arXiv subjects

David H. Adams

Publications and source records attributed to David H. Adams.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2003

General bounds on the Wilson-Dirac operator

Lower bounds on the magnitude of the spectrum of the Hermitian Wilson-Dirac operator H(m) have previously been derived for 0<m<2 when the lattice gauge field satisfies a certain smoothness condition. In this paper lower bounds are derived for 2p-2<m<2p for general p=1,2,...,d where d is the spacetime dimension. The bounds can alternatively be viewed as localisation bounds on the real spectrum of the usual Wilson-Dirac operator. They are needed for the rigorous evaluation of the classical continuum limit of the axial anomaly and index of the overlap Dirac operator at general values of m, and provide information on the topological phase structure of overlap fermions. They are also useful for understanding the instanton size-dependence of the real spectrum of the Wilson-Dirac operator in an instanton background.

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arXiv2003

Chiral Limit of Strongly Coupled Lattice Gauge Theories

We construct a new and efficient cluster algorithm for updating strongly coupled U(N) lattice gauge theories with staggered fermions in the chiral limit. The algorithm uses the constrained monomer-dimer representation of the theory and should also be of interest to researchers working on other models with similar constraints. Using the new algorithm we address questions related to the chiral limit of strongly coupled U(N) gauge theories beyond the mean field approximation. We show that the infinite volume chiral condensate is non-zero in three and four dimensions. However, on a square lattice of size $L$ we find $\sum_x < \barψψ(x) \barψψ(0) > \sim L^{2-η}$ for large $L$ where $η= 0.420(3)/N + 0.078(4)/N^2$. These results differ from an earlier conclusion obtained using a different algorithm. Here we argue that the earlier calculations were misleading due to uncontrolled autocorrelation times encountered by the previous algorithm.

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arXiv2002

Fermionic topological charge of families of lattice gauge fields

Topological charge of families of lattice gauge fields is defined fermionically via families index theory for the overlap Dirac operator. Certain obstructions to gauge invariance of the overlap chiral fermion determinant, as well as the lattice analogues of certain obstructions to gauge fixings without the Gribov problem, have natural descriptions in this context.

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arXiv2002

Gauge fixing, families index theory, and topological features of the space of lattice gauge fields

The families index theory for the overlap lattice Dirac operator is applied to derive topological features of the space of SU(N) lattice gauge fields on the 4-torus: The topological sectors, specified by the fermionic topological charge, are shown to contain noncontractible even-dimensional spheres when $N\ge3$, and noncontractible circles in the N=2 case. We describe how certain obstructions to the existence of gauge fixings without the Gribov problem in the continuum setting correspond on the lattice to obstructions to the contractibility of these spheres and circles. We also point out a canonical connection on the space of lattice gauge fields with monopole-like singularities associated with the spheres.

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arXiv2001

Families index theory for Overlap lattice Dirac operator. I

The index bundle of the Overlap lattice Dirac operator over the orbit space of lattice gauge fields is introduced and studied. Obstructions to the vanishing of gauge anomalies in the Overlap formulation of lattice chiral gauge theory have a natural description in this context. Our main result is a formula for the topological charge (integrated Chern character) of the index bundle over even-dimensional spheres in the orbit space. It reduces under suitable conditions to the topological charge of the usual (continuum) index bundle in the classical continuum limit (this is announced and sketched here; the details will be given in a forthcoming paper). Thus we see that topology of the index bundle of the Dirac operator over the gauge field orbit space can be captured in a finite-dimensional lattice setting.

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arXiv2001

Axial anomaly and topological charge in lattice gauge theory with Overlap Dirac operator

An explicit, detailed evaluation of the classical continuum limit of the axial anomaly/index density of the overlap Dirac operator is carried out in the infinite volume setting, and in a certain finite volume setting where the continuum limit involves an infinite volume limit. Our approach is based on a novel power series expansion of the overlap Dirac operator. The correct continuum expression is reproduced when the parameter $m_0$ is in the physical region $0<m_0<2$. This is established for a broad range of continuum gauge fields. An analogous result for the fermionic topological charge, given by the index of the overlap Dirac operator, is then established for a class of topologically non-trivial fields in the aforementioned finite volume setting. Problematic issues concerning the index in the infinite volume setting are also discussed.

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arXiv2001

On the continuum limit of fermionic topological charge in lattice gauge theory

It is proved that the fermionic topological charge of SU(N) lattice gauge fields on the 4-torus, given in terms of a spectral flow of the Hermitian Wilson--Dirac operator, or equivalently, as the index of the Overlap Dirac operator, reduces to the continuum topological charge in the classical continuum limit when the parameter $m_0$ is in the physical region $0<m_0<2$.

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arXiv2000

Index of a family of lattice Dirac operators and its relation to the non-abelian anomaly on the lattice

In the continuum, a topological obstruction to the vanishing of the non-abelian anomaly in 2n dimensions is given by the index of a certain Dirac operator in 2n+2 dimensions, or equivalently, the index of a 2-parameter family of Dirac operators in 2n dimensions. In this paper an analogous result is derived for chiral fermions on the lattice in the Overlap formulation. This involves deriving an Index Theorem for a family of lattice Dirac operators satisfying the Ginsparg--Wilson relation. The index density is proportional to Luescher's topological field in 2n+2 dimensions.

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arXiv2000

Global obstructions to gauge-invariance in chiral gauge theory on the lattice

It is shown that certain global obstructions to gauge-invariance in chiral gauge theory, described in the continuum by Alvarez-Gaume and Ginsparg, are exactly reproduced on the lattice in the Overlap formulation at small non-zero lattice spacing (i.e. close to the classical continuum limit). As a consequence, the continuum anomaly cancellation condition $d_R^{abc}=0$ is seen to be a necessary (although not necessarily sufficient) condition for anomaly cancellation on the lattice in the Overlap formulation.

