We present results from a lattice hadron spectrum calculation using three flavors of dynamical quarks — two light and one strange—and quenched simulations for comparison. These simulations were done using a one-loop Symanzik improved gauge action and an improved Kogut-Susskind quark action. The lattice spacings, and hence also the physical volumes, were tuned to be the same in all the runs to better expose differences due to flavor number. Lattice spacings were tuned using the static quark potential, so as a by-product we obtain updated results for the effect of sea quarks on the static quark potential. We find indications that the full QCD meson spectrum is in better agreement with experiment than the quenched spectrum. For the $0^{++}$ ${(a}_0)$ meson we see a coupling to two pseudoscalar mesons, or a meson decay on the lattice.

• Received 6 April 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.64.054506