Lattice QCD Calculations Research Articles

Nucleon Transversity Distribution in the Continuum and Physical Mass Limit from Lattice QCD.

We report a state-of-the-art lattice QCD calculation of the isovector quark transversity distribution of the proton in the continuum and physical mass limit using large-momentum effective theory. The calculation is done at four lattice spacings a={0.098,0.085,0.064,0.049} fm and various pion masses ranging between 220 and 350MeV, with proton momenta up to 2.8GeV. The result is nonperturbatively renormalized in the hybrid scheme with self-renormalization, which treats the infrared physics at large correlation distance properly, and extrapolated to the continuum, physical mass, and infinite momentum limit. We also compare with recent global analyses for the nucleon isovector quark transversity distribution.

Aspects of scaling and scalability for flow-based sampling of lattice QCD

Recent applications of machine-learned normalizing flows to sampling in lattice field theory suggest that such methods may be able to mitigate critical slowing down and topological freezing. However, these demonstrations have been at the scale of toy models, and it remains to be determined whether they can be applied to state-of-the-art lattice quantum chromodynamics calculations. Assessing the viability of sampling algorithms for lattice field theory at scale has traditionally been accomplished using simple cost scaling laws, but as we discuss in this work, their utility is limited for flow-based approaches. We conclude that flow-based approaches to sampling are better thought of as a broad family of algorithms with different scaling properties, and that scalability must be assessed experimentally.

Unpolarized transverse-momentum dependent distribution functions of a quark in a pion with Minkowskian dynamics

The unpolarized twist-2 (leading) and twist-3 (subleading), T-even, transverse-momentum dependent quark distributions in the pion are evaluated for the first time by using the actual solution of a dynamical equation in Minkowski space. The adopted theoretical framework is based on the 4D homogeneous Bethe–Salpeter integral equation with an interaction kernel given by a one-gluon exchange, featuring an extended quark-gluon vertex. The masses of quark and gluon as well as the interaction-vertex scale have been chosen in a range suggested by lattice-QCD calculations, and calibrated to reproduce both pion mass and decay constant. The sum rules to be fulfilled by the transverse-momentum dependent distributions are carefully investigated, particularly the leading-twist one, that has to match the collinear parton distribution function, and hence can be scrutinized in terms of existing data as well as theoretical predictions. Noteworthy, the joint use of the Fock expansion of the pion state facilitates an in-depth analysis of the content of the pion Bethe–Salpeter amplitude, allowing to calculate the gluon contribution to the quark average longitudinal fraction, that results to be ∼6%\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sim 6\\%$$\\end{document}. The current analysis highlights the role of the gluon exchanges through quantitative analysis of collinear and transverse-momentum distributions, showing, e.g. for both leading and subleading-twists, an early departure from the widely adopted exponential fall-off, for |k⊥|2>m2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$|\ extbf{k}_\\perp |^2> m^2$$\\end{document}, with the quark mass ∼ΛQCD\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sim {\\varLambda }_{QCD}$$\\end{document}.

New insights into the nature of the Λ(1380) and Λ(1405) resonances away from the SU(3) limit

Starting from the SU(3) limit, we consider the nature of the dynamically generated resonances Λ(1380), Λ(1405) and Λ(1680) as the pion and kaon masses are tuned to their physical values. We show that the accidental symmetry of the two octets due to the leading order Weinberg-Tomozawa term is broken by the next-to-leading order terms. Most interestingly, we observe an interchange of the two trajectories of the Λ(1380) and the Λ(1405) away from the SU(3) limit at next-to-leading order. This remarkable phenomenon can be investigated using lattice QCD calculations that start from the SU(3) limit.

