Ghost Propagators Research Articles

Faddeev-Popov matrix in linear covariant gauge: First results

We discuss a possible definition of the Faddeev-Popov matrix for the minimal linear covariant gauge on the lattice and present first results for the ghost propagator. We consider Yang-Mills theory in four space-time dimensions, for SU(2) and SU(3) gauge groups.

Non-perturbative constraints on the quark and ghost propagators

In QCD both the quark and ghost propagators are important for governing the non-perturbative dynamics of the theory. It turns out that the dynamical properties of the quark and ghost fields impose non-perturbative constraints on the analytic structure of these propagators. In this work we explicitly derive these constraints. In doing so we establish that the corresponding spectral densities include components which are multiples of discrete mass terms, and that the propagators are permitted to contain singular contributions involving derivatives of δ(p), both of which are particularly relevant in the context of confinement.

Nonperturbative finite-temperature Yang-Mills theory

We present nonperturbative correlation functions in Landau-gauge Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature. The results are obtained from the functional renormalisation group within a self-consistent approximation scheme. In particular, we compute the magnetic and electric components of the gluon propagator, and the three- and four-gluon vertices. We also show the ghost propagator and the ghost-gluon vertex at finite temperature. Our results for the propagators are confronted with lattice simulations and our Debye mass is compared to hard thermal loop perturbation theory.

Nonperturbative quark, gluon, and meson correlators of unquenched QCD

We present non-perturbative first-principle results for quark-, gluon- and meson $1$PI correlation functions of two-flavour Landau-gauge QCD in the vacuum. These correlation functions carry the full information about the theory. They are obtained by solving their Functional Renormalisation Group equations in a systematic vertex expansion, aiming at apparent convergence. This work represents a crucial prerequisite for quantitative first-principle studies of the QCD phase diagram and the hadron spectrum within this framework. In particular, we have computed the gluon, ghost, quark and scalar-pseudoscalar meson propagators, as well as gluon, ghost-gluon, quark-gluon, quark, quark-meson, and meson interactions. Our results stress the crucial importance of the quantitatively correct running of different vertices in the semi-perturbative regime for describing the phenomena and scales of confinement and spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking without phenomenological input.

Reply to “Comment on ‘Lattice gluon and ghost propagators and the strong coupling in pureSU(3)Yang-Mills theory: Finite lattice spacing and volume effects’ ”

The quenched gluon and ghost propagator data published in [1] is reanalysed following the suggestion of [2] to resolve the differences between the infrared data of the simulations. Our results confirms that the procedure works well either for the gluon or for the ghost propagator but not for both propagators simultaneously as the observed deviations in the data follow opposite patterns. Definitive conclusions require improving the determination of the (ratios) of lattice spacings. A simple procedure for the relative calibration of the lattice spacing in lattice simulations is suggested.

Dependence of the propagators on the sampling of Gribov copies inside the first Gribov region of Landau gauge

Beyond perturbation theory the number of gauge copies drastically increases due to the Gribov–Singer ambiguity. Any way of treating them defines, in principle, a new, non-perturbative gauge, and the gauge-dependent correlation functions can vary between them. Herein various such gauges will be constructed as completions of the Landau gauge inside the first Gribov region. The dependence of the propagators and the running coupling on these gauges will be studied for SU(2) Yang–Mills theory in two, three, and four dimensions using lattice gauge theory, and for a wide range of lattice parameters. While the gluon propagator is rather insensitive to the choice, the ghost propagator and the running coupling show a stronger dependence. It is also found that the influence of lattice artifacts is larger than in minimal Landau gauge.

Five-loop renormalisation of QCD in covariant gauges

We present the complete set of vertex, wave function and charge renormalisation constants in QCD in a general simple gauge group and with the complete dependence on the covariant gauge parameter ξ in the minimal subtraction scheme of conventional dimensional regularisation. Our results confirm all already known results, which were obtained in the Feynman gauge, and allow the extraction of other useful gauges such as the Landau gauge. We use these results to extract the Landau gauge five-loop anomalous dimensions of the composite operator A2 as well as the Landau gauge scheme independent gluon, ghost and fermion propagators at five loops.

A universal constraint on the infrared behavior of the ghost propagator in QCD

With proposing a unified description of the fields variation at the level of generating functional, we obtain a new identity for the quark–gluon interaction vertex based on gauge symmetry, which is similar to the Slavnov–Taylor Identities (STIs) based on the Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin transformation. With these identities, we find that in Landau gauge, the dressing function of the ghost propagator approaches to a constant as its momentum goes to zero, which provides a strong constraint on the infrared behaviour of ghost propagator.

Covariant variational approach to Yang-Mills theory: Thermodynamics

The thermodynamics of $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills theory in the covariant variational approach is studied by relating the free action density in the background of a non-trivial Polyakov loop to the pressure of the gluon plasma. The correct subtraction of the vacuum contribution in the free action density is argued for. The Poisson resummed expression for the pressure can be evaluated analytically in limiting cases, and shows the correct Stefan-Boltzmann limit at $T \to \infty$, while the limit $T \to 0$ is afflicted by artifacts due to massless modes in the confined phase. Several remedies to remove these artifacts are discussed. Using the numerical $T=0$ solutions for the ghost and gluon propagators in the covariant variational approach as input, the pressure, energy density and interaction strength are calculated and compared to lattice data.

