determinant. The connection to the hopping parameter expansion is examined in the heavy quark limit. We compare the efficiency and accuracy of various methods- specifically, Lanczos versus stochastic approaches- for extracting the quark determinant on an ensemble of configurations.

hep-lat

Truncated Determinant Approach to Light Dynamical Quarks

Virtual quark effects in lattice QCD are studied in an approach where the infrared modes are included in a precise and gauge-invariant manner. At fixed physical volume the required number of modes does not increase in the continuum limit, and the acceptance is tolerable even for very light quark masses. Topological charge distributions at varying quark mass, and the static quark potential, showing the onset of string-breaking, are presented in both QED2 and QCD4.

hep-lat

An Efficient Algorithm for QCD with Light Dynamical Quarks

A new approach to the inclusion of virtual quark effects in lattice QCD simulations is presented. Infrared modes which build in the chiral physics in the light quark mass limit are included exactly and in a gauge invariant way. At fixed physical volume the number of relevant infrared modes does not increase as the continuum limit is approached. The acceptance of our procedure does not decrease substantially in the limit of small quark masses. Two alternative approaches are discussed for including systematically the remaining ultraviolet modes. In particular, we present evidence that these modes are accurately described by an effective action involving only small Wilson loops.

hep-lat

Quenched Chiral Artifacts for Wilson-Dirac Fermions

We examine artifacts associated with the chiral symmetry breaking induced through the use of Wilson-Dirac fermions in lattice Monte Carlo computations. For light quark masses, the conventional quenched theory can not be defined using direct Monte Carlo methods due to the existence of nonintegrable poles in physical quantities. These poles are associated with the real eigenvalue spectrum of the Wilson-Dirac operator. We show how this singularity structure can be observed in the analysis of both QED in two dimensions and QCD in four dimensions.

hep-lat