We have done simulations of lattice QCD with different numbers of light dynamical quarks. Since we cannot reach the continuum limit with our current computers, we have done comparisons with 0 (quenched), 2 and 4 light quark flavors with the physical volume and lattice spacing constant, when these are determined from the mass of the rho. We find a 7% (2 standard deviation) difference in the nucleon to rho mass ratio for 2 and 4 quarks. More importantly, the effects of chiral symmetry breaking are dramatically decreased for the case of 4 light quarks.
@article{arxiv.hep-lat/9705030,
title = {Lattice QCD with 0, 2 and 4 quark flavors},
author = {Robert D. Mawhinney},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-lat/9705030},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
15 pages, 6 figures. Presented at RHIC Summer Study '96