Impact of SeaQuest data on PDF fits at large x

We evaluate the impact of recent SeaQuest (FNAL-E906 experiment) data on dimuon production in proton-deuteron and proton-proton collisions on parton distribution functions (PDFs). We find these data in a good agreement with the QCD predictions based on PDFs fitted to the Tevatron and LHC data on forward production of W and Z bosons. As a basis for this study we use the ABMP16 PDF fits and show that they turn out to be compatible with the SeaQuest data, and that these data have constraining power, allowing to reduce the uncertainties on the isospin asymmetry of the light-sea-quark distribution at large longitudinal momentum fraction x. We discuss the nuclear corrections needed to describe the deuteron and show that they affect the theoretical description of the proton-deuteron Drell–Yan cross section at the level of mathcal {O}(0.5{-}1)%. We also comment on the compatibility of the SeaQuest results with other state-of-the-art PDF fits and show that these data are in clear disagreement with models proposing an SU(3)-flavor symmetric quark sea. Finally, we perform a comparison between the second Mellin moments of the light-quark PDFs and recent results from various lattice QCD computations, which demonstrates good compatibility, albeit limited by the uncertainties inherent in current lattice QCD simulations.

Exploring the 0− bound state with dressed quarks in Minkowski space

The Bethe-Salpeter equation for a pseudoscalar bound-system, with i) a ladder kernel with massive gluons, ii) dynamically-dressed quark mass function and iii) an extended quark-gluon vertex, is solved in Minkowski space by using the Nakanishi integral representation of the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude. The quark dressing is implemented through a phenomenological ansatz, which was tuned by lattice QCD calculations of the quark running mass. The latter were also used for assigning the range of the gluon mass and the parameter featuring the extended color density. This framework allows to investigate the gluon dynamics that manifest itself in the quark dressing, quark-gluon vertex and the binding, directly in the physical space. We present the first results for low-density pseudoscalar systems in order to elucidate the onset of the interplay between the above mentioned gluonic phenomena, and we discuss both static and dynamical quantities, like valence longitudinal and transverse distributions.

Threshold resummation for computing large-x parton distribution through large-momentum effective theory

Parton distribution functions (PDFs) at large x are poorly constrained by high-energy experimental data, but extremely important for probing physics beyond standard model at colliders. We study the calculation of PDFs at large-x through large-momentum Pz expansion of the lattice quasi PDFs. Similar to deep-inelastic scattering, there are two distinct perturbative scales in the threshold limit where the matching coefficient can be factorized into a space-like jet function at scale Pz|1 − y| and a pair of heavy-light Sudakov form factors at scale Pz. The matching formula allows us to derive a full renormalization group resummation of large threshold logarithms, and the result is consistent with the known calculation to the next-to-next to leading order (NNLO). This paves the way for direct large-x PDFs calculations in lattice QCD. As by-products, we find that the space-like jet function is related to a time-like version calculated previously through analytic continuation, and the heavy-light Sudakov form factor, calculated here to NNLO, is a universal object appearing as well in the large momentum expansion of quasi transverse-momentum-dependent PDFs and quasi wave-function amplitudes.

First-principle calculation of the [formula omitted] decay width from lattice QCD

We perform a lattice QCD calculation of the ηc→2γ decay width using a model-independent method that requires no momentum extrapolation of the off-shell form factors. This method also provides a straightforward and simple way to examine the finite-volume effects. The calculation is accomplished using Nf=2 twisted mass fermion ensembles. The statistically significant excited-state effects are observed and eliminated using a multi-state fit. The impact of fine-tuning the charm quark mass is also examined and confirmed to be well-controlled. Finally, using three lattice spacings for the continuum extrapolation, we obtain the decay width Γηcγγ=6.67(16)stat(6)syst keV, which differs significantly from the Particle Data Group’s reported value of Γηcγγ=5.4(4) keV (2.9σ tension). We provide insight into the comparison between our findings, previous theoretical predictions, and experimental measurements.

Three relativistic neutrons in a finite volume

We generalize the relativistic field-theoretic (RFT) three-particle finite-volume formalism to systems of three identical, massive, spin-1/2 fermions, such as three neutrons. This allows, in principle, for the determination of the three-neutron interaction from the finite-volume spectrum of three-neutron states, which can be obtained from lattice QCD calculations.

