Light Dynamical Quarks Research Articles

Fate of Chiral Symmetries in the Quark-Gluon Plasma from an Instanton-Based Random Matrix Model of QCD.

We propose a new way of understanding how chiral symmetry is realized in the high temperature phase of QCD. Based on the finding that a simple free instanton gas precisely describes the details of the lowest part of the spectrum of the lattice overlap Dirac operator, we propose an instanton-based random matrix model of QCD with dynamical quarks. Simulations of this model reveal that even for small quark mass the Dirac spectral density has a singularity at the origin, caused by a dilute gas of free instantons. Even though the interaction, mediated by light dynamical quarks, creates small instanton-anti-instanton molecules, those do not influence the singular part of the spectrum, and this singular part is shown to dominate Banks-Casher type sums in the chiral limit. By generalizing the Banks-Casher formula for the singular spectrum, we show that in the chiral limit the chiral condensate vanishes if there are at least two massless flavors. Our model also indicates a possible way of resolving a long-standing debate, as it suggests that for two massless quark flavors the U(1)_{A} symmetry is likely to remain broken up to arbitrarily high finite temperatures.

Quark Mass Dependence of Heavy Quark Diffusion Coefficient from Lattice QCD.

We present the first study of the quark mass dependence of the heavy quark momentum and spatial diffusion coefficients using lattice QCD with light dynamical quarks corresponding to a pion mass of 320MeV. We find that, for the temperature range 195 MeV<T<293 MeV, the spatial diffusion coefficients of the charm and bottom quarks are smaller than those obtained in phenomenological models that describe the p_{T} spectra and elliptic flow of open heavy flavor hadrons.

Heavy Quark Diffusion from 2+1 Flavor Lattice QCD with 320MeV Pion Mass.

We present the first calculations of the heavy flavor diffusion coefficient using lattice QCD with light dynamical quarks corresponding to a pion mass of around 320MeV. For temperatures 195 MeV<T<352 MeV, the heavy quark spatial diffusion coefficient is found to be significantly smaller than previous quenched lattice QCD and recent phenomenological estimates. The result implies very fast hydrodynamization of heavy quarks in the quark-gluon plasma created during ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collision experiments.

Low-lying doubly heavy baryons: Regge relation and mass scaling

In framework of heavy-diquark–light-quark endowed with heavy-pair binding, we explore excited baryons QQ^{prime }q containing two heavy quarks (QQ^{prime }=cc,bb,bc) by combining the method of Regge trajectory with the perturbative correction due to the heavy-pair interaction in baryons. Two Regge relations, one linear and the other nonlinear, are constructed semi-classically in the QCD string picture, and a mass scaling relation based on the heavy diquark–heavy antiquark symmetry are employed between the doubly heavy baryons and heavy mesons. We employ the ground-state mass estimates compatible with the observed doubly charmed baryon Xi _{cc} and spectra of the heavy quarkonia to determine the trajectory parameters and the binding energies of the heavy pair, and thereby compute the low-lying masses of the excited baryons Xi _{QQ^{prime }} and Omega _{QQ^{prime }} up to 2S and 1P excitations of the light quark and heavy diquark. The level spacings of heavy diquark excitations are found to be smaller generally than that of the light-quark excitations, in according with the nature of adiabatic expansion between the heavy and light-quark dynamics.

Nucleon axial and pseudoscalar form factors from lattice QCD at the physical point

We compute the nucleon axial and induced pseudoscalar form factors using three ensembles of gauge configurations, generated with dynamical light quarks with mass tuned to approximately their physical value. One of the ensembles also includes the strange and charm quarks with their mass close to physical. The latter ensemble has large statistics and finer lattice spacing and it is used to obtain final results, while the other two are used for assessing volume effects. The pseudoscalar form factor is also computed using these ensembles. We examine the momentum dependence of these form factors as well as relations based on pion pole dominance and the partially conserved axial-vector current hypothesis.

