Method for high-precision determination of the nucleon axial structure using lattice QCD: Removing $\pi N$-state contamination

Abstract

We performed a precise calculation of physical quantities related to the axial structure of the nucleon using 2+1 flavor lattice QCD gauge configuration (PACS10 configuration) generated at the physical point with lattice volume larger than $(10\;{\mathrm{fm}})^4$ by the PACS Collaboration. The nucleon matrix element of the axial-vector current has two types of the nucleon form factors, the axial-vector ($F_A$) form factor and the induced pseudoscalar ($F_P$) form factor. Recently lattice QCD simulations have succeeded in reproducing the experimental value of the axial-vector coupling, $g_A$, determined from $F_A(q^2)$ at zero momentum transfer $q^2=0$, at a percent level of statistical accuracy. However, the $F_P$ form factor so far has not reproduced the experimental values well due to strong $\pi N$ excited-state contamination. Therefore, we proposed a simple subtraction method for removing the so-called leading $\pi N$-state contribution, and succeeded in reproducing the values obtained by two experiments of muon capture on the proton and pion electro-production for $F_P(q^2)$. The novel approach can also be applied to the nucleon pseudoscalar matrix element to determine the pseudoscalar ($G_P$) form factor with the help of the axial Ward-Takahashi identity. The resulting form factors, $F_P(q^2)$ and $G_P(q^2)$, are in good agreement with the prediction of the pion-pole dominance model. In the new analysis, the induced pseudoscalar coupling $g_P^\ast$ and the pion-nucleon coupling $g_{\pi NN}$ can be evaluated with a few percent accuracy including systematic uncertainties using existing data calculated at two lattice spacings.