In situations where the low lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator are suppressed one observed degeneracies of some meson masses. Based on these results a hidden symmetry was conjectured, which is not a symmetry of the Lagrangian but emerges in the q
uantization process. We show here how the difference between classes of meson propagators is governed by the low modes and shrinks when they disappear.
We present a lattice QCD study of $Npi$ scattering in the positive-parity nucleon channel, where the puzzling Roper resonance $N^*(1440)$ resides in experiment. The study is based on the PACS-CS ensemble of gauge configurations with $N_f=2+1$ Wilson-
clover dynamical fermions, $m_pi simeq 156~$MeV and $Lsimeq 2.9~$fm. In addition to a number of $qqq$ interpolating fields, we implement operators for $Npi$ in $p$-wave and $Nsigma$ in $s$-wave. In the center-of-momentum frame we find three eigenstates below 1.65 GeV. They are dominated by $N(0)$, $N(0)pi(0)pi(0)$ (mixed with $N(0)sigma(0)$) and $N(p)pi(-p)$ with $psimeq 2pi/L$, where momenta are given in parentheses. This is the first simulation where the expected multi-hadron states are found in this channel. The experimental $Npi$ phase-shift would -- in the approximation of purely elastic $Npi$ scattering -- imply an additional eigenstate near the Roper mass $m_Rsimeq 1.43~$GeV for our lattice size. We do not observe any such additional eigenstate, which indicates that $Npi$ elastic scattering alone does not render a low-lying Roper. Coupling with other channels, most notably with $Npipi$, seems to be important for generating the Roper resonance, reinforcing the notion that this state could be a dynamically generated resonance. Our results are in line with most of previous lattice studies based just on $qqq$ interpolators, that did not find a Roper eigenstate below $1.65~$GeV. The study of the coupled-channel scattering including a three-particle decay $Npipi$ remains a challenge.
Lattice calculations for hadrons are now entering the domain of resonances and scattering, necessitating a better understanding of the observed discrete energy spectrum. This is a reviewing survey about recent lattice QCD results, with some emphasis on spectrum and scattering.
We study the three $D_s$ quantum channels $J^P = 0^+$, $1^+$ and $2^+$ where experiments have identified the charm-strange states $D^*_{s0} (2317)$, $D_{s1}(2460)$, $D_{s1}(2536)$ near the $DK$ and $D^*K$ thresholds, and $D^*_{s2}(2573)$. We consider
correlation functions for sets of $overline q q$ operators and, for $J^P = 0^+$, $1^+$, also the $DK$ and $D^*K$ meson-meson interpolators and determine for these cases values of the elastic scattering amplitude. Constructing the full set of correlators requires propagators which connect any pair of lattice sites. For one ensemble of gauge configurations ($32^3times 64$, $m_piapprox 156$ MeV) a stochastic distillation variant is employed and for another ensemble ($16^3times 32$, $m_piapprox 266$ MeV) we use the full distillation method. Both, $D^*_{s0} (2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$, are found as bound states below threshold, whereas $D_{s1}(2536)$, and $D^*_{s2}(2573)$ are identified as narrow resonances close to the experimental masses.
Recently experimentalists have discovered several charged charmonium-like hadrons $Z_c^+$ with unconventional quark content $bar ccbar d u$. We perform a search for $Z_c^+$ with mass below $4.2~$GeV in the channel $I^G(J^{PC})=1^+(1^{+-})$ using latt
ice QCD. The major challenge is presented by the two-meson states $J/psi, pi$, $psi_{2S}pi$, $psi_{1D}pi$, $Dbar D^*$, $D^*bar D^*$, $eta_crho$ that are inevitably present in this channel. The spectrum of eigenstates is extracted using a number of meson-meson and diquark-antidiquark interpolating fields. For our pion mass of 266~MeV we find all the expected two-meson states but no additional candidate for $Z_c^+$ below $4.2~$GeV. Possible reasons for not seeing an additional eigenstate related to $Z_c^+$ are discussed. We also illustrate how a simulation incorporating interpolators with a structure resembling low-lying two-mesons states seems to render a $Z_c^+$ candidate, which is however not robust after further two-meson states around $4.2~$GeV are implemented.
We extend our study of the $Kpi$ system to moving frames and present an exploratory extraction of the masses and widths for the $K^*$ resonances by simulating $Kpi$ scattering in p-wave with $I=1/2$ on the lattice. Using $Kpi$ systems with non-vanish
ing total momenta allows the extraction of phase shifts at several values of $Kpi$ relative momenta. A Breit-Wigner fit of the phase renders a $K^*(892)$ resonance mass and $K^*to K pi $ coupling compatible with the experimental numbers. We also determine the $K^*(1410)$ mass assuming the experimental $K^*(1410)$ width. We contrast the resonant $I=1/2$ channel with the repulsive non-resonant $I=3/2$ channel, where the phase is found to be negative and small, in agreement with experiment.
Including the meson-baryon (5 quark) intermediate states in a lattice simulation is challenging. However, it is important in order to obtain the correct energy eigenstates and to relate them to scattering phase shifts. Recent results for the negative
parity nucleon channel and the problem of baryonic resonances in lattice calculations are discussed.
We study the coupled pion-nucleon system (negative parity, isospin 1/2) based on a lattice QCD simulation for nf=2 mass degenerate light quarks. Both, standard 3-quarks baryon operators as well as meson-baryon (4+1)-quark operators are included. This
is an exploratory study for just one lattice size and lattice spacing and at a pion mass of 266 MeV. Using the distillation method and variational analysis we determine energy levels of the lowest eigenstates. Comparison with the results of simple 3-quark correlation studies exhibits drastic differences and a new level appears. A clearer picture of the negative parity nucleon spectrum emerges. For the parameters of the simulation we may assume elastic s-wave scattering and can derive values of the phase shift.
We study hadron correlators upon artificial restoration of the spontaneously broken chiral symmetry. In a dynamical lattice simulation we remove the lowest lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator from the valence quark propagators and study evolution
of the hadron masses obtained. All mesons and baryons in our study, except for a pion, survive unbreaking the chiral symmetry and their exponential decay signals become essentially better. From the analysis of the observed spectroscopic patterns we conclude that confinement still persists while the chiral symmetry is restored. All hadrons fall into different chiral multiplets. The broken U(1)_A symmetry does not get restored upon unbreaking the chiral symmetry. We also observe signals of some higher symmetry that includes chiral symmetry as a subgroup. Finally, from comparison of the Delta - N splitting before and after unbreaking of the chiral symmetry we conclude that both the color-magnetic and the flavor-spin quark-quark interactions are of equal importance.
In Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) the eigenmodes of the Dirac operator with small absolute eigenvalues have a close relationship to the dynamical breaking of the chiral symmetry. In a simulation with two dynamical quarks, we study the behavior of meson
propagators when removing increasingly more of those modes in the valence sector, thus partially removing effects of chiral symmetry breaking. We find that some of the symmetry aspects are restored (e.g., the masses of $rho$ and $a_1$ approach each other) while confining properties persist.
