Task D-computational physics. Progress report for the year 1984

The first stage of work on low lying hadron masses calculated (in the quenched approximation) on lattices of size 123 x 32 at beta = 6.31 is briefly reported. This value of beta requires lattices at least as large as the ones being worked on in order to avoid locking of the degrees of freedom. This beta puts us far closer to the correct weak coupling regime than any other calculation has been. Indeed, it can be argued that essentially all other calculations with beta = 6.0 or less are little more than strong coupling calculations. Results are exciting and better than originally had been expected. The predicted mass spectrum is in marked closer agreement to the physically observed spectrum than previous results. For example, the proton mass is within 100 MeV of its actual value and the rho-proton mass ratio is in essentially exact agreement with its experimental value