Light-cone distribution amplitudes of a light baryon in large-momentum effective theory

Momentum distributions of quarks/gluons inside a light baryon in a hard exclusive process are encoded in the light-cone distribution amplitudes (LCDAs). In this work, we point out that the leading twist LCDAs of a light baryon can be obtained through a simulation of a quasi-distribution amplitude calculable on lattice QCD within the framework of the large-momentum effective theory. We calculate the one-loop perturbative contributions to LCDA and quasi-distribution amplitudes and explicitly demonstrate the factorization of quasi-distribution amplitudes at the one-loop level. Based on the perturbative results, we derive the matching kernel in the overline{textrm{MS}} scheme and regularization-invariant momentum-subtraction scheme. Our result provides a first step to obtaining the LCDA from first principle lattice QCD calculations in the future.

Deep-learning quasi-particle masses from QCD equation of state

The interactions of quarks and gluons are strong in the non-perturbative regime. The equation of state (EoS) of a strongly-interacting quantum chromodynamics (QCD) medium can only be studied using the first-principle lattice QCD calculations. However, the complicated QCD EoS can be reproduced using simple statistical formula by treating the medium as a free parton gas whose fundamental degrees of freedom are dressed quarks and gluons called quasi-particles, with temperature-dependent masses. We use deep neural networks and auto differentiation to solve this variational problem in which the masses of quasi gluons, up/down and strange quarks are three unknown functions, whose forms are represented by deep neural network. We reproduce the QCD EoS at zero net baryon chemical potential using these machine learned quasi-particle masses, and calculate the shear viscosity over the entropy density (η/s) as a function of temperature of the hot QCD matter.

Leading power accuracy in lattice calculations of parton distributions

In lattice-QCD calculations of parton distribution functions (PDFs) via large-momentum effective theory, the leading power (twist-three) correction appears as O(ΛQCD/Pz) due to the linear-divergent self-energy of Wilson line in quasi-PDF operators. For lattice data with hadron momentum Pz of a few GeV, this correction is dominant in matching, as large as 30% or more. We show how to eliminate this uncertainty through choosing the mass renormalization parameter consistently with the resummation scheme of the infrared-renormalon series in perturbative matching coefficients. An example on the lattice pion PDF data at Pz=1.9 GeV shows an improvement of matching accuracy by a factor of more than 3∼5 in the expansion region x=0.2∼0.5.

Bottom Hadrochemistry in High-Energy Hadronic Collisions.

The hadrochemistry of bottom quarks (b) produced in hadronic collisions encodes valuable information on the mechanism of color neutralization in these reactions. Since the b-quark mass is much larger than the typical hadronic scale of ∼1 GeV, bb[over ¯] pair production is expected to be well separated from subsequent hadronization processes. A significantly larger fraction of b baryons has been observed in proton-proton (pp) and proton-antiproton (pp[over ¯]) reactions relative to e^{+}e^{-} collisions, challenging theoretical descriptions. We address this problem by employing a statistical hadronization approach with an augmented set of b-hadron states beyond currently measured ones, guided by the relativistic quark model and lattice-QCD computations. Assuming relative chemical equilibrium between different b-hadron yields, thermal densities are used as fragmentation weights of b quarks into various hadron species. With quark model estimates of the decay patterns of excited states, the fragmentation fractions of weakly decaying b hadrons are computed and found to agree with measurements in pp[over ¯] collisions at the Tevatron. By combining transverse-momentum (p_{T}) distributions of b quarks from perturbative QCD with thermal weights and independent fragmentation toward high p_{T}, a fair description of the p_{T}-dependent B[over ¯]_{s}^{0}/B^{-} and Λ_{b}^{0}/B^{-} ratios measured in pp collisions at the LHC is obtained. The observed enhancement of Λ_{b}^{0} production is attributed to the feeddown from thus far unobserved excited b baryons. Finally, we implement the hadrochemistry into a strongly coupled transport approach for b quarks in heavy-ion collisions, utilizing previously determined b-quark transport coefficients in the quark-gluon plasma, to highlight the modifications of hadrochemistry and collective behavior of b hadrons in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.

