title: Accurate determinations of alpha(s) from realistic lattice QCD.
abstract: We obtain a new value for the QCD coupling constant by combining lattice QCD simulations with experimental data for hadron masses. Our lattice analysis is the first to (1) include vacuum polarization effects from all three light-quark flavors (using MILC configurations), (2) include third-order terms in perturbation theory, (3) systematically estimate fourth and higher-order terms, (4) use an unambiguous lattice spacing, and (5) use an [symbol: see text](a2)-accurate QCD action. We use 28 different (but related) short-distance quantities to obtain alpha((5)/(MS))(M(Z)) = 0.1170(12).
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Trottier
authors.forename: C T H
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nobes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shigemitsu