The Scalar Strange Content of the Nucleon from Lattice QCD

TL;DR

This paper computes the scalar strange-quark content of the nucleon using lattice QCD, providing a precise estimate that is crucial for understanding nucleon structure and related phenomenology.

Contribution

It presents a new lattice QCD calculation of the nucleon's scalar strange content using a mixed-action scheme and the Feynman-Hellmann theorem, with a comprehensive average of existing results.

Findings

Scalar strange content: f_s = 0.043 +- 0.011

Matrix element: m_s < N | s-bar s | N > = 49 +-10 +- 15 MeV

Methodology: lattice QCD with mixed-action scheme

Abstract

The scalar strange-quark matrix element of the nucleon is computed with lattice QCD. A mixed-action scheme is used with domain-wall valence fermions computed on the staggered MILC sea-quark configurations. The matrix element is determined by making use of the Feynman-Hellmann theorem which relates this strange matrix element to the change in the nucleon mass with respect to the strange-quark mass. The final result of this calculation is m_s < N | s-bar s| N > = 49 +-10 +- 15 MeV and, correspondingly f_s = m_s < N | s-bar s |N > / m_N = 0.051 +- 0.011 +- 0.016. Given the lack of a quantitative comparison of this phenomenologically important quantity determined from various lattice QCD calculations, we take the opportunity to present such an average. The resulting conservative determination is f_s = 0.043 +- 0.011.