No Arabic abstract
Our ability to resolve new physics effects is, largely, limited by the precision with which we calculate. The calculation of observables in the Standard (or a new physics) Model requires knowledge of associated hadronic contributions. The precision of such calculations, and therefore our ability to leverage experiment, is typically limited by hadronic uncertainties. The only first-principles method for calculating the nonperturbative, hadronic contributions is lattice QCD. Modern lattice calculations have controlled errors, are systematically improvable, and in some cases, are pushing the sub-percent level of precision. I outline the role played by, highlight state of the art efforts in, and discuss possible future directions of lattice calculations in flavor physics.
Recent Lattice QCD results relevant for Kaon, Charm and B Physics are summarized. There is general agreement among calculations using a wide range of different lattice actions. This bolsters confidence in the lattice results and in their quoted errors. One notes considerable progress since CKM2008 in reducing lattice errors with some quantities now being calculated at the subpercent to a few percent level accuracy. Much work remains, however, and further improvements can be expected in the coming years.
We review highlights of recent results on the hadron spectrum and flavor physics from lattice QCD. We also discuss recent rapid progress on the muon anomalous magnetic moment.
We sketch the basic ideas of the lattice regularization in Quantum Field Theory, the corresponding Monte Carlo simulations, and applications to Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). This approach enables the numerical measurement of observables at the non-perturbative level. We comment on selected results, with a focus on hadron masses and the link to Chiral Perturbation Theory. At last we address two outstanding issues: topological freezing and the sign problem.
We present the first direct lattice calculation of the isovector sea-quark parton distributions using the formalism developed recently by one of the authors. We use $N_f=2+1+1$ HISQ lattice gauge ensembles (generated by MILC Collaboration) and clover valence fermions with pion mass 310 MeV. We are able to obtain the qualitative features of the nucleon sea flavor structure even at this large pion mass: We observe violation of the Gottfried sum rule, indicating $overline{d}(x) > overline{u}(x)$; the helicity distribution obeys $Delta overline{u}(x) > Delta overline{d}(x)$, which is consistent with the STAR data at large and small leptonic pseudorapidity.
We present the first three-flavor lattice QCD calculations for $Dto pi l u$ and $Dto K l u$ semileptonic decays. Simulations are carried out using ensembles of unquenched gauge fields generated by the MILC collaboration. With an improved staggered action for light quarks, we are able to simulate at light quark masses down to 1/8 of the strange mass. Consequently, the systematic error from the chiral extrapolation is much smaller than in previous calculations with Wilson-type light quarks. Our results for the form factors at $q^2=0$ are $f_+^{Dtopi}(0)=0.64(3)(6)$ and $f_+^{Dto K}(0) = 0.73(3)(7)$, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, added in quadrature. Combining our results with experimental branching ratios, we obtain the CKM matrix elements $|V_{cd}|=0.239(10)(24)(20)$ and $|V_{cs}|=0.969(39)(94)(24)$, where the last errors are from experimental uncertainties.