Recent Lattice Results on the Light Quark Masses

Abstract

I discuss old and new determinations of the light quark masses using lattice QCD. Most lattice results using various approximations can be fit together in a simple picture which is consistent with lower values than conventionally supposed: in the quenched approximation for the strange quark mass in the MS bar scheme, m_s(2 GeV) = 95 (16) MeV, and for the average of the u and d quark masses, m_l(2 GeV) = 3.6 (6) MeV. An estimate of the effects of light quark loops yields answers lower still: m_s(2 GeV) in the range 54 - 92 MeV, and m_l(2 GeV) in the range 2.1 - 3.5 MeV.

Comments: 7 pages, 4 embedded figures. Plenary talk given at LATTICE96