arXiv subjects

J. M. Flynn

Publications and source records attributed to J. M. Flynn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Bayesian inference for form-factor fits regulated by unitarity and analyticity

We propose a model-independent framework for fitting hadronic form-factor data, which is often only available at discrete kinematical points, using parameterisations based on to unitarity and analyticity. In this novel approach the latter two properties of quantum-field theory regulate the ill-posed fitting problem and allow model-independent predictions over the entire physical range. Kinematical constraints, for example for the vector and scalar form factors in semileptonic meson decays, can be imposed exactly. The core formulae are straight-forward to implement with standard math libraries. We take account of a generalisation of the original Boyd Grinstein Lebed (BGL) unitarity constraint for form factors and demonstrate our method for the exclusive semileptonic decay $B_s\to K \ell ν$, for which we make a number of phenomenologically relevant predictions, including the CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$.

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arXiv2023

Extrapolating semileptonic form factors using Bayesian-inference fits regulated by unitarity and analyticity

We discuss our recently proposed model-independent framework for fitting hadronic form-factor data, which are often only available at discrete kinematical points, using parameterisations based on unitarity and analyticity. The accompanying dispersive bound on the form factors (unitarity constraint) is used to regulate the ill-posed fitting problem and allow model-independent predictions over the entire physical range. Kinematical constraints, for example for the vector and scalar form factors in semileptonic meson decays, can be imposed exactly. The core formulae are straight-forward to implement with standard math libraries. We demonstrate the method for the exclusive semileptonic decay $B_s\to K\ellν$, an example requiring one to use a generalisation of the original Boyd Grinstein Lebed (BGL) unitarity constraint. We further present a first application of the method to $B \to D^*\ell ν$ decays.

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arXiv2023

Simulating rare kaon decays $K^{+}\toπ^{+}\ell^{+}\ell^{-}$ using domain wall lattice QCD with physical light quark masses

We report the first calculation using physical light-quark masses of the electromagnetic form factor $V(z)$ describing the long-distance contributions to the $K^+\toπ^+\ell^+\ell^-$ decay amplitude. The calculation is performed on a 2+1 flavor domain wall fermion ensemble with inverse lattice spacing $a^{-1}=1.730(4)$GeV. We implement a Glashow-Iliopoulos-Maiani cancellation by extrapolating to the physical charm-quark mass from three below-charm masses. We obtain $V(z=0.013(2))=-0.87(4.44)$, achieving a bound for the value. The large statistical error arises from stochastically estimated quark loops.

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arXiv2016

The B*Bpi coupling using relativistic heavy quarks

We report on a calculation of the B*Bpi coupling in lattice QCD. The strong matrix element for a B* to Bpi transition is directly related to the leading order low-energy constant in heavy meson chiral perturbation theory (HMChPT) for B mesons. We carry out our calculation directly at the b-quark mass using a non-perturbatively tuned clover action that controls discretization effects of order pa and (ma)^n for all n. Our analysis is performed on RBC/UKQCD gauge configurations using domain-wall fermions and the Iwasaki gauge action at two lattice spacings of ainverse = 1.729(25) GeV, ainverse = 2.281(28) GeV, and unitary pion masses down to 290 MeV. We achieve good statistical precision and control all systematic uncertainties, giving a final result for the HMChPT coupling g_b = 0.56(3)stat(7)sys in the continuum and at the physical light-quark masses. This is the first calculation performed directly at the physical b-quark mass and lies in the region one would expect from carrying out an interpolation between previous results at the charm mass and at the static point.

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arXiv2015

$B \to π\ell ν$ and $B_s \to K \ell ν$ form factors and $|V_{ub}|$ from 2+1-flavor lattice QCD with domain-wall light quarks and relativistic heavy quarks

