Stephen R. Sharpe

University of Washington Seattle, Seattle, WA, USA

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Publications (46)3.95 Total impact

  • Article: Recent progress in calculation of $B_K$ using staggered fermions
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    ABSTRACT: We report on recent progress in the calculation of $B_K$ using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. We have added measurements on fine ($a\sim 0.09 $fm) and superfine ($a\sim 0.06 $fm) ensembles at different values of the light sea quark mass ($a m_\ell$), as well as increased the statistics on some other ensembles. We find that the results on the fine lattices show a significantly stronger $am_\ell$ dependence than those on the superfine and coarse ($a\sim 0.12 $fm) lattices. We discuss different methods for accounting for these new results when doing the $a m_\ell$ and continuum extrapolations.
    11/2012;
  • Article: Beyond the Standard Model corrections to $K^0-\bar{K}^0$ mixing
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    ABSTRACT: We calculate the B-parameters for operators arising in theories of new physics beyond the standard model (BSM) using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices with N_f = 2+1 flavors. We use three different lattice spacings (a ~ 0.045, 0.06 and 0.09 fm) at a fixed ratio of light to strange quarks, m_l/m_s = 1/5, to obtain the continuum results. Operator matching is done using perturbative matching at one-loop order, and results are run to 2 or 3 GeV using two-loop running in the MS-bar scheme. For the chiral and continuum extrapolations, we use SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory. We present preliminary results with only statistical errors.
    11/2012;
  • Article: Chiral extrapolation of matrix elements of BSM kaon operators
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    ABSTRACT: Models of new physics induce K_0-K_0bar mixing through operators having Dirac structures other than the "left-left" form of the Standard Model. To carry out the chiral-continuum extrapolation of results from numerical simulations, one needs to know the quark mass and lattice spacing dependence of the corresponding B-parameters in the partially quenched theory at least at next-to-leading order. For simulations using staggered fermions (such as that we are doing with HYP-smeared valence fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices) one must determine this dependence using staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT). We have calculated the required dependence in both SU(3) and SU(2) SChPT, working at next-to-leading order, and we give here an overview of the methodology and results. The SU(3) SChPT result turns out to be much simpler than that for the Standard Model B_K operator, due to the absence of chiral suppression for the new operators. The SU(2) SChPT result turns out to be closely related to that for B_K: the chiral logarithms are identical, up to an operator-dependent sign. Our results are also useful for fermions with chiral symmetry as they provide, in the continuum limit, the partially quenched generalization of existing continuum results.
    10/2012;
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    Article: Kaon mixing matrix elements from beyond-the-Standard-Model operators in staggered chiral perturbation theory
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    ABSTRACT: Models of new physics induce K-Kbar mixing operators having Dirac structures other than the "left-left" form of the Standard Model. We calculate the functional form of the corresponding B-parameters at next-to-leading order in both SU(3) and SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT). Numerical results for these matrix elements are being generated using improved staggered fermions; our results can be used to extrapolate these matrix elements to the physical light and strange quark masses. The SU(3) SChPT results turn out to be much simpler than that for the Standard Model B_K operator, due to the absence of chiral suppression in the new operators. The SU(2) SChPT result is of similar simplicity to that for B_K. In fact, in the latter case, the chiral logarithms for two of the new B-parameters are identical to those for B_K, while those for the other two new B-parameters are of opposite sign. In addition to providing results for the 2+1 flavor theory in SU(3) SChPT and the 1+1+1 flavor theory in SU(2) SChPT, we present the corresponding continuum partially quenched results, as these are not available in the literature.
