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Stephen R. Sharpe

Publications and source records attributed to Stephen R. Sharpe.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Three-particle quantization condition: an update

We give an update on our derivation of a quantization condition relating the finite-volume spectrum of three particles in a cubic box to infinite-volume scattering quantities. We have discovered and fixed technical problems in the derivation sketched in the proceedings of last year's lattice conference [arXiv:1311.4848], and have presented a detailed description of the corrected derivation in Ref. [arXiv:1408.5933]. Here we give an overview of the problems and their solutions, and describe open questions.

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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.

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Toolkit for staggered $ΔS=2$ matrix elements

A recent numerical lattice calculation of the kaon mixing matrix elements of general $ΔS=2$ four-fermion operators using staggered fermions relied on two auxiliary theoretical calculations. Here we describe the methodology and present the results of these two calculations. The first concerns one-loop matching coefficients between staggered lattice operators and the corresponding continuum operators. Previous calculations with staggered fermions have used a non-standard regularization scheme for the continuum operators, and here we provide the additional matching factors needed to connect to the standard regularization scheme. This is the scheme in which two-loop anomalous dimensions are known. We also observe that all previous calculations of this operator matching using staggered fermions have overlooked one matching step in the continuum. This extra step turns out to have no impact on three of the five operators (including that relevant for $B_K$), but does affect the other two operators. The second auxiliary calculation concerns the two-loop renormalization group (RG) evolution equations for the $B$-parameters of the $ΔS=2$ operators. For one pair of operators, the standard analytic solution to the two-loop RG equations fails due to a spurious singularity introduced by the approximations made in the calculation. We give a non-singular expression derived using analytic continuation, and check the result using a numerical solution to the RG equations. We also describe the RG evolution for "golden" combinations of $B$-parameters, and give numerical results for RG evolution matrices needed in the companion lattice calculation.

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Improved determination of $B_K$ with staggered quarks

We present results for the kaon mixing parameter $B_K$ obtained using improved staggered fermions on a much enlarged set of MILC asqtad lattices. Compared to our previous publication, which was based largely on a single ensemble at each of the three lattice spacings $a\approx 0.09\;$fm, $0.06\;$fm and $0.045\;$fm, we have added seven new fine and four new superfine ensembles, with a range of values of the light and strange sea-quark masses. We have also increased the number of measurements on one of the original ensembles. This allows us to do controlled extrapolations in the light and strange sea-quark masses, which we do simultaneously with the continuum extrapolation. This reduces the extrapolation error and improves the reliability of our error estimates. Our final result is $\hat{B}_K = 0.7379 \pm 0.0047 (\text{stat}) \pm 0.0365 (\text{sys})$.

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Relativistic, model-independent, three-particle quantization condition

This is a combined write-up for two talks which were given consecutively and which described different aspects of the same topic. We present a generalization of Lüscher's relation between the finite-volume spectrum and S-matrix to three particles. Specifically, we consider a scalar field theory, which has a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry that prevents even/odd coupling. The theory is assumed to have no two-particle bound states and to have two-particle phase shifts that are bounded by $π/2$ in the regime of elastic scattering. Considering center of mass energies between one and five particle masses, we evaluate a three-to-three finite-volume correlator to all orders in perturbation theory. Only terms which are exponentially suppressed in volume are neglected. From poles in the correlator we then determine the relation between finite-volume spectrum and scattering quantities. In this analysis one must carefully treat the unitary cusp at two-particle threshold. This point, which was neglected in the conference talks, is described in some detail here. We also describe an important check on our main result by reproducing the large volume expansion of the energy shift from the three-particle threshold. This is found to be consistent with previous work through four non-trivial orders.

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Beyond the Standard Model B-parameters with improved staggered fermions in $N_f=2+1$ QCD

We calculate the kaon mixing B-parameters for operators arising generically in theories of physics beyond the standard model. We use HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the $N_f = 2+1$ MILC asqtad lattices. Operator matching is done perturbatively at one-loop order. Chiral extrapolations are done using "golden combinations" in which one-loop chiral logarithms are absent. For the combined sea-quark mass and continuum extrapolation, we use three lattice spacings: $a \approx 0.045, 0.06$ and $0.09 \text{fm}$. Our results have a total error of 5-6%, which is dominated by the systematic error from matching and continuum extrapolation. For two of the BSM $B$-parameters, we agree with results obtained using domain-wall and twisted-mass dynamical fermions, but we disagree by $(4-5)σ$ for the other two.

