Chiral Perturbation Theory, Non-leptonic Kaon Decays, and the Lattice

Abstract

In this talk, I first motivate the use of Chiral Perturbation Theory in the context of Lattice QCD. In particular, I explain how partially quenched QCD, which has, in general, unequal valence- and sea-quark masses, can be used to obtain real-world (i.e. unquenched) results for low-energy constants. In the second part, I review how Chiral Perturbation Theory may be used to overcome theoretical difficulties which afflict the computation of non-leptonic kaon decay rates from Lattice QCD. I argue that it should be possible to determine at least the O(p^2) weak low-energy constants reliably from numerical computations of the K to pi and K to vacuum matrix elements of the corresponding weak operators.

Comments: 13 pages, invited plenary talk at Chiral 2000, Jefferson Lab., July 17-22, 2000