Towards a direct lattice calculation of m_d - m_u

Abstract

We describe an independent method for determining the strong-isospin breaking mass parameter, 2delta = m_d - m_u, which utilizes the baryon spectrum. We use a prudent partially quenched choice of splitting the valence quark masses symmetrically about the light sea quark mass. This choice has the consequence of mitigating the most severe partial quenching artifacts. We also discuss the most significant hurdle to this method which is determining the electromagnetic self-energy of the neutron-proton mass splitting, a challenge which lacks a satisfactory answer. Despite these issues, the phenomenologically interesting dependence of m_n - m_p on delta can be determined.