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Non-perturbative Renormalization for Improved Staggered Bilinears

We apply non-perturbative renormalization to bilinears composed of improved staggered fermions. We explain how to generalize the method to staggered fermions in a way which is consistent with the lattice symmetries, and introduce a new type of lattice bilinear which transforms covariantly and avoids mixing. We derive the consequences of lattice symmetries for the propagator and vertices. We implement the method numerically for hypercubic-smeared (HYP) and asqtad valence fermion actions, using lattices with asqtad sea quarks generated by the MILC collaboration. We compare the non-perturbative results so obtained to those from perturbation theory, using both scale-independent ratios of bilinears (of which we calculate 26), and the scale-dependent bilinears themselves. Overall, we find that one-loop perturbation theory provides a successful description of the results for HYP-fermions if we allow for a truncation error of roughly the size of the square of the one-loop term (for ratios) or of size O(1) \times α^2 (for the bilinears themselves). Perturbation theory is, however, less successful at describing the non-perturbative asqtad results.

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Neutral kaon mixing from new physics: matrix elements in $N_f=2+1$ QCD

We present results for matrix elements of $ΔS=2$ four-fermion operators arising generically in models of new physics. These are needed to constrain such models using the measured values of $\varepsilon_K$ and $ΔM_K$. We use lattice QCD with 2+1 flavors of improved staggered fermions on lattices generated by the MILC collaboration. We extrapolate to the continuum from three lattice spacings ranging down to $a\approx 0.045\;$fm. Total errors are $\sim 5-6%$, arising primarily from our use of one-loop matching between lattice and continuum operators. For two of the matrix elements, our results disagree significantly from those obtained using different fermion discretizations.

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Large-N reduction with adjoint Wilson fermions

We analyze the large-N behavior of SU(N) lattice gauge theories with adjoint fermions by studying volume-reduced models, as pioneered by Eguchi and Kawai. We perform simulations on a single-site lattice for Nf = 1 and Nf = 2 Wilson Dirac fermions with values of N up to 53. We show for both values of Nf that in the large-N limit there is a finite region, containing both light and heavy fermions, of unbroken center symmetry where the theory exhibits volume independence. Using large-N reduction we attempt to calculate physical quantities such as the string tension and meson masses.

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Non-perturbative Renormalization of Improved Staggered Bilinears

We compute Z-factors for general staggered bilinears on fine (a \approx 0.09 fm) MILC ensembles using both asqtad and HYP-smeared valence actions, comparing the results to the predictions of one-loop perturbation theory. This is an extension of previous work on the coarse (a \approx 0.12 fm) MILC ensembles. It provides a laboratory for studying NPR methodology in the staggered context, and is an important stepping stone for fully non-perturbative matching factors in ongoing computations of B_K and other weak matrix elements. We also implement non-exceptional RI/SMOM renormalization conditions using the asqtad action and present first results.

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Chiral extrapolation of matrix elements of BSM kaon operators

Models of new physics induce K_0-K_0bar mixing through operators having Dirac structures other than the "left-left" form of the Standard Model. To carry out the chiral-continuum extrapolation of results from numerical simulations, one needs to know the quark mass and lattice spacing dependence of the corresponding B-parameters in the partially quenched theory at least at next-to-leading order. For simulations using staggered fermions (such as that we are doing with HYP-smeared valence fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices) one must determine this dependence using staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT). We have calculated the required dependence in both SU(3) and SU(2) SChPT, working at next-to-leading order, and we give here an overview of the methodology and results. The SU(3) SChPT result turns out to be much simpler than that for the Standard Model B_K operator, due to the absence of chiral suppression for the new operators. The SU(2) SChPT result turns out to be closely related to that for B_K: the chiral logarithms are identical, up to an operator-dependent sign. Our results are also useful for fermions with chiral symmetry as they provide, in the continuum limit, the partially quenched generalization of existing continuum results.

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Recent progress in calculation of $B_K$ using staggered fermions

We report on recent progress in the calculation of $B_K$ using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. We have added measurements on fine ($a\sim 0.09 $fm) and superfine ($a\sim 0.06 $fm) ensembles at different values of the light sea quark mass ($a m_\ell$), as well as increased the statistics on some other ensembles. We find that the results on the fine lattices show a significantly stronger $am_\ell$ dependence than those on the superfine and coarse ($a\sim 0.12 $fm) lattices. We discuss different methods for accounting for these new results when doing the $a m_\ell$ and continuum extrapolations.

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Beyond the Standard Model corrections to $K^0-\bar{K}^0$ mixing

We calculate the B-parameters for operators arising in theories of new physics beyond the standard model (BSM) using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices with N_f = 2+1 flavors. We use three different lattice spacings (a ~ 0.045, 0.06 and 0.09 fm) at a fixed ratio of light to strange quarks, m_l/m_s = 1/5, to obtain the continuum results. Operator matching is done using perturbative matching at one-loop order, and results are run to 2 or 3 GeV using two-loop running in the MS-bar scheme. For the chiral and continuum extrapolations, we use SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory. We present preliminary results with only statistical errors.