    02/2012;
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    Article: Kaon $B$-parameter from improved staggered fermions in $N_f=2+1$ QCD
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    ABSTRACT: We present a calculation of the kaon $B$-parameter, $B_K$, using lattice QCD. We use improved staggered valence and sea fermions, the latter generated by the MILC collaboration with $N_f=2+1$ light flavors. To control discretization errors, we use four different lattice spacings ranging down to $a\approx 0.045\;$fm. The chiral and continuum extrapolations are done using SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory. Our final result is $\hat{B}_K = 0.727 \pm 0.004 (\text{stat}) \pm 0.038 (\text{sys})$, where the dominant systematic error is from our use of truncated (one-loop) matching factors.
    11/2011;
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    Article: Finite Volume Errors in $B_K$
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    ABSTRACT: We discuss finite volume errors in our calculations of $B_K$ using improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. Using GPUs, we are now able to extrapolate using next-to-leading order (NLO) staggered SU(2) chiral perturbation theory including the finite volume corrections arising from pion loops. We find that the impact of FV fitting is very small, giving a 0.5% shift in the continuum limit.
    11/2011;
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    Article: Continuum extrapolation of $B_K$ with staggered fermions
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    ABSTRACT: We report on recent progress in the calculation of $B_K$ using HYP-smeared staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. Our main focus is on the continuum extrapolation, which is done using (up to) four different lattice spacings---$a\approx$ 0.12, 0.09, 0.06 and 0.045 fm. Since Lattice 2010, we have reduced the statistical errors on the $a\approx 0.09\;$fm lattices by a factor of $\sim 3$, and roughly doubled the size of the $a\approx0.045\;$fm ensemble. We find that these improvements have a very significant impact on the continuum extrapolation, with the $a\approx 0.12\;$fm data lying outside the range of applicability of simple functional forms. Hence we use only the three smallest lattice spacings to perform the extrapolation, finding $\hat{B}_K = B_K(\text{RGI}) = 0.725 \pm 0.004(\text{stat}) \pm 0.038(\text{sys}) $. This value is consistent with our published value from 2010 (based the three coarsest lattice spacings), but has smaller errors.
    10/2011;
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    Article: $B_K$ from improved staggered fermions using SU(3) chiral perturbation theory
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    ABSTRACT: We present recent progress in our calculation of $B_K$ with improved staggered fermions using chiral extrapolations based on SU(3) staggered chiral perturbation theory. We have accumulated significantly higher statistics on the coarse, fine, and ultrafine MILC asqtad lattices. This leads to a reduction in statistical error and an improved continuum extrapolation. Our updated result is $\hat{B}_K = B_K(\text{RGI}) = 0.737 \pm 0.003(\text{stat}) \pm 0.046 (\text{sys})$. This is consistent with the result obtained using chiral extrapolations based on SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory, although the total error is somewhat larger with the SU(3) analysis.
    10/2011;
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    Article: One-loop matching of improved four-fermion staggered operators with an improved gluon action
    Jongjeong Kim, Weonjong Lee, Stephen R. Sharpe
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for one-loop matching factors of four-fermion operators composed of HYP-smeared staggered fermions. We generalize previous calculations by using the tree-level improved Symanzik gauge action. These results are needed for our companion numerical calculation of $B_K$ and related matrix elements. We find that the impact on one-loop matching factors of using the improved gluon action is much smaller than that from the use of either HYP smearing or mean-field improvement. The one-loop coefficients for mean-field improved, HYP-smeared operators with the Symanzik gauge action have a maximum magnitude of $O(1)\times \alpha_s$, indicating that perturbation theory is reasonably convergent.
    02/2011;
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    Article: Finite volume effects in $B_K$ with improved staggered fermions
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    ABSTRACT: We extend our recent unquenched ($N_f=2+1$ flavor) calculation of $B_K$ using improved staggered fermions by including in the fits the finite volume shift predicted by one-loop staggered chiral perturbation theory. The net result is to lower the result in the continuum limit by 0.6%. This shift is slightly smaller than our previous estimate of finite volume effects based on a direct comparison between different volumes. To include the finite volume effects in a reasonable time, we found it necessary to calculate them using Graphics Processing Units.