Nucleon axial, tensor, and scalar charges and σ -terms in lattice QCD

We determine the nucleon axial, scalar and tensor charges within lattice Quantum Chromodynamics including all contributions from valence and sea quarks. We analyze three gauge ensembles simulated within the twisted mass formulation at approximately physical value of the pion mass. Two of these ensembles are simulated with two dynamical light quarks and lattice spacing $a=0.094$~fm and the third with $a=0.08$~fm includes in addition the strange and charm quarks in the sea. After comparing the results among these three ensembles, we quote as final values our most accurate analysis using the latter ensemble. For the nucleon isovector axial charge we find $1.286(23)$ in agreement with the experimental value. We provide the flavor decomposition of the intrinsic spin $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^q$ carried by quarks in the nucleon obtaining for the up, down, strange and charm quarks $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{u}=0.431(8)$, $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{d}=-0.212(8)$, $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{s}=-0.023(4)$ and $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{c}=-0.005(2)$, respectively. The corresponding values of the tensor and scalar charges for each quark flavor are also evaluated providing valuable input for experimental searches for beyond the standard model physics. In addition, we extract the nucleon $\sigma$-terms and find for the light quark content $\sigma_{\pi N}=41.6(3.8)$~MeV and for the strange $\sigma_{s}=45.6(6.2)$~MeV. The y-parameter that is used in phenomenological studies we find $y=0.078(7)$.

Deconfinement in the presence of a strong magnetic field

We study the impact of a finite magnetic field on the deconfinement phase transition for heavy quarks by computing the fluctuations of the Polyakov loops. It is demonstrated that the explicit Z(3) breaking field increases with the magnetic field, leading to a decrease in the (pseudo) critical temperatures and a shrinking first-order region in the phase diagram. Phenomenological equations that capture the behaviors of the Z(3) breaking field at strong and weak magnetic fields for massive and massless quarks are given. Lastly, we explore the case of dynamical light quarks and demonstrate how an improved constituent quark mass function can enforce the correct magnetic field dependence of the deconfinement temperature in an effective model, as observed in Lattice QCD calculations.

Heavy hybrids and tetraquarks in effective field theory

We report on an effective field theory (EFT) description of exotic quarkonia as bound states on the spectrum of hybrid and tetraquarks static energies. We provide expressions for hybrid and tetraquarks static energies in terms of Wilson loops. The former have been computed in quenched lattice calculations but the latter are yet unavailable. From the few simulations with dynamical light-quarks we argue that the overall picture from hybrid static energies does not change but additional states, such as heavy meson pairs, need to be considered for a full description. In this EFT framework for quarkonium hybrids, we report on recent results for mixing with standard quarkonium, spin-dependent contributions, and semi-inclusive decays.

Instanton-dyon ensemble with two dynamical quarks: The chiral symmetry breaking

This is the second paper of the series aimed at understanding the ensemble of instanton-dyons, now with two flavors of light dynamical quarks. The partition function is appended by the fermionic factor, $(det T)^{N_f}$ and Dirac eigenvalue spectra at small values are derived from the numerical simulation of 64 and 128 dyons. Those spectra show clear chiral symmetry breaking pattern at high dyon density.

Lattice QCD estimate of the η c (2S) → J/ψγ decay rate

We compute the hadronic matrix element relevant to the physical radiative decay $\eta_{c}(2S)\to J/\psi\gamma$ by means of lattice QCD. We use the (maximally) twisted mass QCD action with Nf=2 light dynamical quarks and from the computations made at four lattice spacings we were able to take the continuum limit. The value of the mass ratio $m_{\eta_c(2S)}/m_{\eta_c(1S)}$ we obtain is consistent with the experimental value, and our prediction for the form factor is $V^{\eta_{c}(2S)\to J/\psi\gamma}(0)\equiv V_{12}(0)=0.32(6)(2)$, leading to $\Gamma(\eta_c (2S) \to J/\psi\gamma) = (15.7\pm 5.7)$ keV, which is much larger than $\Gamma(\psi (2S) \to \eta_c\gamma)$ and within reach of modern experiments.