New determination of the branching ratio of the structure dependent radiative K+ → e+νeγ

The branching ratio of the structure dependent (SD) radiative K+→e+νeγ decay relative to that of the K+→e+νe(γ) decay including the internal bremsstrahlung (IB) process (Ke2(γ)) has been measured in the J-PARC E36 experiment using plastic scintillator/lead sandwich detectors, in contrast to the previous E36 measurement, which used a CsI(Tl) calorimeter. In the analysis, the effect of IB was also taken into account in the SD radiative decay as Ke2γ(γ)SD. By combining the new data with the previous E36 result after revision for the IB correction for Ke2γ(γ)SD, a new value Br(Ke2γ(γ)SD)/Br(Ke2(γ))=1.20±0.07 has been determined. This is consistent with a recent lattice QCD calculation, but larger than the expectation of Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) at order O(p4) and the previous KLOE value. Using the method to relate form factor and branching ratio described in the KLOE paper, the present result is also consistent with the form factor prediction based on a gauged nonlocal chiral quark model, but larger than that from ChPT at order O(p6).

On the role of isospin violation in the pion–nucleon σ-term

In recent years, a persistent tension between phenomenological and lattice QCD determinations of the pion–nucleon σ-term σπN has developed. In particular, lattice-QCD calculations have matured to the point that isospin-violating effects need to be included. Here, we point out that the standard conventions adopted in both fields are incompatible, with the data-driven extraction based on the charged-pion mass, but lattice-QCD conventions relying on the mass of the neutral pion to define the isospin limit. The corresponding correction amounts to ΔσπN=3.1(5)MeV when evaluated in chiral perturbation theory with low-energy constants determined from a Roy–Steiner analysis of pion–nucleon scattering as well as σπN itself. It reduces the tension with lattice QCD, and should be included in the comparison to phenomenological determinations. We also update the extraction from pionic atoms accounting for the latest measurement of the width of pionic hydrogen, σπN=59.0(3.5)MeV, and provide the corresponding set of scalar couplings of the nucleon.

D -meson semileptonic decays to pseudoscalars from four-flavor lattice QCD

We present lattice-QCD calculations of the hadronic form factors for the semileptonic decays $D\to\pi\ell\nu$, $D\to K\ell\nu$, and $D_s\to K\ell\nu$. Our calculation uses the highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) action for all valence and sea quarks and includes $N_f=2+1+1$ MILC ensembles with lattice spacings ranging from $a\approx0.12$ fm down to $0.042$ fm. At most lattice spacings, an ensemble with physical-mass light quarks is included. The HISQ action allows all the quarks to be treated with the same relativistic light-quark action, allowing for nonperturbative renormalization using partial conservation of the vector current. We combine our results with experimental measurements of the differential decay rates to determine $|V_{cd}|^{D\to\pi}=0.2238(11)^{\rm Expt}(15)^{\rm QCD}(04)^{\rm EW}(02)^{\rm SIB}[22]^{\rm QED}$ and $|V_{cs}|^{D\to K}=0.9589(23)^{\rm Expt}(40)^{\rm QCD}(15)^{\rm EW}(05)^{\rm SIB}[95]^{\rm QED}$ This result for $|V_{cd}|$ is the most precise to date, with a lattice-QCD error that is, for the first time for the semileptonic extraction, at the same level as the experimental error. Using recent measurements from BES III, we also give the first-ever determination of $|V_{cd}|^{D_s\to K}=0.258(15)^{\rm Expt}(01)^{\rm QCD}[03]^{\rm QED}$ from $D_s\to K \ell\nu$. Our results also furnish new Standard Model calculations of the lepton flavor universality ratios $R^{D\to\pi}=0.98671(17)^{\rm QCD}[500]^{\rm QED}$, $R^{D\to K}=0.97606(16)^{\rm QCD}[500]^{\rm QED}$, and $R^{D_s\to K}=0.98099(10)^{\rm QCD}[500]^{\rm QED}$, which are consistent within $2\sigma$ with experimental measurements. Our extractions of $|V_{cd}|$ and $|V_{cs}|$, when combined with a value for $|V_{cb}|$, provide the most precise test of second-row CKM unitarity, finding agreement with unitarity at the level of one standard deviation.