We calculate the $B \toπ\ellν$ and $B_s \to K \ellν$ form factors in dynamical lattice QCD. We use the (2+1)-flavor RBC-UKQCD gauge-field ensembles generated with the domain-wall fermion and Iwasaki gauge actions. For the $b$ quarks we use the anisotropic clover action with a relativistic heavy-quark interpretation. We analyze two lattice spacings $a \approx 0.11, 0.086$ fm and unitary pion masses as light as $M_π\approx 290$ MeV. We simultaneously extrapolate our numerical results to the physical light-quark masses and to the continuum and interpolate in the pion/kaon energy using SU(2) "hard-pion" chiral perturbation theory. We provide complete error budgets for the form factors $f_+(q^2)$ and $f_0(q^2)$ at three momenta that span the $q^2$ range accessible in our numerical simulations. We extrapolate these results to $q^2 = 0$ using a model-independent $z$-parametrization and present our final form factors as the $z$-coefficients and the matrix of correlations between them. Our results agree with other lattice determinations using staggered light quarks and provide important independent cross-checks. Both $B \toπ\ellν$ and $B_s \to K \ellν$ decays enable a determination of the CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$. To illustrate this, we perform a combined $z$-fit of our numerical $B\toπ\ellν$ form-factor data with the experimental branching-fraction measurements leaving the relative normalization as a free parameter; we obtain $|V_{ub}| = 3.61(32) \times 10^{-3}$, where the error includes statistical and systematic uncertainties. This approach can be applied to $B_s\to K \ellν$ decay to determine $|V_{ub}|$ once the process has been measured experimentally. Finally, in anticipation of future measurements, we make predictions for $B \to π\ellν$ and $B_s\to K \ellν$ Standard-Model differential branching fractions and forward-backward asymmetries.

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arXiv2013

The $B^*Bπ$ coupling with relativistic heavy quarks

We report on a calculation of the $B^*Bπ$ coupling in lattice QCD. The strong matrix element $\langle B π| B^*\rangle$ is directly related to the leading order low-energy constant in heavy meson chiral perturbation theory (HM$χ$PT) for $B$-mesons. We carry out our calculation directly at the $b$-quark mass using a non-perturbatively tuned clover action that controls discretisation effects of order $|\vec{p}a|$ and $(ma)^n$ for all $n$. Our analysis is performed on RBC/UKQCD gauge configurations using domain wall fermions and the Iwasaki gauge action at two lattice spacings of $a^{-1}=1.73(3)$ GeV, $a^{-1}=2.28(3)$ GeV, and unitary pion masses down to 290 MeV. We achieve good statistical precision and control all systematic uncertainties, giving a final result for the HM$χ$PT coupling $g_b = 0.569(48)_{stat}(59)_{sys}$ in the continuum and at the physical light-quark masses. This is the first calculation performed directly at the physical $b$-quark mass and lies in the region one would expect from carrying out an interpolation between previous results at the charm mass and at the static point.

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arXiv2013

A nonrelativistic quark model evaluation of exclusive $b\to c$ semileptonic decay of triply heavy baryons and $c\to s,d$ semileptonic decay of $cb$ baryons

We present results for exclusive $b\to c$ semileptonic decays of ground state triply-heavy baryons and for semileptonic $c\to s,d$ decays of doubly heavy ground state $cb$ baryons. In both cases, we have derived for the first time heavy quark spin symmetry relations for the hadronic amplitudes near zero recoil. Though strictly valid in the limit of very large heavy quark masses and near zero recoil, they turn out to be reasonable accurate for the whole available phase space in these decays and for the actual heavy quark masses we use. With these relations we have made approximate, but model independent, predictions for ratios of decay widths. In the case of spin-1/2 $cb$ baryons, we find that hyperfine mixing in the wave function has a great impact on their $c\to s,d$ decay widths.

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arXiv2012

Triply Heavy Baryons and Heavy Quark Spin Symmetry

We study the semileptonic $b\to c$ decays of the lowest-lying triply-heavy baryons made from $b$ and $c$ quarks in the limit $m_b, m_c \gg Λ_\mathrm{QCD}$ and close to the zero recoil point. The separate heavy quark spin symmetries strongly constrain the matrix elements, leading to single form factors for $ccb\to ccc$, $bbc\to ccb$, and $bbb\to bbc$ baryon decays. We also study the effects on these systems of using a $Y$-shaped confinement potential, as suggested by lattice QCD results for the interaction between three static quarks.