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arXiv2000

A remark on Schwarz's topological field theory

The standard evaluation of the partition function $Z$ of Schwarz's topological field theory results in the Ray--Singer analytic torsion. Here we present an alternative evaluation which results in Z=1. Mathematically, this amounts to a novel perspective on analytic torsion: it can be formally written as a ratio of volumes of spaces of differential forms which is formally equal to 1 by Hodge duality. An analogous result for Reidemeister combinatorial torsion is also obtained.

hep-th↗

arXiv2000

Dirac operator index and topology of lattice gauge fields

The fermionic topological charge of lattice gauge fields, given in terms of a spectral flow of the Hermitian Wilson--Dirac operator, or equivalently, as the index of Neuberger's lattice Dirac operator, is shown to have analogous properties to Lüscher's geometrical lattice topological charge. The main new result is that it reduces to the continuum topological charge in the classical continuum limit. (This is sketched here; the full proof will be given in a sequel to this paper.) A potential application of the ideas behind fermionic lattice topological charge to deriving a combinatorial construction of the signature invariant of a 4-manifold is also discussed.

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arXiv2000

A geometric discretisation scheme applied to the Abelian Chern-Simons theory

We give a detailed general description of a recent geometrical discretisation scheme and illustrate, by explicit numerical calculation, the scheme's ability to capture topological features. The scheme is applied to the Abelian Chern-Simons theory and leads, after a necessary field doubling, to an expression for the discrete partition function in terms of untwisted Reidemeister torsion and of various triangulation dependent factors. The discrete partition function is evaluated computationally for various triangulations of $S^3$ and of lens spaces. The results confirm that the discretisation scheme is triangulation independent and coincides with the continuum partition function

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arXiv1997

The semiclassical approximation for the Chern-Simons partition function

The semiclassical approximation for the partition function in Chern-Simons gauge theory is derived using the invariant integration method. Volume and scale factors which were undetermined and had to be fixed by hand in previous derivations are automatically taken account of in this framework. Agreement with Witten's exact expressions for the partition function in the weak coupling (large k) limit is verified for gauge group SU(2) and spacetimes S^3, S^2 x S^1, S^1 x S^1 x S^1 and L(p,q).

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arXiv1997

A note on the Faddeev-Popov determinant and Chern-Simons perturbation theory

A refined expression for the Faddeev-Popov determinant is derived for gauge theories quantised around a reducible classical solution. We apply this result to Chern-Simons perturbation theory on compact spacetime 3-manifolds with quantisation around an arbitrary flat gauge field isolated up to gauge transformations, pointing out that previous results on the finiteness and formal metric-independence of perturbative expansions of the partition function continue to hold.

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arXiv1997

A doubled discretisation of abelian Chern-Simons theory

A new discretisation of a doubled, i.e. BF, version of the pure abelian Chern-Simons theory is presented. It reproduces the continuum expressions for the topological quantities of interest in the theory, namely the partition function and correlation function of Wilson loops. Similarities with free spinor field theory are discussed which are of interest in connection with lattice fermion doubling.

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arXiv1996

R-torsion and linking numbers from simplicial abelian gauge theories

Simplicial versions of topological abelian gauge theories are constructed which reproduce the continuum expressions for the partition function and Wilson expectation value of linked loops, expressible in terms of R-torsion and linking numbers respectively. The new feature which makes this possible is the introduction of simplicial fields (cochains) associated with the dual triangulation of the background manifold, as well as with the triangulation itself. This doubling of fields, reminiscent of lattice fermion doubling, is required because the natural simplicial analogue of the Hodge star operator maps between cochains of a triangulation and cochains of the dual triangulation. The simplicial analogue of Hodge-de Rham theory is developed, along with a natural simplicial framework for considering linking numbers of framed loops. When the loops represent torsion elements of the homology of the manifold then Q/Z-valued torsion pairings appear in place of linking numbers for certain discrete values of the coupling parameter of the theory.

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arXiv1996

Perturbative expansion in gauge theories on compact manifolds

A geometric formal method for perturbatively expanding functional integrals arising in quantum gauge theories is described when the spacetime is a compact riemannian manifold without boundary. This involves a refined version of the Faddeev-Popov procedure using the covariant background field gauge-fixing condition with background gauge field chosen to be a general critical point for the action functional (i.e. a classical solution). The refinement takes into account the gauge-fixing ambiguities coming from gauge transformations which leave the critical point unchanged, resulting in the absence of infrared divergences when the critical point is isolated modulo gauge transformations. The procedure can be carried out using only the subgroup of gauge transformations which are topologically trivial, possibly avoiding the usual problems which arise due to gauge-fixing ambiguities. For Chern-Simons gauge theory the method enables the partition function to be perturbatively expanded for a number of simple spacetime manifolds such as $S^3$ and lens spaces, and the expansions are shown to be formally independent of the metric used in the gauge-fixing.

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arXiv1995

Phase and Scaling Properties of Determinants Arising in Topological Field Theories

In topological field theories determinants of maps with negative as well as positive eigenvalues arise. We give a generalisation of the zeta-regularisation technique to derive expressions for the phase and scaling-dependence of these determinants. For theories on odd-dimensional manifolds a simple formula for the scaling dependence is obtained in terms of the dimensions of certain cohomology spaces. This enables a non-perturbative feature of Chern-Simons gauge theory to be reproduced by path-integral methods.

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