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S. Simula

Publications and source records attributed to S. Simula.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2022

FLAG Review 2021

We review lattice results related to pion, kaon, $D$-meson, $B$-meson, and nucleon physics with the aim of making them easily accessible to the nuclear and particle physics communities. More specifically, we report on the determination of the light-quark masses, the form factor $f_+(0)$ arising in the semileptonic $K \to π$ transition at zero momentum transfer, as well as the decay constant ratio $f_K/f_π$ and its consequences for the CKM matrix elements $V_{us}$ and $V_{ud}$. Furthermore, we describe the results obtained on the lattice for some of the low-energy constants of $SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R$ and $SU(3)_L\times SU(3)_R$ Chiral Perturbation Theory. We review the determination of the $B_K$ parameter of neutral kaon mixing as well as the additional four $B$ parameters that arise in theories of physics beyond the Standard Model. For the heavy-quark sector, we provide results for $m_c$ and $m_b$ as well as those for the decay constants, form factors, and mixing parameters of charmed and bottom mesons and baryons. These are the heavy-quark quantities most relevant for the determination of CKM matrix elements and the global CKM unitarity-triangle fit. We review the status of lattice determinations of the strong coupling constant $α_s$. We consider nucleon matrix elements, and review the determinations of the axial, scalar and tensor bilinears, both isovector and flavor diagonal. Finally, in this review we have added a new section reviewing determinations of scale-setting quantities.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Exclusive semileptonic $B$-meson decays using lattice QCD and unitarity

We present the results of the application of the Dispersion Matrix approach to exclusive semileptonic $B$-meson decays. This method allows to determine the hadronic form factors in a non-perturbative and completely model-independent way. Starting from lattice results available at large values of the momentum transfer, the behaviour of the form factors in their whole kinematical range is obtained without introducing any parameterization of their momentum dependence. We will focus on the determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements $\vert V_{cb} \vert$ and $\vert V_{ub} \vert$ through the analysis of $B_{(s)} \to D_{(s)}^{(*)} \ell ν$ and $B_{(s)} \to π(K) \ell ν$ decays. New theoretical determinations of the Lepton Flavour Universality ratios relevant for these transitions will be also presented.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Exclusive semileptonic $B \to π\ell ν_\ell$ and $B_s \to K \ell ν_\ell$ decays through unitarity and lattice QCD

The Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element $\vert V_{ub}\vert$ is obtained from exclusive semileptonic $B \to π\ell ν_\ell$ and $B_s \to K \ell ν_\ell$ decays adopting the unitarity-based dispersion matrix approach for the determination of the hadronic form factors (FFs) in the whole kinematical range. We use lattice computations of the relevant susceptibilities and of the FFs in the large-$q^2$ regime in order to derive their behavior in the low-$q^2$ region without assuming any specific momentum dependence and without constraining their shape using experimental data. Then, we address the extraction of $\vert V_{ub}\vert$ from the experimental data, obtaining $\vert V_{ub}\vert = (3.62 \pm 0.47) \cdot 10^{-3}$ from $B \to π$ and $\vert V_{ub}\vert = (3.77 \pm 0.48) \cdot 10^{-3}$ from $B_s \to K$, which after averaging yield $\vert V_{ub}\vert = (3.69 \pm 0.34) \cdot 10^{-3}$. These results are compatible with the most recent inclusive value $\vert V_{ub} \vert_{incl} = 4.13\,(26) \cdot 10^{-3}$ at the 1$σ$ level. We also present purely theoretical estimates of the ratio of the $τ/μ$ decay rates $R^{τ/μ}_{π(K)}$, the normalized forward-backward asymmetry $\bar{\mathcal{A}}_{FB}^{\ell,π(K)}$ and the normalized lepton polarization asymmetry $\bar{\mathcal{A}}_{polar}^{\ell,π(K)}$.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Exclusive B-meson semileptonic decays from unitarity and lattice QCD

