Nucleon Decay Matrix Elements from Lattice QCD

Abstract

We present a GUT-model-independent calculation of hadron matrix elements for all dimension-six operators associated with baryon number violating processes using lattice QCD. Our results cover all the matrix elements required to estimate the partial lifetimes of (proton,neutron)$\to$($\pi,K,\eta$) +(${\bar \nu},e^+,\mu^+$) decay modes. We point out the necessity of disentangling two form factors that contribute to the matrix elements; previous calculations did not make the separation, which led to an underestimate of the physical matrix elements. With a correct separation, we find that the matrix elements have values 3-5 times larger than the smallest estimates employed in phenomenological analyses of the nucleon decays, which gives stronger constraints on GUT models. We also find that the values of the matrix elements are comparable with the tree-level predictions of chiral Lagrangian.