Progress toward the chiral regime in lattice QCD calculations of the neutron electric polarizability

TL;DR

This paper reports on lattice QCD calculations of the neutron's electric polarizability, including connected and disconnected contributions, showing compatibility with chiral effective theory predictions.

Contribution

It presents the first lattice QCD calculation of neutron electric polarizability at a pion mass of 357 MeV with full contributions included.

Findings

Results are consistent with chiral effective theory

Connected and disconnected contributions are both significant

Provides a benchmark for future lattice QCD studies

Abstract

The static electric polarizability of the neutron is evaluated using domain-wall valence quarks on a MILC asqtad sea quark ensemble corresponding to a pion mass of m_pi = 357 MeV. Both connected as well as disconnected contributions are included. The result is quantitatively compatible with the expectation from chiral effective theory.