Non-Abelian Ball-Chiu vertex for arbitrary Euclidean momenta

We determine the non-Abelian version of the four longitudinal form factors of the quark-gluon vertex, using exact expressions derived from the Slavnov-Taylor identity that this vertex satisfies. In addition to the quark and ghost propagators, a key ingredient of the present approach is the quark-ghost scattering kernel, which is computed within the one-loop dressed approximation. The vertex form factors obtained from this procedure are evaluated for arbitrary Euclidean momenta, and display features not captured by the well-known Ball-Chiu vertex, deduced from the Abelian (ghost-free) Ward identity. The potential phenomenological impact of these results is evaluated through the study of special renormalization-point-independent combinations, which quantify the strength of the interaction kernels appearing in the standard quark gap and Bethe-Salpeter equations.

How nonperturbative is the infrared regime of Landau gauge Yang-Mills correlators?

We study the Landau gauge correlators of Yang-Mills fields for infrared Euclidean momenta in the context of a massive extension of the Faddeev-Popov Lagrangian which, we argue, underlies a variety of continuum approaches. Standard (perturbative) renormalization group techniques with a specific, infrared-safe renormalization scheme produce so-called decoupling and scaling solutions for the ghost and gluon propagators, which correspond to nontrivial infrared fixed points. The decoupling fixed point is infrared stable and weakly coupled, while the scaling fixed point is unstable and generically strongly coupled except for low dimensions $d\to2$. Under the assumption that such a scaling fixed point exists beyond one-loop order, we find that the corresponding ghost and gluon scaling exponents are, respectively, $2\alpha_F=2-d$ and $2\alpha_G=d$ at all orders of perturbation theory in the present renormalization scheme. We discuss the relation between the ghost wave function renormalization, the gluon screening mass, the scale of spectral positivity violation, and the gluon mass parameter. We also show that this scaling solution does not realize the standard Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin symmetry of the Faddeev-Popov Lagrangian. Finally, we discuss our findings in relation to the results of nonperturbative continuum methods.

Yang-Mills correlators across the deconfinement phase transition

We compute the finite temperature ghost and gluon propagators of Yang-Mills theory in the Landau-DeWitt gauge. The background field that enters the definition of the latter is intimately related with the (gauge-invariant) Polyakov loop and serves as an equivalent order parameter for the deconfinement transition. We use an effective gauge-fixed description where the nonperturbative infrared dynamics of the theory is parametrized by a gluon mass which, as argued elsewhere, may originate from the Gribov ambiguity. In this scheme, one can perform consistent perturbative calculations down to infrared momenta, which have been shown to correctly describe the phase diagram of Yang-Mills theories in four dimensions as well as the zero-temperature correlators computed in lattice simulations. In this article, we provide the one-loop expressions of the finite temperature Landau-DeWitt ghost and gluon propagators for a large class of gauge groups and present explicit results for the SU(2) case. These are substantially different from those previously obtained in the Landau gauge, which corresponds to a vanishing background field. The nonanalyticity of the order parameter across the transition is directly imprinted onto the propagators in the various color modes. In the SU(2) case, this leads, for instance, to a cusp in the electric and magnetic gluon susceptibilities as well as similar signatures in the ghost sector. We mention the possibility that such distinctive features of the transition could be measured in lattice simulations in the background field gauge studied here.

Gribov horizon and Gribov copies effect in lattice Coulomb gauge

Following a recent proposal by Cooper and Zwanziger we investigate via $SU(2)$ lattice simulations the effect on the Coulomb gauge propagators and on the Gribov-Zwanziger confinement mechanism of selecting the Gribov copy with the smallest non-trivial eigenvalue of the Faddeev-Popov operator, i.e.~the one closest to the Gribov horizon. Although such choice of gauge drives the ghost propagator towards the prediction of continuum calculations, we find that it actually overshoots the goal. With increasing computer time, we observe that Gribov copies with arbitrarily small eigenvalues can be found. For such a method to work one would therefore need further restrictions on the gauge condition to isolate the physically relevant copies, since e.g.~the Coulomb potential $V_C$ defined through the Faddeev-Popov operator becomes otherwise physically meaningless. Interestingly, the Coulomb potential alternatively defined through temporal link correlators is only marginally affected by the smallness of the eigenvalues.

Universal behavior of gluon and ghost propagators in the infrared

A universal behavior is predicted for ghost and gluon propagators in the infrared. The universal behavior is shown to be a signature of a one-loop approximation and emerges naturally by the massive expansion that predicts universal analytical functions for the inverse dressing functions that do not depend on any parameter or color number. By a scaling of units and by adding an integration constant, all lattice data, for different color numbers (and even quark content for the ghosts), collapse on the same universal curves predicted by the massive expansion.

