We examine several recent lattice-simulation data sets, asking whether they are consistent with infrared conformality. We observe, in particular, that for an $SU(3)$ gauge theory with 12 Dirac fermions in the fundamental representation, recent simulation data can be described assuming infrared conformality. Lattice simulations include a fermion mass $m$ that is then extrapolated to zero, and we note that this data can be fit by a small-$m$ expansion, allowing a controlled extrapolation. We also note that the conformal hypothesis does not work well for two theories that are known or expected to be confining and chirally broken, and that it does work well for another theory expected to be infrared conformal.

• Received 15 June 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.84.054501