Dynamical twisted mass fermions with light quarks: simulation and analysis details

In a recent paper [ETMC, P. Boucaud et al., Phys. Lett. B 650 (2007) 304, hep-lat/0701012] we presented precise lattice QCD results of our European Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC). They were obtained by employing two mass-degenerate flavours of twisted mass fermions at maximal twist. In the present paper we give details on our simulations and the computation of physical observables. In particular, we discuss the problem of tuning to maximal twist, the techniques we have used to compute correlators and error estimates. In addition, we provide more information on the algorithm used, the autocorrelation times and scale determination, the evaluation of disconnected contributions and the description of our data by means of chiral perturbation theory formulae.