Related papers: $B_K$ from improved staggered fermions using SU(3)…
We compute the $B\to\pi\ell\nu$ semileptonic form factors and update the determination of the CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$. We use the MILC asqtad ensembles with $N_f=2+1$ sea quarks at four different lattice spacings in the range $a…
We give a progress report on the calculation of B meson mixing matrix elements, focusing on contributions that could arise beyond the Standard Model. The calculation uses asqtad (light quark) and Fermilab (heavy quark) valence actions and…
In order to study the QCD chiral critical point we investigate Binder Cumulants of the chiral condensate. The results were obtained from simulations of 3 and 2+1 flavors of standard staggered fermions and 3 flavors of p4 improved staggered…
Motivated by simulation results for octet and decuplet baryon masses using 2+1 flavors of light staggered quarks, we are incorporating staggered lattice artifacts into heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory, calculating the masses of…
We calculate the fermion self-energy at O(alpha_s) for the Symanzik improved staggered fermion action used in recent lattice simulations by the MILC collaboration. We demonstrate that the algebraic approach to lattice perturbation theory,…
Standard SU(2) Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory is extended in order to include the case of small or even vanishing quark condensate. The effective lagrangian is given to ${\cal O}(p^2)$ in its most general form and to ${\cal…
We use both old and new theoretical developments in QCD dispersion relation constraints on the scalar form factor in the decay K --> \pi l \nu_l to obtain constraints on the strange quark mass. The perturbative QCD side of the calculation…
To reduce errors in light-quark mass determinations, it is now necessary to consider electromagnetic contributions to light-meson masses. Calculations using staggered quarks and quenched photons are currently underway. Suitably-extended…
The decay constants for the $D$ and $D_S$ mesons, denoted $f_D$ and $f_{D_S}$ respectively, are equal in the $SU(3)_V$ limit, as are the hadronic amplitudes for $B_S-\bar B_S$ and $B^0-\bar B^0$ mixing. The leading $SU(3)_V$ violating…
The spectral properties of a variety of improved staggered operators are studied in quenched QCD. The systematic dependence of the infrared eigenvalue spectrum on i) improvement in the staggered operator, ii) improvement in the gauge field…
We report a calculation of the baryon magnetic moments using covariant chiral perturbation theory within the extended-on-mass-shell renormalization scheme including intermediate octet and decuplet contributions. By fitting the two available…
The $\pi^+\Sigma^+$, $\pi^+\Xi^0$, $K^+p$, $K^+n$, and $\overline{K}{}^0 \Xi^0$ scattering lengths are calculated in mixed-action Lattice QCD with domain-wall valence quarks on the asqtad-improved coarse MILC configurations at four…
We present an update of our ongoing study of the SU(2) gauge theory with one flavor of Dirac fermion in the adjoint representation. Compared to our previous results we now have data at larger lattice volumes, smaller values of the fermion…
We report on results from three spectrum calculations with staggered quarks: 1) a quenched calculation with the standard action for the gluons and quarks; 2) a quenched calculation with improved actions for both the gluons and quarks; and…
I describe recent developments in quenched chiral perturbation theory (QChPT) and the status of weak matrix elements involving light quarks. I illustrate how, with improved statistical errors, and with calculations of the masses of baryons…
A new formulation of chiral fermions on the lattice is presented. It is a version of overlap fermions, but built from the computationally efficient staggered fermions rather than the previously used Wilson fermions. The construction reduces…
We confront exact analytical predictions for the finite-volume scaling of the chiral condensate with data from quenched lattice gauge theory simulations. Using staggered fermions in both the fundamental and adjoint representations, and…
We analyze lattice data for octet baryon masses from the QCDSF collaboration employing manifestly covariant Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory. It is shown that certain combinations of low-energy constants can be fixed more accurately than…
As a test of the chiral properties of the improved Asqtad (staggered fermion) action, we have been measuring the topological susceptibility as a function of quark masses for 2 + 1 dynamical flavors. We report preliminary results, which show…
We consider three-flavor QCD and perform a determination of the low-energy coupling $\hat{g}_\chi$ of SU(2) Heavy Meson Chiral Perturbation Theory. It is the $B^*B\pi$ coupling in the limit of static heavy and chiral light quarks and has…