Next-to-Leading-Order Staggered Chiral Perturbation Theory

TL;DR

This paper extends staggered chiral perturbation theory to higher orders to enable precise calculations of pseudo-Goldstone boson properties, including taste-symmetry violations, and provides predictions to test the fourth-root trick.

Contribution

It introduces an extended theoretical framework for NLO calculations in staggered chiral perturbation theory, incorporating taste-symmetry breaking effects.

Findings

Predictions for SO(4) taste-breaking splittings in masses

Predictions for taste-breaking effects in decay constants

Predictions for dispersion relations

Abstract

We have extended staggered chiral perturbation theory to O(a^2 p^2), O(a^4), and O(a^2 m), the orders necessary for a full next-to-leading order calculation of pseudo-Goldstone boson masses and decay constants including taste-symmetry violations. We present predictions relating SO(4) taste-breaking splittings in masses, pseudoscalar decay constants, and dispersion relations. These can be used to test the fourth-root trick.