We simulate a theory with two dynamical O(a) improved Wilson quarks whose mass M ranges from a factor eight up to a factor two below the charm quark mass and at three values of the lattice spacing ranging from 0.066 to 0.034 fm. This theory is a prototype to study the decoupling of heavy quarks. We measure the mass and cut-off dependence of ratios of gluonic observables defined from the Wilson flow or the static potential. The size of the 1/M corrections can be determined and disentangled from the lattice artifacts. The difference with the pure gauge theory is at the percent level when two quarks with a mass of the charm quark are present.
@article{arxiv.1411.1239,
title = {Physical and cut-off effects of heavy sea quarks},
author = {Francesco Knechtli and Andreas Athenodorou and Mattia Bruno and Jacob Finkenrath and Björn Leder and Marina Marinkovic and Rainer Sommer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1411.1239},
year = {2014}
}