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E. Seiler

Publications and source records attributed to E. Seiler.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Super-Instantons, Perfect Actions, Finite Size Scaling and the Continuum Limit

We discuss some aspects of the continuum limit of some lattice models, in particular the $2D$ $O(N)$ models. The continuum limit is taken either in an infinite volume or in a box whose size is a fixed fraction of the infinite volume correlation length. We point out that in this limit the fluctuations of the lattice variables must be $O(1)$ and thus restore the symmetry which may have been broken by the boundary conditions (b.c.). This is true in particular for the so-called super-instanton b.c. introduced earlier by us. This observation leads to a criterion to assess how close a certain lattice simulation is to the continuum limit and can be applied to uncover the true lattice artefacts, present even in the so-called 'perfect actions'. It also shows that David's recent claim that super-instanton b.c. require a different renormalization must either be incorrect or an artefact of perturbation theory.

hep-lat↗

The Perturbative Method Fails in Non-Abelian Models

It is shown that perturbation theory in $2D$ nonlinear $σ$-models as well gauge theories in dimension $D\geq 2$ produces answers that depend on boundary conditions even after the infinite volume limit has been taken. This unphysical phenomenon occurs only in the non-Abelian versions of those models, starting at $O(1/β^2)$. It is not present in the true (nonperturbatively defined) models and represents a failure of the perturbative method. It is related to a hitherto unnoticed type of low-lying excitation, dubbed super-instanton, that dominates the low-temperature (= weak coupling) regime of these models.

hep-lat↗

Nonuniformity of the $1/N$ Expansion for Two-Dimensional $O(N)$ Models

We point out that the $1/N$ expansion, which is widely invoked to infer properties of the $2D$ $O(N)$ models, is nonuniform in the temperature, i.e. with decreasing temperature the $1/N$ expansion truncated at a fixed order deviates more and more from the true answer. This fact precludes the use of the expansion to deduce low temperature properties such as asymptotic scaling for those models. By contrast, in the $1D$ $O(N)$ chains, there are no signs of such a nonuniformity.

hep-lat↗

Super-Instantons in Gauge Theories and Troubles with Perturbation Theory

In gauge theories with continuous groups there exist classical solutions whose energy vanishes in the thermodynamic limit (in any dimension). The existence of these super-instantons is intimately related to the fact that even at short distances perturbation theory can fail to produce unique results. This problem arises only in non-Abelian models and only starting at O(1/beta^2).

hep-lat↗

Super-Instantons and the Reliability of Perturbation Theory in Non-Abelian Models

In dimension $D\leq 2$ the low temperature behavior of systems enjoying a continuous symmetry is dominated by super-instantons: classical configurations of arbitrarily low energy. Perturbation theory in the background of a super-instanton produces thermodynamic answers for the invariant Green's functions that differ from the standard ones, but only in non-Abelian models and only starting at $O(1/β^2)$. This effect modifies the $β$-function of the $O(N)$ models and persists in the large $N$ limit of the $O(N)$ models.

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