Correlations between light and heavy flavors near the chiral crossover

Thermal fluctuations and correlations between the light and heavy-light mesons are explored within a chiral effective theory implementing heavy quark symmetry. We show, that various heavy-light flavor correlations indicate a remnant of the chiral criticality in a narrow range of temperature where the chiral susceptibility exhibits a peak structure. The onset of the chiral crossover, in the heavy-light flavor correlations, is therefore independent from the light flavors. This indicates that the fluctuations carried by strange charmed mesons can also be used to identify the chiral crossover, which is dominated by the non-strange light quark dynamics.

B -meson decay constants from 2+1 -flavor lattice QCD with domain-wall light quarks and relativistic heavy quarks

We calculate the B-meson decay constants f_B, f_Bs, and their ratio in unquenched lattice QCD using domain-wall light quarks and relativistic b-quarks. We use gauge-field ensembles generated by the RBC and UKQCD collaborations using the domain-wall fermion action and Iwasaki gauge action with three flavors of light dynamical quarks. We analyze data at two lattice spacings of a ~ 0.11, 0.086 fm with unitary pion masses as light as M_pi ~ 290 MeV; this enables us to control the extrapolation to the physical light-quark masses and continuum. For the b-quarks we use the anisotropic clover action with the relativistic heavy-quark interpretation, such that discretization errors from the heavy-quark action are of the same size as from the light-quark sector. We renormalize the lattice heavy-light axial-vector current using a mostly nonperturbative method in which we compute the bulk of the matching factor nonperturbatively, with a small correction, that is close to unity, in lattice perturbation theory. We also improve the lattice heavy-light current through O(alpha_s a). We extrapolate our results to the physical light-quark masses and continuum using SU(2) heavy-meson chiral perturbation theory, and provide a complete systematic error budget. We obtain f_B0 = 199.5(12.6) MeV, f_B+ = 195.6(14.9) MeV, f_Bs = 235.4(12.2) MeV, f_Bs/f_B0 = 1.197(50), and f_Bs/f_B+ = 1.223(71), where the errors are statistical and total systematic added in quadrature. These results are in good agreement with other published results and provide an important independent cross check of other three-flavor determinations of $B$-meson decay constants using staggered light quarks.

Probing Wilson loops in the QCD instanton vacuum

We discuss the quark and gluon condensates in the presence of a rectangular Wilson loop using the QCD instanton vacuum with three light dynamical quarks. The scalar quark condensate is found to decrease while the gluon condensate increases. We also derive the static potential between two QCD dipoles and show that it is attractive but short ranged at large distances. Its relevance to static QCD string interactions is discussed.

Decay constants of B-mesons from non-perturbative HQET with two light dynamical quarks

We present a computation of B-meson decay constants from lattice QCD simulations within the framework of Heavy Quark Effective Theory for the b-quark. The next-to-leading order corrections in the HQET expansion are included non-perturbatively. Based on Nf=2 gauge field ensembles, covering three lattice spacings a≈(0.08–0.05) fm and pion masses down to 190 MeV, a variational method for extracting hadronic matrix elements is used to keep systematic errors under control. In addition we perform a careful autocorrelation analysis in the extrapolation to the continuum and to the physical pion mass limits. Our final results read fB=186(13) MeV, fBs=224(14) MeV and fBs/fB=1.203(65). A comparison with other results in the literature does not reveal a dependence on the number of dynamical quarks, and effects from truncating HQET appear to be negligible.