Vector meson-nucleon scattering length $$|\alpha _{VN}|$$ and trace anomalous energy contribution to the nucleon mass $$T_{A}$$

Low-energy scattering processes of vector meson and nucleon are an important window for studying non-perturbative QCD. The interaction of vector meson with nucleon, vector meson-nucleon scattering length $|\alpha_{VN}|$, is an important component of the study of hadronic interactions. Nowadays many scattering length values $|\alpha_{VN}|$ have been reported using the recent photoproduction experiment data or quasi data. In addition, the study of trace anomalous energy contribution to the proton mass is also a hot topic in non-perturbative QCD and hadron physics. However, it is difficult to measure proton trace anomalous energy experimentally, and the study of the trace anomaly of proton is still inconclusive. In this study, we established the relationship between the scattering length of the vector meson-proton $|\alpha_{Vp}|$ and the trace anomaly contribution of the proton mass $T_{A}$. With the scattering length values extracted by using the Vector Meson Dominance model, we obtained the trace anomaly contribution of the proton mass $T_{A}$ = (22.8$\%$ $\pm$ 1.2$\%$), which is of similar order of magnitude as the 23$\%$ given by Lattice QCD calculation. We conjecture that the trace anomaly contribution of nucleon is independent of the type of vector meson probe. We hope that high precision measurements of vector meson-nucleon scattering length could give us a better chance to explore the origin of the nucleon mass.

QCD thermodynamics and neutral pion in a uniform magnetic field: Finite volume effects

We address finite volume effects of lattice QCD calculations in background magnetic fields. Using chiral perturbation theory at next-to-leading order, volume effects are calculated for thermodynamic quantities: the chiral condensate, pressure anisotropy, and magnetization. The neutral pion effective action in a finite volume is additionally derived. For these charge neutral observables, volume and source averaging are shown to capitalize on magnetic periodicity, which is the remnant translational invariance of the finite-volume theory. For a fixed magnetic field strength, certain volume and source averaged quantities are independent of the size of the lattice transverse to the magnetic field. Despite this simplifying feature, finite volume corrections to the magnetic field dependence of the chiral condensate and neutral pion magnetic polarizability can be non-negligible. The pressure anisotropy at fixed magnetic flux, moreover, appears acutely sensitive to the lattice volume.

Neutrinoless double beta decay from lattice QCD: The short-distance π−→π+e−e− amplitude

This work presents a determination of potential short-distance contributions to the unphysical $\pi^-\rightarrow\pi^+ e^- e^-$ decay through lattice QCD calculations. The hadronic contributions to the transition amplitude are described by the pion matrix elements of five Standard Model Effective Field Theory operators, which are computed on five ensembles of domain-wall fermions with $N_f = 2 + 1$ quark flavors with a range of heavier-than-physical values of the light quark masses. The matrix elements are extrapolated to the continuum, physical light-quark mass, and infinite volume limit using a functional form derived in chiral Effective Field Theory ($\chi\mathrm{EFT}$). This extrapolation also yields the relevant low-energy constants of $\chi\mathrm{EFT}$, which are necessary input for $\chi\mathrm{EFT}$ calculations of neutrinoless double beta decay of nuclei.

Particle-dimer approach for the Roper resonance in a finite volume

We propose a new finite-volume approach which implements two- and three-body dynamics in a transparent way based on an Effective Field Theory Lagrangian. The formalism utilizes a particle-dimer picture and formulates the quantization conditions based on the self-energy of the decaying particle. The formalism is studied for the case of the Roper resonance, using input from lattice QCD and phenomenology. Finally, finite-volume energy eigenvalues are predicted and compared to existing results of lattice QCD calculations. This crucially provides initial guidance on the necessary level of precision for the finite-volume spectrum.