53317918
The CKM matrix and flavor physics from lattice QCD
I discuss the role of lattice QCD in testing the Standard Model and searching for physics beyond the Standard Model in the quark flavor sector. I first review the Standard Model CKM framework. I then present the current status of the CKM matrix, focusing on determinations of CKM matrix elements and constraints on the CKM unitarity triangle that rely on lattice QCD calculations of weak matrix elements. I also show the potential impact of improved lattice QCD calculations on the global CKM unitarity triangle fit. I then describe several hints of new physics in the quark flavor sector that rely on lattice QCD calculations of weak matrix elements, such as evidence of a ~2-3 sigma tension in the CKM unitarity triangle and the "f_{D_s} puzzle". I finish with a discussion of lattice QCD calculations of rare B- and K-decays needed to probe physics beyond the Standard Model at future experiments.
7429466
Light pseudoscalar meson masses and decay constants from mixed action lattice QCD
We calculate the light pseudoscalar decay constants, f_pi and f_K, and their ratio using domain wall valence quarks and 2+1 flavors of dynamical staggered quarks. Use of the MILC gauge configurations allows us to simulate at several sea quark masses and spatial volumes, and with two lattice spacings. We study how well our numerical lattice data for light decay constants and meson masses is described by next-to-leading order SU(3) mixed action chiral perturbation theory and explain our strategy for the chiral and continuum extrapolation. Combining our result for f_K/f_pi with experimental measurements of pion and kaon leptonic decays allows a model-independent determination of |V_us|/|V_ud|; we find a preliminary value of |V_us|/|V_ud| = 0.2315(45)(7).
119241694
Matrix Elements for D- and B-Mixing from 2+1 Flavor Lattice QCD
C.C. Chang∗ a f , C. Bernard b, C.M. Bouchard c, A.X. El-Khadra a f , E.D. Freeland d, E. Gamiz e, A.S. Kronfeld f , J. Laiho g, R.S. van de Water f aPhysics Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA bDepartment of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA cDepartment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA dLiberal Arts Department, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA eCAFPE and Departamento de Fisica Teorica y del Cosmos, Universidad de Granada, E-18002 Granada, Spain fTheoretical Physics Department, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory†, Batavia, IL 60510, USA gSUPA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12-8QQ, United Kingdom
117853743
$B \to D^* \ell \nu$ and $B \to D \ell \nu$ form factors in staggered chiral perturbation theory.
We calculate the B {yields} D and B {yields} D* form factors at zero recoil in Staggered Chiral Perturbation Theory. We consider heavy-light mesons in which only the light (u, d, or s) quark is staggered; current lattice simulations generally use a highly improved action such as the Fermilab or NRQCD action for the heavy (b or c) quark. We work to lowest order in the heavy quark expansion and to next-to-leading order in the chiral expansion. We present results for a partially quenched theory with three sea quarks in which there are no mass degeneracies (the ''1+1+1'' theory) and for a partially quenched theory in which the u and d sea quark masses are equal (the ''2+1'' theory). We also present results for full (2+1) QCD, along with a numerical estimate of the size of staggered discretization errors. Finally, we calculate the finite volume corrections to the form factors and estimate their numerical size in current lattice simulations.
