Hadron wave functions and form factors can be extracted using four-point correlators. Stochastic techniques are used to estimate the all to all propagators, which are required for the exact calculation of four-point functions. We apply the so called one-end trick to evaluate meson four-point functions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique in the case of the pion and the $rho$-meson where we extract their charge distribution, as well as the form factors.
We present a calculation of the electromagnetic form factors of the $rho^+$ meson. Our formalism is based on the point-form of relativistic quantum mechanics. Electron-$rho$-meson scattering is formulated as a coupled-channel problem for a Bakamjian-Thomas mass operator, such that the dynamics of the exchanged photon is taken explicitly into account. The $rho$-meson current is extracted from on-shell matrix elements of the optical potential of the scattering process. As a consequence of the violation of cluster separability in the Bakamjian-Thomas framework, our current includes additional, unphysical contributions, which can be separated from the physical ones uniquely. Our results for the form factors are in good agreement with other approaches.
We present results for the nucleon electromagnetic and axial form factors using an N$_f$=2 twisted mass fermion ensemble with pion mass of about 131 MeV. We use multiple sink-source separations to identify excited state contamination. Dipole masses for the momentum dependence of the form factors are extracted and compared to experiment, as is the nucleon magnetic moment and charge and magnetic radii.
We present a calculation of pion electromagnetic and scalar form factors in two-flavor QCD with the non-perturbatively O(a)-improved Wilson fermion. Chiral extrapolation of the corresponding charge radius is discussed based on the chiral perturbation theory.
We investigate the excited states of the nucleon using $N_f=2$ twisted mass gauge configurations with pion masses in the range of about 270 MeV to 450 MeV and one ensemble of $N_f=2$ Clover fermions at almost physical pion mass. We use two different sets of variational bases and study the resulting generalized eigenvalue problem. We present results for the two lowest positive and negative parity states.
Measurements and theoretical calculations of meson form factors are essential for our understanding of internal hadron structure and QCD, the dynamics that bind the quarks in hadrons. The pion electromagnetic form factor has been measured at small space-like momentum transfer $|q^2| < 0.3$~GeV$^2$ by pion scattering from atomic electrons and at values up to $2.5$~GeV$^2$ by scattering electrons from the pion cloud around a proton. On the other hand, in the limit of very large (or infinite) $Q^2=-q^2$, perturbation theory is applicable. This leaves a gap in the intermediate $Q^2$ where the form factors are not known. As a part of their 12 GeV upgrade Jefferson Lab will measure pion and kaon form factors in this intermediate region, up to $Q^2$ of $6$~GeV$^2$. This is then an ideal opportunity for lattice QCD to make an accurate prediction ahead of the experimental results. Lattice QCD provides a from-first-principles approach to calculate form factors, and the challenge here is to control the statistical and systematic uncertainties as errors grow when going to higher $Q^2$ values. Here we report on a calculation that tests the method using an $eta_s$ meson, a heavy pion made of strange quarks, and also present preliminary results for kaon and pion form factors. We use the $n_f=2+1+1$ ensembles made by the MILC collaboration and Highly Improved Staggered Quarks, which allows us to obtain high statistics. The HISQ action is also designed to have small discretisation errors. Using several light quark masses and lattice spacings allows us to control the chiral and continuum extrapolation and keep systematic errors in check.