We examine the semileptonic $B \to D^{(*)} \ell ν_\ell$ and $B \to π\ell ν_\ell$ decays adopting the unitarity-based Dispersive Matrix (DM) method, which allows to determine the shape of the relevant hadronic form factors (FFs) in their whole kinematical range, using only lattice QCD results available at large values of the 4-momentum transfer without making any assumption on their momentum dependence. Moreover, the experimental data are not used to constrain the shape of the FFs, but only to obtain our final exclusive determination of $\vert V_{cb} \vert$ and $\vert V_{ub} \vert$, namely: $\vert V_{cb} \vert \cdot 10^3 = 41.1 \pm 1.0$ and $\vert V_{ub} \vert \cdot 10^3 = 3.88 \pm 0.32$, which are consistent with the latest inclusive determinations at the $1 σ$ level or better. Our calculation of the FFs allows to obtain pure theoretical estimates of the $τ/ μ$ ratios of differential decay rates, $R(D) = 0.296 \pm 0.008$ and $R(D^*) = 0.275 \pm 0.008$, which turn out to be compatible with the experimental world averages within $\simeq 1.4$ standard deviations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Lattice calculation of the pion mass difference $M_{π^{+}}-M_{π^{0}}$ at order $\mathcal{O}(α_{em})$

We present a lattice calculation of the charged/neutral pion mass difference $M_{π^{+}}-M_{π^{0}}$ at order $\mathcal{O}(α_{em})$ using the gauge configurations produced by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration with $N_{f}=2+1+1$ dynamical quark flavours at three values of the lattice spacing ($a \simeq 0.062, 0.082, 0.089~{\rm fm}$) and pion masses in the range $M_π \simeq 250-500~{\rm MeV}$. We employ the RM123 method and expand the path-integral around the isospin symmetric point at leading order in the electromagnetic coupling $α_{em}$. Making use of the recently proposed RTM scheme, we evaluate the full $\mathcal{O}(α_{em})$ contribution, with the inclusion of the disconnected diagram. At the physical point, after performing the continuum and infinite volume extrapolation, we obtain the value $M_{π^{+}}-M_{π^{0}}= 4.622~(95)~{\rm MeV}$ which is in good agreement with the experimental result $[ M_{π^{+}} - M_{π^{0}} ]^{exp.} = 4.5936(5)~{\rm MeV}$.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Virtual Photon Emission in Leptonic Decays of Charged Pseudoscalar Mesons

We study the radiative leptonic decays $P\to\ellν_\ell\,\ell^{\prime\,+}\ell^{\prime\,-}$, where $P$ is a pseudoscalar meson and $\ell$ and $\ell^\prime$ are charged leptons. In such decays the emitted photon is off-shell and, in addition to the "point-like" contribution in which the virtual photon is emitted either from the lepton or the meson treated as a point-like particle, four structure-dependent (SD) form factors contribute to the amplitude. We present a strategy for the extraction of the SD form factors and implement it in an exploratory lattice computation of the decay rates for the four channels of kaon decays ($\ell,\ell^\prime=e,μ$). It is the SD form factors which describe the interaction between the virtual photon and the internal hadronic structure of the decaying meson, and in our procedure we separate the SD and point-like contributions to the amplitudes. We demonstrate that the form factors can be extracted with good precision and, in spite of the unphysical quark masses used in our simulation ($m_π\simeq 320\,$MeV and $m_K\simeq 530\,$MeV), the results for the decay rates are in reasonable semiquantitative agreement with experimental data (for the channels where these exist). Following this preparatory work, the emphasis of our future work will be on obtaining results at physical quark masses and on the control of the systematic uncertainties associated with discretisation and finite-volume errors.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