    01/2011;
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    Article: B_ {K} using HYP-smeared staggered fermions in N_ {f}= 2+ 1 unquenched QCD
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for the kaon mixing parameter BK calculated using HYP (hypercubic fat link)-smeared improved staggered fermions on the asqtad lattices generated by the MILC collaboration. We use three lattice spacings (a≈0.12, 0.09 and 0.06 fm), ten different valence-quark masses (m≈ms/10-ms), and several light sea-quark masses in order to control the continuum and chiral extrapolations. We derive the next-to-leading order staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT) results necessary to fit our data, and use these results to do extrapolations based both on SU(2) and SU(3) SChPT. The SU(2) fitting is particularly straightforward because parameters related to taste breaking and matching errors appear only at next-to-next-to-leading order. We match to the continuum renormalization scheme [naïve dimensional regularization (NDR)] using one-loop perturbation theory. Our final result is from the SU(2) analysis, with the SU(3) result providing a (less accurate) cross check. We find BK(NDR,μ=2 GeV)=0.529±0.009±0.032 and B̂K=BK(RGI)=0.724±0.012±0.043, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. The error is dominated by the truncation error in the matching factor. Our results are consistent with those obtained using valence domain-wall fermions on lattices generated with asqtad or domain-wall sea quarks.
    Phys. Rev. D. 12/2010; 82(11).
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    Article: One loop matching factors for improved staggered four-fermion operators with improved glue
    Jongjeong Kim, Weonjong Lee, Stephen R. Sharpe
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for matching factors for staggered four-fermion operators constructed using HYP-smeared fat links both in the action and the operators. We use perturbation theory to calculate the matching factors and work to one-loop order. The new feaure of this work is the use of the Symanzik-improved gauge action, as opposed to the Wilson gauge action. Our results are needed for our ongoing calculation of weak matrix elements using HYP-smeared staggered valence quarks and operators on MILC lattices. We give explicit results for matching factors of the operator needed to calculate $B_K$. We compare the impact of the improvement of the gauge action on one-loop coefficients with that of mean-field improvement of the operators.
    10/2010;
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    Article: $B_K$ with improved staggered fermions: analysis using SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory
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    ABSTRACT: We report updated results for $B_K$ calculated using HYP-smeared staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad 2+1 flavor lattices. We use four different lattice spacings ($a \approx$ 0.12, 0.09, 0.06 and 0.045 fm) to control the continuum extrapolation. We use SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory to do the data analysis. We find that $B_K(\text{NDR}, \mu=2 \text{GeV}) = 0.526 \pm 0.007 \pm 0.024$ and $\hat{B}_K = B_K(\text{RGI}) = 0.720 \pm 0.010 \pm 0.033$. Here the first error is statistical and the second systematic. The dominant source of error is that due to our use of a truncated (one-loop) matching factor.
    10/2010;
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    Article: First results for $B_K$ on the ultrafine ($a=0.045$ fm) ensemble
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    ABSTRACT: We present preliminary results for $B_K$ from the MILC ultrafine lattices, based on a partial ensemble of 305 configurations. We use HYP-smeared improved staggered valence quarks. The analysis is done using fitting forms based on both SU(2) and SU(3) staggered chiral perturbation thery. For the SU(2) analysis, we find that the result using the NLO fit function is consistent with that from a partial NNLO fit. For the SU(3) analysis, where we have to use partially constrained fits due to the number of fit parameters, we find that our two preferred fits ("N-BB1" and "N-BB2") are also consistent, both with each other and with the results of the SU(2) fits. These results are used in companion proceedings to improve the control over the continuum extrapolation.
    10/2010;
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    Article: Systematic Uncertainties in $B_K$ with Improved Staggered Fermions
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    ABSTRACT: We study three sources of error in our calculation of $B_K$ using HYP-smeared staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. These are (1) dependence on the light sea quark mass; (2) finite volume effects; and (3) the impact of an order of magnitude increase in the number of measurements. Our main results are (1) the dependence on the light sea-quark mass is weaker than expected by naive dimensional analysis, (2) including finite volume effects in SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory fits leads to a very small change in $B_K$, of size $\approx 0.1%$, and (3) increasing the statistics on one of the coarse MILC lattices resolves a potential discrepancy with other coarse results.