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arXiv2011

Continuum Limit Physics from 2+1 Flavor Domain Wall QCD

We present physical results obtained from simulations using 2+1 flavors of domain wall quarks and the Iwasaki gauge action at two values of the lattice spacing $a$, ($a^{-1}$=\,1.73\,(3)\,GeV and $a^{-1}$=\,2.28\,(3)\,GeV). On the coarser lattice, with $24^3\times 64\times 16$ points, the analysis of ref.[1] is extended to approximately twice the number of configurations. The ensembles on the finer $32^3\times 64\times 16$ lattice are new. We explain how we use lattice data obtained at several values of the lattice spacing and for a range of quark masses in combined continuum-chiral fits in order to obtain results in the continuum limit and at physical quark masses. We implement this procedure at two lattice spacings, with unitary pion masses in the approximate range 290--420\,MeV (225--420\,MeV for partially quenched pions). We use the masses of the $π$ and $K$ mesons and the $Ω$ baryon to determine the physical quark masses and the values of the lattice spacing. While our data are consistent with the predictions of NLO SU(2) chiral perturbation theory, they are also consistent with a simple analytic ansatz leading to an inherent uncertainty in how best to perform the chiral extrapolation that we are reluctant to reduce with model-dependent assumptions about higher order corrections. Our main results include $f_π=124(2)_{\rm stat}(5)_{\rm syst}$\,MeV, $f_K/f_π=1.204(7)(25)$ where $f_K$ is the kaon decay constant, $m_s^{\bar{\textrm{MS}}}(2\,\textrm{GeV})=(96.2\pm 2.7)$\,MeV and $m_{ud}^{\bar{\textrm{MS}}}(2\,\textrm{GeV})=(3.59\pm 0.21)$\,MeV\, ($m_s/m_{ud}=26.8\pm 1.4$) where $m_s$ and $m_{ud}$ are the mass of the strange-quark and the average of the up and down quark masses respectively, $[Σ^{\msbar}(2 {\rm GeV})]^{1/3} = 256(6)\; {\rm MeV}$, where $Σ$ is the chiral condensate, the Sommer scale $r_0=0.487(9)$\,fm and $r_1=0.333(9)$\,fm.

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arXiv2010

Lattice Results for Low Moments of Light Meson Distribution Amplitudes

As part of the UKQCD and RBC collaborations' N_f=2+1 domain-wall fermion phenomenology programme, we calculate the first two moments of the light-cone distribution amplitudes of the pseudoscalar mesons pion and kaon and the (longitudinally-polarised) vector mesons rho, K-star and phi. We obtain the desired quantities with good precision and are able to discern the expected quark-mass dependence of SU(3)-flavour breaking effects. An important ingredient of the calculation is the nonperturbative renormalisation of lattice operators using the RI'/MOM technique.

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arXiv2010

Light Meson Distribution Amplitudes

We calculated the first two moments of the light-cone distribution amplitudes for the pseudoscalar mesons ($π$ and $K$) and the longitudinally polarised vector mesons ($ρ$, $K^*$ and $ϕ$) as part of the UKQCD and RBC collaborations' $N_f=2+1$ domain-wall fermion phenomenology programme. These quantities were obtained with a good precision and, in particular, the expected effects of $SU(3)$-flavour symmetry breaking were observed. Operators were renormalised non-perturbatively and extrapolations to the physical point were made, guided by leading order chiral perturbation theory. The main results presented are for two volumes, $16^3\times 32$ and $24^3\times 64$, with a common lattice spacing. Preliminary results for a lattice with a finer lattice spacing, $32^3\times64$, are discussed and a first look is taken at the use of twisted boundary conditions to extract distribution amplitudes.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2010

K->pi form factors with reduced model dependence

Using partially twisted boundary conditions we compute the K->pi semi-leptonic form factors in the range of momentum transfers 0 <~ q^2 <= q^2_{max}=(mK-mpi)^2 in lattice QCD with N_f=2+1 dynamical flavours. In this way we are able to determine f+(0) without any interpolation in the momentum transfer, thus eliminating one source of systematic error. This study confirms our earlier phenomenological ansatz for the strange quark mass dependence of the scalar form factor. We identify and estimate potentially significant NNLO effects in the chiral expansion that guides the extrapolation of the data to the physical point. Our main result is f+(0) = 0.9599(34)(^{+31}_{-43})(14)$, where the first error is statistical, the second error is due to the uncertainties in the chiral extrapolation of the lattice data and the last error is an estimate of potential discretisation effects.

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arXiv2010

Flavor Physics in the Quark Sector

One of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor and measurements and theoretical interpretations of their results have advanced tremendously: apart from masses and quantum numbers of flavor particles, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. Till early 1990s observations of CP violation were confined to neutral $K$ mesons, but since then a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral $B$ mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of $K, D$, and $B$ mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments, thus a review of the status of quark flavor physics is timely. This report summarizes the results of the current generation of experiments that is about to be completed and it confronts these results with the theoretical understanding of the field.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Semileptonic bc to cc and bb to bc Baryon Decays and Heavy Quark Spin Symmetry

We study the semileptonic decays of the lowest-lying $bc$ baryons to the lowest-lying $cc$ baryons ($Ξ_{bc}^{(\prime*)}\to Ξ_{cc}^{(*)}$ and $Ω_{bc}^{(\prime*)}\to Ω_{cc}^{(*)}$), in the limit $m_b, m_c \gg Λ_\mathrm{QCD}$ and close to the zero recoil point. The separate heavy quark spin symmetries make it possible to describe all these decays using a single form factor. We also show how these constraints can be used to test the validity of different quark model calculations. $bb$ to $bc$ baryon decays are also discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Kl3 and pion form factors using partially twisted boundary conditions

