2007/01/31 by Michael Creutz
Physics and Astronomy · #High-Energy Particle Collisions Research #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions #hep-lat
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2007.03.065
published as Phys.Lett.B649:230-234,2007 · 10 pages, no figures; revision includes various clarifications, a changed title, and an additional reference; version to appear in Physics Letters B
arxiv created 2007/03/24 · openalex publication_date 2007/04/19 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A popular approximation in lattice gauge theory is an extrapolation in the number of fermion species away from the four fold degeneracy natural with the staggered fermion formulation. I show that the extrapolation procedure mutilates the expected continuum holomorphic behavior in the quark masses. The conventional resolution proposes canceling the unphysical singularities with a plethora of extra states appearing at finite lattice spacing. This unproven conjecture requires an explicit loss of unitarity and locality. Even if correct, the approach implies large cutoff effects in the low-energy flavor-neutral sector.