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Vera Gülpers

Publications and source records attributed to Vera Gülpers.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Efficiently unquenching QCD+QED at O($α$)

We outline a strategy to efficiently include the electromagnetic interactions of the sea quarks in QCD+QED. When computing iso-spin breaking corrections to hadronic quantities at leading order in the electromagnetic coupling, the sea-quark charges result in quark-line disconnected diagrams which are challenging to compute precisely. An analysis of the variance of stochastic estimators for the relevant traces of quark propagators helps us to improve the situation for certain flavour combinations and space-time decompositions. We present preliminary numerical results for the variances of the corresponding contributions using an ensemble of $N_\mathrm{f}=2+1$ domain-wall fermions generated by the RBC/UKQCD collaboration.

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arXiv2026

Real radiative decays of heavy pseudoscalar mesons

We report our ongoing lattice QCD study of radiative leptonic decays of the charged pseudoscalar mesons $D$, $D_s$, $B$, and $B_c \to \ell ν_\ell γ$. We carry out our analysis on a single JLQCD ensemble with lattice spacing $a=0.044~\text{fm}$. This work is a step towards a complete QCD+QED lattice calculation of these modes, aimed at reducing theoretical uncertainties in the extraction of $|V_{cd}|$ and $|V_{cs}|$ and providing first-principles estimates of the corresponding form factors in the $B$ sector.

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arXiv2026

$K π$ scattering as a step towards $B \to K^* \ell^+ \ell^-$ from Lattice QCD

Rare $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ decays provide some of the most sensitive tests of the Standard Model and require precise and systematically improvable hadronic input from lattice QCD. For the phenomenologically important channel $B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^-$ this entails a first-principles treatment of a resonant $Kπ$ final state together with controlled heavy-quark dynamics. We present the status of a new exploratory lattice calculation that combines a variational determination of finite-volume $Kπ$ states with the $1+J\to2$ finite-volume formalism to access the relevant matrix elements. The computation is carried out on an RBC/UKQCD domain-wall fermion ensemble with $a^{-1} \approx 2.7\,\mathrm{GeV}$ and employs a dual heavy-quark strategy, using both a relativistic heavy-quark action tuned to the physical $b$ mass and domain-wall heavy masses extrapolating from charm. All correlation functions are computed using (stochastic) distillation, providing a versatile setup that supports a broad range of heavy-to-light transitions into resonant final states. We show first two-point results for the $K^*\leftrightarrow Kπ$ system and discuss the accessible kinematic region, which allows for a controlled study at high $q^2$. The outlook for extending the calculation to lower $q^2$ and for incorporating effects from charmonium resonances is outlined.

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arXiv2026

Isospin breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarization with stochastic coordinate sampling

In the recent Muon g-2 Theory Initiative white paper update, the hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) contribution -- which dominates the theoretical uncertainty -- is evaluated as an average of different lattice QCD calculations. Since lattice simulations are mostly carried out in isospin symmetric QCD, corrections due to the mass difference of the up and down quarks and the coupling to photons have to be accounted for. These isospin breaking effects are of order 1\% and can be treated as corrections to the result for the HVP contribution in isospin symmetric QCD. In the current estimate of the HVP contribution, these effects are a large source of uncertainty due to the extensive computational cost to compute all occurring Wick contractions and degrading signal-to-noise behaviour especially for quark disconnected diagrams. We present the current status of the calculation of isospin breaking corrections in the HVP contribution for the RBC/UKQCD collaborations. We use a dataset of propagators computed using stochastic coordinate sampling (SCS) to construct all necessary Wick contractions for the electromagnetic and strong isospin breaking effects. We employ different versions of QED on the lattice, such as QED$_L$, QED$_r$ and QED$_\infty$ to improve our estimate of finite-volume uncertainties.

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arXiv2025

Exploratory calculation of the rare hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$ from lattice QCD

The rare hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$ is a flavour-changing neutral current process mediated by an $s \to d$ transition that occurs only at loop level within the Standard Model. Consequently, this decay is highly suppressed, making it a promising avenue for probing potential new physics. While phenomenological calculations have made important progress in predicting the decay amplitude, there remains a four-fold ambiguity in the relevant transition form factors that prevents a unique prediction for the branching fraction and angular observables. Fully resolving this ambiguity requires a first-principles Standard-Model calculation, and the recent observation of this process using LHCb Run 2 data reinforces the timeliness of such a calculation. In this work, we present the first lattice-QCD calculation of this decay, performed using a 2+1-flavour domain-wall fermion ensemble with a pion mass of 340 MeV. At a small baryon source-sink separation, we observe the emergence of a signal in the relevant baryonic four-point functions. This allows us to determine the positive-parity form factors for the rare hyperon decays from first-principles, albeit with large statistical and systematic uncertainties.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2025

Physical-mass calculation of $ρ(770)$ and $K^*(892)$ resonance parameters via $ππ$ and $K π$ scattering amplitudes from lattice QCD