$\vert V_{cb} \vert$ and $R(D^{(*)})$ using lattice QCD and unitarity

The Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element $|V_{cb}|$ is extracted from exclusive semileptonic $B \to D^{(*)}$ decays adopting a novel unitarity-based approach which allows to determine in a full non-perturbative way the relevant hadronic form factors (FFs) in the whole kinematical range. By using existing lattice computations of the $B \to D^{(*)}$ FFs at small recoil from FNAL/MILC and JLQCD Collaborations, we show that it is possible to extrapolate their behavior also at large recoil without assuming any specific momentum dependence and without constraining their shape using experimental data. Thus, we address the extraction of $|V_{cb}|$ from the experimental data on the semileptonic $B \to D^{(*)} \ell ν_\ell$ decays, obtaining $\vert V_{cb}\vert = (41.0 \pm 1.2 ) \cdot 10^{-3}$ from $B \to D$ using as input the final FNAL/MILC lattice data for the FFs and $|V_{cb}| = (40.4 \pm 1.8 ) \cdot 10^{-3}$ from $B \to D^*$ using the preliminary JLQCD lattice data. Our result from $B \to D$ is consistent within $\sim 1$ standard deviation with the most recent inclusive determination $|V_{cb}|_{incl} = (42.00 \pm 0.65) \cdot 10^{-3}$. The resulting uncertainty is comparable with those obtained in literature using experimental data to constrain the shape of the FFs. Our result from $B \to D^*$, though consistent with $|V_{cb}|_{incl} $, is still based on preliminary lattice data for the FFs and its uncertainty is greater than the ones obtained in literature using experimental data to constrain the shape of the FFs. We investigate also the issue of Lepton Flavor Universality thanks to new theoretical estimates of the ratios $R(D^{(*)})$, namely $R(D) = 0.296(8)$ using final FNAL/MILC lattice results, and $R(D^{*}) = 0.261(20)$ using preliminary JLQCD and FNAL/MILC lattice data. Our findings differ by $\sim 1.4σ$ from the latest experimental determinations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Virtual Photon Emission in Leptonic Decays of Pseudoscalar Mesons

We present a preliminary non-perturbative lattice calculation of the form factors entering the processes $K\to \ell\,ν_\ell\,\ell'^+\,\ell'^-$ and of the corresponding branching ratios. These form factors describe the interaction between the mediating virtual photon and the internal hadronic structure of the meson. By separating them from the point-like contribution to the matrix element we are able to isolate and reconstruct the structure-dependent contribution to the decay width. Our numerical analysis employs only one gauge ensemble and so it is affected by systematic uncertainties due to the missing continuum and physical point extrapolation. Despite this, we already find a reasonable agreement with the experimental data and with the next to leading order Chiral Perturbation Theory predictions. The method is general and can be applied to any pseudoscalar meson, though for heavier mesons the possibility of internal lighter states becomes problematic and still needs a proper study. A non-perturbative, model-independent lattice evaluation of these processes would allow further progress in the theoretical predictions of SM hadronic quantities and in the search of New Physics.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Lattice determination of the pion mass difference $M_{π^{+}} - M_{π^{0}}$ at order $\mathcal{O}(α_{em})$ and $\mathcal{O}( (m_{d}-m_{u})^{2})$ including disconnected diagrams

We present our preliminary results concerning the charged/neutral pion mass difference $M_{π^{+}} - M_{π^{0}}$ at order $\mathcal{O}(α_{em})$ in the QED interactions, and for $M_{π^{+}} - M_{π^{0}}$ at order $\mathcal{O}\left( (m_{d}-m_{u})^{2}\right)$ in the strong isospin-breaking term. The latter contribution provides a determination of the $\rm{SU}(2)$ chiral perturbation theory low-energy constant $\ell_{7}$, whose present estimate is affected by a rather large uncertainty. The disconnected contributions appearing in the diagrammatic expansion of $M_{π^{+}} - M_{π^{0}}$, being very noisy, are notoriously difficult to evaluate and have been neglected in our previous calculations. By making use of twisted mass Lattice QCD simulations and adopting the RM123 method, we will show that taking profit from our recently proposed rotated twisted-mass (RTM) scheme, tailored to improve the signal on these kinds of observables, it is possible to evaluate the disconnected diagrams with good precision. For the QED induced pion mass difference, we obtain, after performing the extrapolation towards the continuum and thermodynamic limit and at the physical point, the preliminary value $M_{π^{+}}-M_{π^{0}} = 4.622~(95)~{\rm MeV}$, that is in good agreement with the experimental result. For the determination of the low-energy constant $\ell_{7}$, our result $\ell_{7} = 2.5~(1.4)\times 10^{-3}$, which is limited so far to a single lattice spacing, is in agreement and improves phenomenological estimates.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Constraints for the semileptonic $B \to D^{(*)}$ form factors from lattice QCD simulations of two-point correlation functions

