First results from 2+1 dynamical quark flavors on an anisotropic lattice: Light-hadron spectroscopy and setting the strange-quark mass

We present the first light-hadron spectroscopy on a set of Nf=2+1 dynamical, anisotropic lattices. A convenient set of coordinates that parameterize the two-dimensional plane of light and strange-quark masses is introduced. These coordinates are used to extrapolate data obtained at the simulated values of the quark masses to the physical light and strange-quark point. A measurement of the Sommer scale on these ensembles is made, and the performance of the hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm used for generating the ensembles is estimated.