We compute the Kl3 and pion form factors using partially twisted boundary conditions. The twists are chosen so that the Kl3 form factors are calculated directly at zero momentum transfer (q^2=0), removing the need for a q^2 interpolation, while the pion form factor is determined at values of q^2 close to q^2=0. The simulations are performed on an ensemble of the RBC/UKQCD collaboration's gauge configurations with Domain Wall Fermions and the Iwaski gauge action with an inverse lattice spacing of 1.73(3) GeV. Simulating at a single pion mass of 330 MeV, we find the pion charge radius to be < r^2>_{330 MeV}=0.354(31) fm^2 which, using NLO SU(2) chiral perturbation theory, translates to a value of =0.418(31) fm^2 for a physical pion. For the value of the Kl3 form factor, f_{Kπ}^+(q^2), determined directly at q^2=0, we find a value of f_{Kπ}^+(0)=0.9742(41) at this particular quark mass, which agrees well with our earlier result (0.9774(35)) obtained using the standard, indirect method.

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arXiv2008

Parton Distribution Amplitudes and Non-Perturbative Renormalisation

We present results for the first two moments of the light-cone distribution amplitudes of the pion and kaon pseudo-scalar mesons and of the rho, K* and phi vector mesons. The calculations are performed on the RBC/UKQCD collaborations' ensembles generated with the Iwasaki gauge action and with 2+1 flavours of domain wall fermions. In addition we also provide some results on the necessary non-perturbative renormalisation which we perform using the Rome-Southampton method. We discuss the benefits of the momentum source approach such as much smaller statistical errors and the possibility to see effects of the discretisation.

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arXiv2008

SU(2) chiral perturbation theory for Kl3 decay amplitudes

We use one-loop $\SU(2)_L\times \SU(2)_R$ chiral perturbation theory ($\SU(2)$ ChPT) to study the behaviour of the form-factors for semileptonic $K\toπ$ decays with the pion mass at $q^2=0$ and at $q^2_{\textrm{max}}=(m_K-m_π)^2$, where $q$ is the momentum transfer. At $q^2=0$, the final-state pion has an energy of approximately $m_K/2$ (for $m_K\gg m_π$) and so is not soft, nevertheless it is possible to compute the chiral logarithms, i.e. the corrections of $O(m_π^2\log(m_π^2))$. We envisage that our results at $q^2=0$ will be useful in extrapolating lattice QCD results to physical masses. A consequence of the Callan-Treiman relation is that in the $\SU(2)$ chiral limit ($m_u=m_d=0$), the scalar form factor $f^0$ at $\qsqmax$ is equal to $f^{(K)}/f$, the ratio of the kaon and pion leptonic decay constants in the chiral limit. Lattice results for the scalar form factor at $\qsqmax$ are obtained with excellent precision, but at the masses at which the simulations are performed the results are about 25% below $f^{(K)}/f$ and are increasing only very slowly. We investigate the chiral behaviour of $f^0(\qsqmax)$ and find large corrections which provide a semi-quantitative explanation of the difference between the lattice results and $f^{(K)}/f$. We stress the generality of the relation $f^0_{P\toπ}(\qsqmax)=f^{(P)}/f$ in the $\SU(2)$ chiral limit, where $P=K,D$ or $B$ and briefly comment on the potential value of using this theorem in obtaining physical results from lattice simulations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

The pion's electromagnetic form factor at small momentum transfer in full lattice QCD

We compute the electromagnetic form factor of a "pion" with mass m_pi=330MeV at low values of Q^2\equiv -q^2, where q is the momentum transfer. The computations are performed in a lattice simulation using an ensemble of the RBC/UKQCD collaboration's gauge configurations with Domain Wall Fermions and the Iwasaki gauge action with an inverse lattice spacing of 1.73(3)GeV. In order to be able to reach low momentum transfers we use partially twisted boundary conditions using the techniques we have developed and tested earlier. For the pion of mass 330MeV we find a charge radius given by _{330MeV}=0.354(31)fm^2 which, using NLO SU(2) chiral perturbation theory, extrapolates to a value of =0.418(31)fm^2 for a physical pion, in agreement with the experimentally determined result. We confirm that there is a significant reduction in computational cost when using propagators computed from a single time-slice stochastic source compared to using those with a point source; for m_pi=330MeV and volume (2.74fm)^3 we find the reduction is approximately a factor of 12.

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