In this work we present the first non-perturbative determination of the hadronic susceptibilities that constrain the form factors entering the semileptonic $B \to D^{(*)} \ell ν_\ell $ transitions due to unitarity and analyticity. The susceptibilities are obtained by evaluating moments of suitable two-point correlation functions obtained on the lattice. Making use of the gauge ensembles produced by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration with $N_f = 2+1+1$ dynamical quarks at three values of the lattice spacing ($a \simeq 0.062, 0.082, 0.089$ fm) and with pion masses in the range $\simeq 210 - 450$ MeV, we evaluate the longitudinal and transverse susceptibilities of the vector and axial-vector polarization functions at the physical pion point and in the continuum and infinite volume limits. The ETMC ratio method is adopted to reach the physical $b$-quark mass $m_b^{phys}$. At zero momentum transfer for the $b \to c$ transition we get $χ_{0^+}(m_b^{phys}) = 7.58\,(59) \cdot 10^{-3}$, $χ_{1^-}(m_b^{phys}) = 6.72\,(41) \cdot 10^{-4}$ GeV$^{-2}$, $χ_{0^-}(m_b^{phys}) = 2.58\,(17) \cdot 10^{-2}$ and $χ_{1^+}(m_b^{phys}) = 4.69\,(30) \cdot 10^{-4}$ GeV$^{-2}$ for the scalar, vector, pseudoscalar and axial susceptibilities, respectively. In the case of the vector and pseudoscalar channels the one-particle contributions due to $B_c^*$- and $B_c$-mesons are evaluated and subtracted to improve the bounds, obtaining: $χ_{1^-}^{sub}(m_b^{phys}) = 5.84\,(44) \cdot 10^{-4}$ GeV$^{-2}$ and $χ_{0^-}^{sub}(m_b^{phys}) = 2.19\,(19) \cdot 10^{-2}$.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Quark masses using twisted mass fermion gauge ensembles

We present a calculation of the up, down, strange and charm quark masses performed within the lattice QCD framework. We use the twisted mass fermion action and carry out simulations that include in the sea two light mass-degenerate quarks, as well as the strange and charm quarks. In the analysis we use gauge ensembles simulated at three values of the lattice spacing and with light quarks that correspond to pion masses in the range from 350 MeV to the physical value, while the strange and charm quark masses are tuned approximately to their physical values. We use several quantities to set the scale in order to check for finite lattice spacing effects and in the continuum limit we get compatible results. The quark mass renormalization is carried out non-perturbatively using the RI'-MOM method converted into the $\overline{\rm MS}$ scheme. For the determination of the quark masses we use physical observables from both the meson and the baryon sectors, obtaining $m_{ud} = 3.636(66)(^{+60}_{-57})$~MeV and $m_s = 98.7(2.4)(^{+4.0}_{-3.2})$~MeV in the $\overline{\rm MS}(2\,{\rm GeV})$ scheme and $m_c = 1036(17)(^{+15}_{-8})$~MeV in the $\overline{\rm MS}(3\,{\rm GeV})$ scheme, where the first errors are statistical and the second ones are combinations of systematic errors. For the quark mass ratios we get $m_s / m_{ud} = 27.17(32)(^{+56}_{-38})$ and $m_c / m_s = 11.48(12)(^{+25}_{-19})$.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Determination of the light, strange and charm quark masses using twisted mass fermions

We present results for the light, strange and charm quark masses using $N_f=2+1+1$ twisted mass fermion ensembles at three values of the lattice spacing, including two ensembles simulated with the physical value of the pion mass. The analysis is done both in the meson and baryon sectors. The difference in the mean values found in the two sectors is included as part of the systematic error. The presentation is based on the work of Ref. [1], where more details can be found.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

$K$- and $D_{(s)}$-meson leptonic decay constants with physical light, strange and charm quarks by ETMC