We present our study of the $ρ(770)$ and $K^*(892)$ resonances from lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) employing domain-wall fermions at physical quark masses. We determine the finite-volume energy spectrum in various momentum frames and obtain phase-shift parameterizations via the Lüscher formalism, and as a final step the complex resonance poles of the $ππ$ and $K π$ elastic scattering amplitudes via an analytical continuation of the models. By sampling a large number of representative sets of underlying energy-level fits, we also assign a systematic uncertainty to our final results. This is a significant extension to data-driven analysis methods that have been used in lattice QCD to date, due to the two-step nature of the formalism. Our final pole positions, $M+iΓ/2$, with all statistical and systematic errors exposed, are $M_{K^{*}} = 893(2)(8)(54)(2)~\mathrm{MeV}$ and $Γ_{K^{*}} = 51(2)(11)(3)(0)~\mathrm{MeV}$ for the $K^*(892)$ resonance and $M_ρ = 796(5)(15)(48)(2)~\mathrm{MeV}$ and $Γ_ρ = 192(10)(28)(12)(0)~\mathrm{MeV}$ for the $ρ(770)$ resonance. The four differently grouped sources of uncertainties are, in the order of occurrence: statistical, data-driven systematic, an estimation of systematic effects beyond our computation (dominated by the fact that we employ a single lattice spacing), and the error from the scale-setting uncertainty on our ensemble.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2025

Light and strange vector resonances from lattice QCD at physical quark masses

We present the first ab initio calculation at physical quark masses of scattering amplitudes describing the lightest pseudoscalar mesons interacting via the strong force in the vector channel. Using lattice quantum chromodynamics, we postdict the defining parameters for two short-lived resonances, the $ρ(770)$ and $K^*(892)$, which manifest as complex energy poles in $ππ$ and $K π$ scattering amplitudes, respectively. The calculation proceeds by first computing the finite-volume energy spectrum of the two-hadron systems, and then determining the amplitudes from the energies using the Lüscher formalism. The error budget includes a data-driven systematic error, obtained by scanning possible fit ranges and fit models to extract the spectrum from Euclidean correlators, as well as the scattering amplitudes from the latter. The final results, obtained by analytically continuing multiple parameterizations into the complex energy plane, are $M_ρ= 796(5)(50)~\mathrm{MeV}$, $Γ_ρ= 192(10)(31)~\mathrm{MeV}$, $M_{K^*} = 893(2)(54)~\mathrm{MeV}$ and $Γ_{K^*} = 51(2)(11)~\mathrm{MeV}$, where the subscript indicates the resonance and $M$ and $Γ$ stand for the mass and width, respectively, and where the first bracket indicates the statistical and the second bracket the systematic uncertainty.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2025

Split-even approach to the rare kaon decay $K \to π\ell^+ \ell^-$

In recent years the rare kaon decay has been computed directly at the physical point. However, this calculation is currently limited by stochastic noise stemming from a light and charm quark loop GIM subtraction. The split-even approach is an alternative estimator for such loop differences, and has shown a large variance reduction in certain quantities. We present an investigation into the use of the split-even estimator in the calculation of the rare kaon decay.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Prospects for a lattice calculation of the rare decay $Σ^+\to p\ell^+\ell^-$

We present a strategy for calculating the rare decay of a $Σ^+ (uus)$ baryon to a proton $(uud)$ and di-lepton pair using lattice QCD. To determine this observable one needs to numerically evaluate baryonic two-, three-, and four-point correlation functions related to the target process. In particular, the four-point function arises from the insertion of incoming and outgoing baryons, together with a weak Hamiltonian mediating the $s \to d$ transition and an electromagnetic current creating the outgoing leptons. As is described in previous work in other contexts, this four-point function has a highly non-trivial relation to the physical observable, due to nucleon and nucleon-pion intermediate states. These lead to growing Euclidean time dependence and, in the case of the nucleon-pion states, to power-like volume effects. We discuss how to treat these issues in the context of the $Σ^+\rightarrow p\ell^+\ell^-$ decay and, in particular, detail the relation between the finite-volume estimator and the physical, complex-valued amplitude. In doing so, we also make connections between various approaches in the literature.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Progress on the exploratory calculation of the rare Hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$

The rare Hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$ is an $s \to d$ flavour changing neutral current process, which is highly suppressed within the Standard Model, and is therefore sensitive to new physics. Due to recent improvements in experimental measurements of this decay, the Standard Model theory prediction must also be improved in order to identify any new physics in this channel. We present updates on our progress towards the first exploratory lattice calculation of the long-distance part of the form factors of this decay. This pilot calculation is performed on a 340 MeV pion mass ensemble using domain-wall fermions as part of the RBC-UKQCD collaboration.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Isospin-breaking corrections to light leptonic decays in lattice QCD+QED at the physical point