Heavy baryon spectroscopy with relativistic kinematics

We present a comparative Faddeev study of heavy baryon spectroscopy with nonrelativistic and relativistic kinematics. We show results for different standard hyperfine interactions with both kinematics in an attempt to learn about the light quark dynamics. We highlight the properties of particular states accessible in nowadays laboratories that would help in discriminating between different dynamical models. The advance in the knowledge of light quark dynamics is a key tool for the understanding of the existence of exotic hadrons.

$$B_s\rightarrow D_s\ell \nu _\ell $$ B s → D s ℓ ν ℓ near zero recoil in and beyond the Standard Model

We compute the normalization of the form factor entering the Bs --> Ds l nu decay amplitude by using numerical simulations of QCD on the lattice. From our study with Nf=2 dynamical light quarks, and by employing the maximally twisted Wilson quark action, we obtain in the continuum limit G(1) = 1.052(46). We also compute the scalar and tensor form factors in the region near zero recoil and find f0(t0)/f+(t0)=0.77(2), fT(t0,mb)/f+(t0)=1.08(7), for t0=11.5 GeV^2. These latter results are useful for searching the effects of physics beyond the Standard Model in Bs --> Ds l nu decays. Our results for the similar form factors relevant to the non-strange case indicate that the method employed here can be used to achieve the precision determination of the B --> D l nu decay amplitude as well.

QCD: Restoration of chiral symmetry and deconfinement for largeNf

Exploiting the recent lattice results for the infrared gluon propagator with light dynamical quarks, we solve the gap equation for the quark propagator. We thus model the chiral symmetry breaking mechanism with increasing number of flavours and study confinement (intimately tied with the analytic properties of QCD Schwinger functions) order parameters. We obtain, with this approach, clear signals of chiral symmetry restoration and deconfinement when the number of light quark flavors exceeds a critical value of $N_f^c \approx 8 \pm 1$, in agreement with the state-of-the-art direct lattice analysis of chiral symmetry restoration in QCD.

The QCD Critical Point: Marching towards continuum

We present results of our simulations of QCD with two light dynamical quarks on a 32^3 X 8 lattice at a current quark mass tuned to have the Goldstone pion mass of about 230 MeV. Employing the Taylor expansion method we proposed earlier, we estimate the radius of convergence of the series for the baryonic susceptibility by using terms up to eighth order. Together with our earlier results, corresponding to the same physical parameters but on coarser lattices at respectively 1.33 times and twice the lattice cut-off (a), we were able to attempt a march towards the continuum limit.

Theoretical estimate of the [formula omitted] decay rate

We present the results of our lattice QCD study of the gD⁎Dπ coupling, relevant to the D⁎→Dπ decay. Our computation is made on the gauge field configurations that include Nf=2 dynamical light quarks by using the twisted mass QCD action. From the results obtained at four different lattice spacings we were able to take for the first time the continuum limit of this quantity computed on the lattice. Our final value, gc=0.53(3)(3), leads to Γ(D⁎+→D¯0π+)=(50±5±6) keV, and is in good agreement with the experimental results for the width of the charged D⁎ meson.

Light quark mass reweighting

We present a systematic study of the effectiveness of light quark mass reweighting. This method allows a single lattice QCD ensemble, generated with a specific value of the dynamical light quark mass, to be used to determine results for other, nearby light dynamical quark masses. We study two gauge field ensembles generated with 2+1 flavors of dynamical domain wall fermions with light quark masses m_l=0.02 (m_\pi=620 MeV) and m_l=0.01 (m_\pi=420 MeV). We reweight each ensemble to determine results which could be computed directly from the other and check the consistency of the reweighted results with the direct results. The large difference between the 0.02 and 0.01 light quark masses suggests that this is an aggressive application of reweighting as can be seen from fluctuations in the magnitude of the reweighting factor by four orders of magnitude. Never-the-less, a comparison of the reweighed topological charge, average plaquette, residual mass, pion mass, pion decay constant, and scalar correlator between these two ensembles shows agreement well described by the statistical errors. The issues of the effective number of configurations and finite sample size bias are discussed. An examination of the topological charge distribution implies that it is more favorable to reweight from heavier mass to lighter quark mass.