Hadron spectra and Delta_{mix} from overlap quarks on a HISQ sea

We present results of our continuing study on mixed-action hadron spectra and decay constants using overlap valence quarks on MILCs 2+1+1 flavor HISQ gauge configurations. This study is carried out on three lattice spacings, with charm and strange masses tuned to their physical values, and with m_l/m_s = 1/5. We present results of an ongoing determination of the mixed-action parameter Delta_{mix}, which enters into chiral formulae for the masses and decay constants.

Kaon Mixing Beyond the Standard Model

We report on an ongoing calculation of hadronic matrix elements needed to parameterize K-Kbar mixing in generic BSM scenarios, using domain wall fermions (DWF) at two lattice spacings. Recent work by the SWME collaboration shows a significant disagreement with our previous results for two of these quantities. Since the origin of this disagreement is unknown, it is important to reduce the various uncertainties. In this work, we are using N_f=2+1 DWF with Iwasaki gauge action at inverse lattice spacings of 2.31 and 1.75 GeV, with multiple unitary pions on each ensemble, the lightest being 290 and 330 MeV on the finer and coarser of the two ensembles respectively. This extends previous work by the addition of a second lattice spacing (a^{-1}approx 1.75 GeV). Renormalization is carried out non-perturbatively in the RI/MOM scheme and converted perturbatively to MSbar.

Non-perturbative Renormalization for Improved Staggered Bilinears

We apply non-perturbative renormalization to bilinears composed of improved staggered fermions. We explain how to generalize the method to staggered fermions in a way which is consistent with the lattice symmetries, and introduce a new type of lattice bilinear which transforms covariantly and avoids mixing. We derive the consequences of lattice symmetries for the propagator and vertices. We implement the method numerically for hypercubic-smeared (HYP) and asqtad valence fermion actions, using lattices with asqtad sea quarks generated by the MILC collaboration. We compare the non-perturbative results so obtained to those from perturbation theory, using both scale-independent ratios of bilinears (of which we calculate 26), and the scale-dependent bilinears themselves. Overall, we find that one-loop perturbation theory provides a successful description of the results for HYP-fermions if we allow for a truncation error of roughly the size of the square of the one-loop term (for ratios) or of size O(1) times alpha^2 (for the bilinears themselves). Perturbation theory is, however, less successful at describing the non-perturbative asqtad results.

Emerging understanding of the Delta I = 1/2 Rule from Lattice QCD

There has been much speculation as to the origin of the Delta I = 1/2 rule (Re A_0/Re A_2 simeq 22.5). We find that the two dominant contributions to the Delta I=3/2, K to pi pi{} correlation functions have opposite signs leading to a significant cancellation. This partial cancellation occurs in our computation of Re A_2 with physical quark masses and kinematics (where we reproduce the experimental value of A_2) and also for heavier pions at threshold. For Re A_0, although we do not have results at physical kinematics, we do have results for pions at zero-momentum with m_pi{} simeq 420 MeV (Re A_0/Re A_2=9.1(2.1)) and m_pi{} simeq 330 MeV (Re A_0/Re A_2=12.0(1.7)). The contributions which partially cancel in Re A_2 are also the largest ones in Re A_0, but now they have the same sign and so enhance this amplitude. The emerging explanation of the Delta I=1/2 rule is a combination of the perturbative running to scales of O(2 GeV), a relative suppression of Re A_2 through the cancellation of the two dominant contributions and the corresponding enhancement of Re A_0. QCD and EWP penguin operators make only very small contributions at such scales.