We report on the physical-point RBC/UKQCD calculation of the leading isospin-breaking corrections to light-meson leptonic decays. This is highly relevant for future precision tests in the flavour physics sector, in particular the first-row unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix containing the elements $V_{us}$ and $V_{ud}$. The simulations were performed using Domain-Wall fermions for $2+1$ flavours, and with isospin-breaking effects included perturbatively in the path integral through order $α$ and $(m_u - m_d)/Λ_{\mathrm{QCD}}$. We use QED$_{\mathrm{L}}$ for the inclusion of electromagnetism, and discuss here the non-locality of this prescription which has significant impact on the infinite-volume extrapolation.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Isospin-breaking corrections to light-meson leptonic decays from lattice simulations at physical quark masses

The decreasing uncertainties in theoretical predictions and experimental measurements of several hadronic observables related to weak processes, which in many cases are now smaller than $\mathrm{O}(1\%)$, require theoretical calculations to include subleading corrections that were neglected so far. Precise determinations of leptonic and semi-leptonic decay rates, including QED and strong isospin-breaking effects, can play a central role in solving the current tensions in the first-row unitarity of the CKM matrix. In this work we present the first RBC/UKQCD lattice calculation of the isospin-breaking corrections to the ratio of leptonic decay rates of kaons and pions into muons and neutrinos. The calculation is performed with $N_\mathrm{f}=2+1$ dynamical quarks close to the physical point and domain wall fermions in the Möbius formulation are employed. Long-distance QED interactions are included according to the $\mathrm{QED_L}$ prescription and the crucial role of finite-volume electromagnetic corrections in the determination of leptonic decay rates, which produce a large systematic uncertainty, is extensively discussed. Finally, we study the different sources of uncertainty on $|V_\mathrm{us}|/|V_\mathrm{ud}|$ and observe that, if finite-volume systematics can be reduced, the error from isospin-breaking corrections is potentially sub-dominant in the final precision of the ratio of the CKM matrix elements.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Towards a lattice determination of the form factors of the rare Hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$

The rare Hyperon decay $Σ^+ \to p \ell^+ \ell^-$ is an $s \to d$ flavour changing neutral current, and is therefore suppressed in within the Standard Model, making it an excellent probe for new physics. The process is dominated by long distance processes and therefore lattice QCD is the only existing technique to obtain a first principles Standard Model theoretical prediction. We present our work on an unphysical exploratory study of the rare Hyperon decay on the lattice, including an investigation into the applicability of source-sink sampling for this decay, and we show a generalisation of the summed method for arbitrary 3-point functions and 4-point functions. In addition we show preliminary results for a computation of the $s \to u$ semileptonic Hyperon decays.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2021

Near-Physical Point Lattice Calculation of Isospin-Breaking Corrections to $K_{\ell2}/π_{\ell2}$

In recent years, lattice determinations of non-perturbative quantities such as $f_K$ and $f_π$, which are relevant for $V_{us}$ and $V_{ud}$, have reached an impressive precision of $\mathcal{O}(1\%)$ or better. To make further progress, electromagnetic and strong isospin breaking effects must be included in lattice QCD simulations. We present the status of the RBC/UKQCD lattice calculation of isospin-breaking corrections to light meson leptonic decays. This computation is performed in a (2+1)-flavor QCD simulation using Domain Wall Fermions with near-physical quark masses. The isospin-breaking effects are implemented via a perturbative expansion of the action in $α$ and $(m_u-m_d)$. In this calculation, we work in the electro-quenched approximation and the photons are implemented in the Feynman gauge and $\text{QED}_\text{L}$ formulation.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2020

Recent Developments of Muon g-2 from Lattice QCD

One of the most promising quantities for the search of signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model is the anomalous magnetic moment $g-2$ of the muon, where a comparison of the experimental result with the Standard Model estimate yields a deviation of about $3.5~σ$. On the theory side, the largest uncertainty arises from the hadronic sector, namely the hadronic vacuum polarisation and the hadronic light-by-light scattering. I review recent progress in calculating the hadronic contributions to the muon $g-2$ from the lattice and discuss the prospects and challenges to match the precision of the upcoming experiments.

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arXiv2018

Isospin breaking corrections to the HVP at the physical point

A determination of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon from lattice QCD aiming at a precision of $1\%$ requires to include isospin breaking corrections in the computation. We present a lattice calculation of the QED and strong isospin breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarization with Domain Wall fermions. The results are obtained using quark masses which are tuned such that pion and kaon masses agree with their physical values including isospin breaking corrections.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2017

Isospin Breaking Corrections to the HVP with Domain Wall Fermions

We present results for the QED and strong isospin breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarization using $N_f=2+1$ Domain Wall fermions. QED is included in an electro-quenched setup using two different methods, a stochastic and a perturbative approach. Results and statistical errors from both methods are directly compared with each other.

hep-lat↗