59427655
B-meson decay constants from 2+1-flavor lattice QCD with domain-wall light quarks and relativistic heavy quarks
We calculate the B-meson decay constants fB, fBs, and their ratio in unquenched lattice QCD using domain-wall light quarks and relativistic b-quarks. We use gauge-field ensembles generated by the RBC and UKQCD collaborations using the domain-wall fermion action and Iwasaki gauge action with three flavors of light dynamical quarks. We analyze data at two lattice spacings of a ≈ 0.11, 0.086 fm with unitary pion masses as light as Mπ ≈ 290 MeV; this enables us to control the extrapolation to the physical light-quark masses and continuum. For the b-quarks we use the anisotropic clover action with the relativistic heavy-quark interpretation, such that discretization errors from the heavy-quark action are of the same size as from the light-quark sector. We renormalize the lattice heavy-light axial-vector current using a mostly nonperturbative method in which we compute the bulk of the matching factor nonperturbatively, with a small correction, that is close to unity, in lattice perturbation theory. We also improve the lattice heavy-light current through O(αsa). We extrapolate our results to the physical light-quark masses and continuum using SU(2) heavy-meson chiral perturbation theory, and provide a complete systematic error budget. We obtain fB0 = 196.2(15.7) MeV, fB+ = 195.4(15.8) MeV, fBs =more » 235.4(12.2) MeV, fBs/fB0 = 1.193(59), and fBs/fB+ = 1.220(82), where the errors are statistical and total systematic added in quadrature. In addition, these results are in good agreement with other published results and provide an important independent cross check of other three-flavor determinations of B-meson decay constants using staggered light quarks.« less
118595631
Charm semileptonic decays and|Vcs(d) from heavy clover quarks and 2+1 flavor asqtad staggered ensembles
By combining experimentally measured partial branching fractions for the semileptonic decays D→Klν and D→ πlν with lattice calculations of the form factors f D→K + (q2) and f D→π + (q2), one can extract the CKM matrix elements |Vcs| and |Vcd |. We are calculating the form factors by using Fermilab charm and asqtad staggered light and strange quarks on 2+1 flavor asqtad staggered ensembles generated by the MILC Collaboration. We vary the light valence quark masses from 0.4ms to 0.05ms (ms is the strange sea-quark mass), and the lattice spacings, from about 0.12 fm to about 0.045 fm. We extrapolate to the physical light-quark mass and the continuum limit using heavy-light meson staggered chiral perturbation theory about the SU(2) and SU(3) limits, compare the resulting (preliminary) form factor shapes with experiment, and discuss our errors.
123081963
SNO detector status
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is a 1 kiloton heavy water, 10,000 phototube, real-time, state of the art second generation water Cerenkov detector designed primarily to study solar neutrinos. The SNO detector has been taking high quality production neutrino data for the last seven months. Water assays and many electronic and source calibration runs have been performed to study the detector cleanliness, response and systematics. It has met or exceeded all design goals and expectations.
17420422
Study ofD0 andD+ decays into final states with two or three kaons
Using the ARGUS detector at thee+e− storage ring DORIS II, we have studied Cabibbo-suppressedD0 decay modes resulting in theK+K−π+π− final state and two-bodyD0 decay modes with a ϕ meson in the final state. TheBR(D0→KS0KS0π+π− was measured for the first time. We also present a measurement of theD+→KS0KS0K+ branching ratio. The values are compared with other experimental results and model predictions.
122392811
Measurement of the polarization in the decay B ---> J / psi K*
Abstract Polarization in the exclusive decay B → J/ψK ∗ was measured using the ARGUS detector at the e+e− storage ring DORIS II. The ratio of the transverse to the total decay width was found to be ΓT/Γ = 0.03±0.16±0.15. This measurement demonstrates that the B 0 → J/ψK ∗0 decay channel can be effectively used for CP violation studies.
120865332
Observation of a new charmed baryon
Abstract Using the ARGUS detector at the e + e − storage ring DORIS II at DESY, we have observed a new charmed baryon state in the channel Λ c + π + π − . (All references to a specific charged state also imply the charge conjugate state.) The mass of this state was measured to be (2626.6 ± 0.5 ± 1.5) MeV/ c 2 . The product of the production cross section and branching ratio for this channel was determined to be (11.5 ± 2.5 ± 3.0) pb, and the natural width estimated to be smaller than 3.2 MeV/ c 2 at 90% CL.
119876025
A measurement of the tau mass
Abstract Using the ARGUS detector at the DORIS II storage ring, a new measurement of the mass of the τ lepton has been obtained. An analysis of the tau pseudomass spectrum for decays of the type τ − → π − π − π + ν τ finds m τ = 1776.3±2.4±1.4 MeV/ c 2 . This result also leads to an improvement of the upper limit on the ν τ mass to m ν τ c 2 at the 95% confidence level.