Hadron Masses from the Valence Approximation to Lattice QCD

TL;DR

This paper uses lattice QCD with Wilson quarks in the valence approximation to predict hadron masses, extrapolating to physical conditions and comparing with experimental data, showing consistency within uncertainties.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive lattice QCD calculations of multiple hadron mass ratios in the quenched approximation with systematic extrapolations.

Findings

Predicted mass ratios agree with experimental values within uncertainties.

Zero lattice spacing and infinite volume limits are consistent with observed masses.

Method demonstrates the viability of lattice QCD for hadron spectroscopy.

Abstract

We evaluate pseudoscalar, vector, spin 1/2 and spin 3/2 baryon masses predicted by lattice QCD with Wilson quarks in the valence (quenched) approximation for a range of different values of lattice spacing, lattice volume and quark mass. Extrapolating these results to physical quark mass, then to zero lattice spacing and infinite volume we obtain values for eight mass ratios. We also determine the zero lattice spacing, infinite volume limit of an alternate set of five quantities found without extrapolation in quark mass. Both sets of predictions differ from the corresponding observed values by amounts consistent with the predicted quantities' statistical uncertainties.