Callan-Symanzik equations for infrared Yang-Mills theory

Dyson-Schwinger equations have been successful in determining the correlation functions in Yang-Mills theory in the Landau gauge, in the infrared regime. We argue that similar results can be obtained, in a technically simpler way, with Callan-Symanzik renormalization group equations. We present generalizations of the infrared safe renormalization scheme proposed by Tissier and Wschebor in 2011, and show how the renormalization scheme dependence can be used to improve the matching to the existing lattice data for the gluon and ghost propagators.

Landau gauge Yang-Mills correlation functions

We investigate Landau gauge $SU(3)$ Yang-Mills theory in a systematic vertex expansion scheme for the effective action with the functional renormalisation group. Particular focus is put on the dynamical creation of the gluon mass gap at non-perturbative momenta and the consistent treatment of quadratic divergences. The non-perturbative ghost and transverse gluon propagators as well as the momentum-dependent ghost-gluon, three-gluon and four-gluon vertices are calculated self-consistently with the classical action as only input. The apparent convergence of the expansion scheme is discussed and within the errors, our numerical results are in quantitative agreement with available lattice results.

Lattice gluon and ghost propagators and the strong coupling in pure SU(3) Yang-Mills theory: Finite lattice spacing and volume effects

The dependence of the Landau gauge two point gluon and ghost correlation functions on the lattice spacing and on the physical volume are investigated for pure SU(3) Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions using lattice simulations. We present data from very large lattices up to $128^4$ and for two lattice spacings $0.10$ fm and $0.06$ fm corresponding to volumes of $\sim$ (13 fm)$^4$ and $\sim$ (8 fm)$^4$, respectively. Our results show that, for sufficiently large physical volumes, both propagators have a mild dependence on the lattice volume. On the other hand, the gluon and ghost propagators change with the lattice spacing $a$ in the infrared region, with the gluon propagator having a stronger dependence on $a$ compared to the ghost propagator. In what concerns the strong coupling constant $\alpha_s (p^2)$, as defined from gluon and ghost two point functions, the simulations show a sizeable dependence on the lattice spacing for the infrared region and for momenta up to $\sim 1$ GeV.

Infrared Yang–Mills theory: A renormalization group perspective

We describe a technically very simple analytical approach to the deep infrared regime of Yang–Mills theory in the Landau gauge via Callan–Symanzik renormalization group equations in an epsilon expansion. This approach recovers all the solutions for the infrared gluon and ghost propagators previously found by solving the Dyson–Schwinger equations of the theory and singles out the solution with decoupling behavior, confirmed by lattice calculations, as the only one corresponding to an infrared attractive fixed point (for space-time dimensions above two). For the case of four dimensions, we describe the crossover of the system from the ultraviolet to the infrared fixed point and determine the complete momentum dependence of the propagators. The results for different renormalization schemes are compared to the lattice data.

Modeling the Landau-gauge ghost propagator in 2, 3, and 4 spacetime dimensions

We present an analytic description of numerical results for the ghost propagator G(p^2) in minimal Landau gauge on the lattice. The data were produced in the SU(2) case using the largest lattice volumes to date, for d = 2, 3 and 4 space-time dimensions. Our proposed form for G(p^2) is derived from the one-loop relation between ghost and gluon propagators, considering a tree-level ghost-gluon vertex and our previously obtained gluon-propagator results \cite{Cucchieri:2011ig}. Although this one-loop expression is not a good description of the data, it leads to a one-parameter fit of our ghost-propagator data with a generally good value of \chi^2/dof, comparable to other fitting forms used in the literature. At the same time, we present a simple parametrization of the difference between the lattice data and the one-loop predictions.

Spectral decomposition of the ghost propagator and a necessary condition for confinement

In this article we present exact calculations that substantiate a clear picture relating the confining force of QCD to the zero-modes of the Faddeev-Popov (FP) operator $\mathcal{M}(A) = - \partial \cdot D(A)$. This is done in two steps. First we calculate the spectral decomposition of the FP operator and show that the ghost propagator $\mathcal{G}(k; A) = \langle \vec{k}| \mathcal{M}^{-1}(A) | \vec{k} \rangle$ in an external gauge potential $A$ is enhanced at low $k$ in Fourier space for configurations $A$ on the Gribov horizon. This results from the new formula in the low-$k$ regime $\mathcal{G}^{ab}(k,A) = \delta^{ab} \lambda_{|\vec{k}|}^{-1}(gA)$, where $\lambda_{|\vec{k}|}(gA)$ is the eigenvalue of the FP operator that emerges from $\lambda_{|\vec{k}|}(0) = \vec{k}^2$ at $A$ = 0. Next we derive a strict inequality signaling the divergence of the color-Coulomb potential at low momentum $k$ namely, $\widetilde{\mathcal{V}}(k) \geq k^2 G^2(k)$ for $k \to 0$, where $\widetilde{\mathcal{V}}(k)$ is the Fourier transform of the color-Coulomb potential $\mathcal{V}(r)$ and $G(k)$ is the ghost propagator in momentum space. The first result holds in the Landau and Coulomb gauges, whereas the second holds in the Coulomb gauge only. We propose a new numerical lattice gauge fixing that should be closer to the present analytic approach than other numerical gauges.