We perform the non-perturbative renormalization of matrix elements of the
static-light axial current by a computation of its scale dependence in lattice
QCD with two flavours of massless O(a) improved Wilson quarks. The
regularization independent factor that relates any running renormalized matrix
element of the axial current in the static effective theory to the
renormalization group invariant one is evaluated in the Schroedinger functional
scheme, where in this case we find a significant deviation of the
non-perturbative running from the perturbative prediction. An important
technical ingredient to improve the precision of the results consists in the
use of modified discretizations of the static quark action introduced earlier
by our collaboration. As an illustration how to apply the renormalization of
the static axial current presented here, we connect the bare matrix element of
the current to the B_s-meson decay constant in the static approximation for one
value of the lattice spacing, a ~ 0.08 fm, employing large-volume N_f=2 data at
beta=5.3.Comment: 33 pages including figures and tables, latex2e, uses JHEP3.cls;
version published in JHEP, small additions, results unchange