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H. B. Thacker

Publications and source records attributed to H. B. Thacker.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2005

The Negativity of the Overlap-Based Topological Charge Density Correlator in Pure-Glue QCD and the Non-Integrable Nature of its Contact Part

We calculate the lattice two-point function of topological charge density in pure-glue QCD using the discretization of the operator based on the overlap Dirac matrix. Utilizing data at three lattice spacings it is shown that the continuum limit of the correlator complies with the requirement of non-positivity at non-zero distances. For our choice of the overlap operator and the Iwasaki gauge action we find that the size of the positive core is ~2a (with a being the lattice spacing) sufficiently close to the continuum limit. This result confirms that the overlap-based topological charge density is a valid local operator over realistic backgrounds contributing to the QCD path integral, and is important for the consistency of recent results indicating the existence of a low-dimensional global brane-like topological structure in the QCD vacuum. We also confirm the divergent short-distance behavior of the correlator, and the non-integrable nature of the associated contact part.

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arXiv2005

Inherently Global Nature of Topological Charge Fluctuations in QCD

We have recently presented evidence that in configurations dominating the regularized pure-glue QCD path integral, the topological charge density constructed from overlap Dirac operator organizes into an ordered space-time structure. It was pointed out that, among other properties, this structure exhibits two important features: it is low-dimensional and geometrically global, i.e. consisting of connected sign-coherent regions with local dimensions 1<= d < 4, and spreading over arbitrarily large space--time distances. Here we show that the space-time structure that is responsible for the origin of topological susceptibility indeed exhibits global behavior. In particular, we show numerically that topological fluctuations are not saturated by localized concentrations of most intense topological charge density. To the contrary, the susceptibility saturates only after the space-time regions with most intense fields are included, such that geometrically global structure is already formed. We demonstrate this result both at the fundamental level (full topological density) and at low energy (effective density). The drastic mismatch between the point of fluctuation saturation (~ 50% of space-time at low energy) and that of global structure formation (<4% of space-time at low energy) indicates that the ordered space-time structure in topological charge is inherently global and that topological charge fluctuations in QCD cannot be understood in terms of individual localized pieces. Description in terms of global brane-like objects should be sought instead.

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arXiv2004

Low-Dimensional Long-Range Topological Charge Structure in the QCD Vacuum

While sign-coherent 4-dimensional structures cannot dominate topological charge fluctuations in the QCD vacuum at all scales due to reflection positivity, it is possible that enhanced coherence exists over extended space-time regions of lower dimension. Using the overlap Dirac operator to calculate topological charge density, we present evidence for such structure in pure-glue SU(3) lattice gauge theory. It is found that a typical equilibrium configuration is dominated by two oppositely-charged sign-coherent connected structures (``sheets'') covering about 80% of space-time. Each sheet is built from elementary 3-d cubes connected through 2-d faces, and approximates a low-dimensional curved manifold (or possibly a fractal structure) embedded in the 4-d space. At the heart of the sheet is a ``skeleton'' formed by about 18% of the most intense space-time points organized into a global long-range structure, involving connected parts spreading over maximal possible distances. We find that the skeleton is locally 1-dimensional and propose that its geometrical properties might be relevant for understanding the possible role of topological charge fluctuations in the physics of chiral symmetry breaking.

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arXiv2003

Low-dimensional long-range topological structure in the QCD vacuum

Lattice topological charge associated with Ginsparg-Wilson fermions exhibits generic topological stability over quantum ensemble of configurations contributing to the QCD path integral. Moreover, the underlying chiral symmetry leads to the suppression of ultraviolet noise in the associated topological charge densities ("chiral smoothing"). This provides a solid foundation for the direct study of the role of topological charge fluctuations in the physics of QCD vacuum. Using these tools it was recently demonstrated that: (a) there is a well-defined space-time structure (order) in topological charge density (defined through overlap fermions) for typical configurations contributing to QCD path integral; (b) this fundamental structure is low-dimensional, exhibiting sign-coherent behavior on subsets of dimension less than four and not less than one; (c) the structure has a long-range global character (spreading over maximal space-time distances) and is built around the locally one-dimensional network of strong fields (skeleton). In this talk we elaborate on certain aspects and implications of these results.

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arXiv2003

On the Local Structure of Topological Charge Fluctuations in QCD

We consider the lattice topological charge density introduced by Hasenfratz, Laliena and Niedermayer and propose its eigenmode expansion as a tool to investigate the structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD. The resulting effective density is built from local chiralities studied previously. At every order of the expansion the density exactly sums up to the global topological charge, and the leading term describes the maximally smooth space-time distribution of charge relevant for propagating light fermions. We use this framework to demonstrate our previous suggestion that the bulk of topological charge in QCD does not effectively appear in the form of quantized unit lumps. Our conclusion implies that it is unlikely that the mixing of "would-be" zeromodes associated with such lumps is the prevalent microscopic mechanism for spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in QCD. We also present first results quantitatively characterizing the space-time behavior of effective densities. For coherent fluctuations contained in spherical regions we find a continuous distribution of associated charges essentially ending at ~0.5.

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arXiv2002

Uncovering Low-Dimensional Topological Structure in the QCD Vacuum

Recently, we have pointed out that sign-coherent 4-dimensional structures can not dominate topological charge fluctuations in QCD vacuum at all scales. Here we show that an enhanced lower-dimensional coherence is possible. In pure SU(3) lattice gauge theory we find that in a typical equilibrium configuration about 80% of space-time points are covered by two oppositely-charged connected structures built of elementary 3-dimensional coherent hypercubes. The hypercubes within the structure are connected through 2-dimensional common faces. We suggest that this coherence is a manifestation of a low-dimensional order present in the QCD vacuum. The use of a topological charge density associated with Ginsparg-Wilson fermions ("chiral smoothing") is crucial for observing this structure.