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Multiple-channel generalization of Lellouch-Lüscher formula: Lattice 2012 conference proceedings

We describe a generalization of the Lellouch-Lüscher formula to the case of multiple strongly-coupled decay channels. As in the original formula, our final result is a relation between weak matrix elements in finite and infinite volumes. Our extension is limited to final states with two scalar particles, with center of mass energies below the lowest three- or four-particle threshold. Otherwise the extension is general, accommodating any number of channels, arbitrary strong coupling between channels, as well as any form of weak decay operators in the matrix elements. Among many possible applications, we emphasize that this is a necessary first step on the way to a lattice-QCD calculation of weak decay rates for D -> pi pi and D -> K K-bar. Our results allow for arbitrary total momentum and hold for degenerate or non-degenerate particles.

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Kaon $B$-parameter from improved staggered fermions in $N_f=2+1$ QCD

We present a calculation of the kaon $B$-parameter, $B_K$, using lattice QCD. We use improved staggered valence and sea fermions, the latter generated by the MILC collaboration with $N_f=2+1$ light flavors. To control discretization errors, we use four different lattice spacings ranging down to $a\approx 0.045\;$fm. The chiral and continuum extrapolations are done using SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory. Our final result is $\hat{B}_K = 0.727 \pm 0.004 (\text{stat}) \pm 0.038 (\text{sys})$, where the dominant systematic error is from our use of truncated (one-loop) matching factors.

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Multiple-channel generalization of Lellouch-Luscher formula

We generalize the Lellouch-Luscher formula, relating weak matrix elements in finite and infinite volumes, to the case of multiple strongly-coupled decay channels into two scalar particles. This is a necessary first step on the way to a lattice QCD calculation of weak decay rates for processes such as D -> pi pi and D -> KK. We also present a field theoretic derivation of the generalization of Luscher's finite volume quantization condition to multiple two-particle channels. We give fully explicit results for the case of two channels, including a form of the generalized Lellouch-Luscher formula expressed in terms of derivatives of the energies of finite volume states with respect to the box size. Our results hold for arbitrary total momentum and for degenerate or non-degenerate particles.

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Large-N reduction in QCD with two adjoint Dirac fermions

We use lattice simulations to study the single-site version of SU(N) lattice gauge theory with two flavors of Wilson-Dirac fermions in the adjoint representation, a theory whose large volume correspondent is expected to be conformal or nearly conformal. Working with N as large as 53, we map out the phase diagram in the plane of bare `t Hooft coupling, g^2 N, and of the lattice quark mass, a*m, and look for the region where the Z_N^4 center symmetry of the theory is intact. In this region one expects the large-N equivalence of the single site and infinite volume theories to be valid. As for the N_f=1 case (see Phys. Rev. D80: 065031), we find that the center-symmetric region is large and includes both light fermion masses and masses at the cutoff scale. We study the N-dependence of the width of this region and find strong evidence that it remains of finite width as N goes to infinity. Simulating with couplings as small as g^2 N = 0.005, we find that the width shrinks slowly with decreasing g^2 N, at a rate consistent with analytic arguments. Within the center-symmetric region our results for the phase structure, when extrapolated to infinite N, apply also for the large volume theory, which is minimal walking technicolor with N=infinity. We find a first-order transition as a function of a*m for all values of b, which we argue favors that the theory is confining in the infrared. Finally, we measure the eigenvalue densities of the Wilson-Dirac operator and its hermitian version, and use large Wilson loops to study the utility of reduction for extracting physical observables.

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Kaon mixing matrix elements from beyond-the-Standard-Model operators in staggered chiral perturbation theory

Models of new physics induce K-Kbar mixing operators having Dirac structures other than the "left-left" form of the Standard Model. We calculate the functional form of the corresponding B-parameters at next-to-leading order in both SU(3) and SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT). Numerical results for these matrix elements are being generated using improved staggered fermions; our results can be used to extrapolate these matrix elements to the physical light and strange quark masses. The SU(3) SChPT results turn out to be much simpler than that for the Standard Model B_K operator, due to the absence of chiral suppression in the new operators. The SU(2) SChPT result is of similar simplicity to that for B_K. In fact, in the latter case, the chiral logarithms for two of the new B-parameters are identical to those for B_K, while those for the other two new B-parameters are of opposite sign. In addition to providing results for the 2+1 flavor theory in SU(3) SChPT and the 1+1+1 flavor theory in SU(2) SChPT, we present the corresponding continuum partially quenched results, as these are not available in the literature.

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