We present a lattice QCD computation and preliminary results for the leptonic decay constants of the pseudoscalar mesons $K$, $D$ and $D_{s}$ in the isosymmetric QCD limit. The computation is based on simulations of $N_f = 2+1+1$ dynamical quarks performed by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC), where the light, strange and charm quark masses are all tuned at their physical values. We also present preliminary unitarity checks for the first and second rows of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Ratio of kaon and pion leptonic decay constants with $N_f = 2 + 1 + 1$ Wilson-clover twisted-mass fermions

We present a determination of the ratio of kaon and pion leptonic decay constants in isosymmetric QCD (isoQCD), $f_K / f_π$, making use of the gauge ensembles produced by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC) with $N_f = 2 + 1 + 1$ flavors of Wilson-clover twisted-mass quarks, including configurations close to the physical point for all dynamical flavors. The simulations are carried out at three values of the lattice spacing ranging from $\sim 0.068$ to $\sim 0.092$ fm with linear lattice size up to $L \sim 5.5$~fm. The scale is set by the PDG value of the pion decay constant, $f_π^{isoQCD} = 130.4~(2)$ MeV, at the isoQCD pion point, $M_π^{isoQCD} = 135.0~(2)$ MeV, obtaining for the gradient-flow (GF) scales the values $w_0 = 0.17383~(63)$ fm, $\sqrt{t_0} = 0.14436~(61)$ fm and $t_0 / w_0 = 0.11969~(62)$ fm. The data are analyzed within the framework of SU(2) Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) without resorting to the use of renormalized quark masses. At the isoQCD kaon point $M_K^{isoQCD} = 494.2~(4)$ MeV we get $(f_K / f_π)^{isoQCD} = 1.1995~(44)$, where the error includes both statistical and systematic uncertainties. Implications for the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element $|V_{us}|$ and for the first-row CKM unitarity are discussed.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Rotated twisted-mass: a convenient regularization scheme for isospin breaking QCD and QED lattice calculations

We propose a scheme of lattice twisted-mass fermion regularization which is particularly convenient for application to isospin breaking (IB) QCD and QED calculations, based in particular on the so called RM123 approach, in which the IB terms of the action are treated as a perturbation. The main, practical advantage of this scheme is that it allows the calculation of IB effects on some mesonic observables, like e.g. the pi+ - pi0 mass splitting, using lattice correlation functions in which the quark and antiquark fields in the meson are regularized with opposite values of the Wilson parameter r. These correlation functions are found to be affected by much smaller statistical fluctuations, with respect to the analogous functions in which quark and antiquark fields are regularized with the same value of r. Two numerical application of this scheme, that we call "rotated twisted-mass", within pure QCD and QCD+QED respectively, are also provided for illustration.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Electromagnetic corrections to leptonic decay rates of charged pseudoscalar mesons: finite-volume effects

In Carrasco et al. we have recently proposed a method to calculate $O(e^2)$ electromagnetic corrections to leptonic decay widths of pseudoscalar mesons. The method is based on the observation that the infrared divergent contributions (that appear at intermediate stages of the calculation and that cancel in physical quantities thanks to the Bloch-Nordsieck mechanism) are universal, i.e. depend on the charge and the mass of the meson but not on its internal structure. In this talk we perform a detailed analysis of the finite-volume effects associated with our method. In particular we show that also the leading $1/L$ finite-volume effects are universal and perform an analytical calculation of the finite-volume leptonic decay rate for a point-like meson.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Unitarity Bounds for Semileptonic Decays in Lattice QCD

In this work we discuss in detail the non-perturbative determination of the momentum dependence of the form factors entering in semileptonic decays using unitarity and analyticity constraints. The method contains several new elements with respect to previous proposals and allows to extract, using suitable two-point functions computed non-perturbatively, the form factors at low momentum transfer $q^2$ from those computed explicitly on the lattice at large $q^2$, without any assumption about their $q^2$-dependence. The approach will be very useful for exclusive semileptonic $B$-meson decays, where the direct calculation of the form factors at low $q^2$ is particularly difficult due to large statistical fluctuations and discretisation effects. As a testing ground we apply our approach to the semileptonic $D \to K \ell ν_\ell$ decay, where we can compare the results of the unitarity approach to the explicit direct lattice calculation of the form factors in the full $q^2$-range. We show that the method is very effective and that it allows to compute the form factors with rather good precision.

hep-lat↗