    10/2010;
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    Article: $B_K$ with improved staggered fermions: analysis using SU(3) staggered chiral perturbation theory
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    ABSTRACT: We report updated results for $B_K$ using HYP-smeared staggered valence quarks on MILC asqtad lattices based on an analysis using SU(3) staggered chiral perturbation theory. The most important new feature of our data sample is the inclusion of a fourth ("ultrafine") lattice spacing. This improves the control over the continuum extrapolation and errors due our use of one-loop perturbative matching. We present a complete updated error budget, which leads to $B_K(\text{NDR}, \mu = 2 \text{GeV}) = 0.5309 \pm 0.0051 \pm 0.0424$ and $\hat{B}_K = B_K(\text{RGI}) = 0.727 \pm 0.07 \pm 0.058$. The results of the SU(3) analysis are inferior to those based on SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory, primarily because of the dependence on the Bayesian priors we use in the SU(3) fits.
    10/2010;
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    Article: One-loop matching factors for staggered bilinear operators with improved gauge actions
    Jongjeong Kim, Weonjong Lee, Stephen R. Sharpe
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for one-loop perturbative matching factors using bilinear operators composed of improved staggered fermions, using unimproved (Wilson) and improved (Symanzik, Iwasaki, and DBW2) gluon actions. We consider two fermions actions---HYP/$\bar{\text{Fat7}}$-smeared and "asqtad". The former is being used in calculations of electroweak matrix elements, while the latter have been used extensively by the MILC collaboration. We observe that using the improved gluon action leads to small reductions in the perturbative corrections, but that these reductions are smaller than those obtained when moving from the tadpole-improved naive staggered action to either HYP-smeared or asqtad action.
    04/2010;
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    Article: One loop matching factors for staggered bilinear operators with improved glue
    Jongjeong Kim, Weonjong Lee, Stephen R. Sharpe
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for matching factors for bilinear operators composed of HYP-smeared staggered fermions and constructed using HYP-smeared fat links. The matching factors are calculated perturbatively at one-loop order. The new feature of our calculation compared to previous work on HYP-smeared staggered fermions is the use of the Symanzik-improved gluon propagator, which allows our results to be applied to our ongoing simulations based on configurations generated by the MILC collaboration. We address the issue of the relative efficiency of various improvement schemes in reducing one-loop corrections to the matching factors. Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, Lattice 2009 proceeding
    10/2009;
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    Article: Determination of $B_K$ using improved staggered fermions (IV) One-loop matching
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    ABSTRACT: We discuss the impact of using one-loop matching on the calculation of $B_K$ using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions. We give estimates of size of the truncation errors from the missing two-loop corrections. Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, Lattice 2009 proceeding
    10/2009;
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    Article: Determination of $B_K$ using improved staggered fermions (II) SU(2) chiral perturbation theory fit
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    ABSTRACT: We present results for $B_K$ calculated using HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. In this report, the data is analyzed using the results of SU(2) staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT). We outline the derivation of the NLO SU(2) SChPT result, explain our fitting procedure, and outline how we estimate systematic errors. We also show the light sea-quark mass and lattice spacing dependence for both SU(2) and SU(3)-based analyses. Our preliminary result from the SU(2) analysis is $B_K(\text{NDR}, \mu = 2 \text{GeV}) = 0.512 \pm 0.014 \pm 0.034$ and $\hat{B}_K = B_K(\text{RGI})= 0.701 \pm 0.019 \pm 0.047$. This is somewhat more accurate than our result from the SU(3) analysis. It is consistent with results obtained using valence domain-wall fermions Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, Lattice 2009 proceeding
    10/2009;