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arXiv2002

The local structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD

We introduce the Dirac eigenmode filtering of topological charge density associated with Ginsparg-Wilson fermions as a tool to investigate the local structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD. The resulting framework is used to demonstrate that the bulk of topological charge in QCD does not appear in the form of unit quantized lumps. This means that the mixing of "would-be" zeromodes associated with such lumps is probably not the prevalent microscopic mechanism for spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in QCD. To characterize the coherent local behavior in topological charge density at low energy, we compute the charges contained in maximal coherent spheres enclosing non-overlapping peaks. We find a continuous distribution essentially ending at ~0.5. Finally, we study, for the first time, the overlap-operator topological-charge-density correlators and find consistency with non-positivity at nonzero physical distance. This represents a non-trivial check on the locality (in gauge paths) of the overlap Dirac operator for realistic gauge backgrounds.

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arXiv2002

Local Chirality of Low-Lying Dirac Eigenmodes and the Instanton Liquid Model

The reasons for using low-lying Dirac eigenmodes to probe the local structure of topological charge fluctuations in QCD are discussed, and it is pointed out that the qualitative double-peaked behavior of the local chiral orientation probability distribution in these modes is necessary, but not sufficient for dominance of instanton-like fluctuations. The results with overlap Dirac operator in Wilson gauge backgrounds at lattice spacings ranging from a~0.04 fm to a~0.12 fm are reported, and it is found that the size and density of local structures responsible for double-peaking of the distribution are in disagreement with the assumptions of the Instanton Liquid Model. More generally, our results suggest that vacuum fluctuations of topological charge are not effectively dominated by locally quantized (integer-valued) lumps in QCD.

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arXiv2002

Low-Lying Dirac Eigenmodes, Topological Charge Fluctuations and the Instanton Liquid Model

The local structure of low-lying eigenmodes of the overlap Dirac operator is studied. It is found that these modes cannot be described as linear combinations of 't Hooft "would-be" zeromodes associated with instanton excitations that underly the Instanton Liquid Model. This implies that the instanton liquid scenario for spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in QCD is not accurate. More generally, our data suggests that the vacuum fluctuations of topological charge are not effectively dominated by localized lumps of unit charge with which the topological "would-be" zeromodes could be associated.

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arXiv2001

Topological Charge Fluctuations and Low-Lying Dirac Eigenmodes

We discuss the utility of low-lying Dirac eigenmodes for studying the nature of topological charge fluctuations in QCD. The implications of previous results using the local chirality histogram method are discussed, and the new results using the overlap Dirac operator in Wilson gauge backgrounds at lattice spacings ranging from a~0.04 fm to a~0.12 fm are reported. While the degree of local chirality does not change appreciably closer to the continuum limit, we find that the size and density of local structures responsible for chiral peaking do change significantly. The resulting values are in disagreement with the assumptions of the Instanton Liquid Model. We conclude that the fluctuations of topological charge in the QCD vacuum are not locally quantized.

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arXiv2001

Evidence Against Instanton Dominance of Topological Charge Fluctuations in QCD

The low-lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator associated with typical gauge field configurations in QCD encode, among other low-energy properties, the physics behind the solution to the $U_A(1)$ problem (i.e. the origin of the $η'$ mass), the nature of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking, and the physics of string-breaking, quark-antiquark pair production, and the OZI rule. Moreover, the space-time chiral structure of these eigenmodes reflects the space-time topological structure of the underlying gauge field. We present evidence from lattice QCD on the local chiral structure of low Dirac eigenmodes leading to the conclusion that topological charge fluctuations of the QCD vacuum are not instanton-dominated. The result supports Witten's arguments that topological charge is produced by confinement-related gauge fluctuations rather than instantons.

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arXiv2000

On The Origin of the OZI Rule in QCD

The OZI rule is prominent in hadronic phenomena only because OZI violation is typically an order of magnitude smaller than expected from large N_c arguments. With its standard ^3P_0 pair creation operator for hadronic decays by flux tube breaking, the quark model respects the OZI rule at tree level and exhibits the cancellations between OZI-violating meson loop diagrams required for this dramatic suppression. However, if the quark model explanation for these cancellations is correct, then OZI violation would be expected to be large in the nonet with the same quantum numbers as the pair creation operator: the 0^{++} mesons. Experiment is currently unable to identify these mesons, but we report here on a lattice QCD calculation which confirms that the OZI rule arises from QCD in the vector and axial vector mesons as observed, and finds a large violation of the rule in the scalar mesons as anticipated by the quark model. In view of this result, we make some remarks on possible connections between the ^3P_0 pair creation model, scalar mesons, and the U_A(1) anomaly responsible for the large OZI violation which drives the η' mass. In particular, we note that our result favors the large N_c and not the instanton interpretation of the solution to the η' mass problem.

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arXiv1998

Continuous space-time symmetries in a lattice field theory

For purposes of regularization as well as numerical simulation, the discretization of Lorentz invariant continuum field theories on a space-time lattice is often convenient. In general, this discretization destroys the rotational or Lorentz-frame independence of the theory, which is only recovered in the continuum limit. The Baxter 8-vertex model may be interpreted as a particular discretization of a self-interacting massive Dirac fermion theory in two dimensions (the massive Thirring model). Here it is shown that, in the 8-vertex/massive Thirring model, the Lorentz frame independence of the theory remains undisturbed on the lattice. The only effect of the discretization is to compactify the manifold of Lorentz frames. The relationship between this lattice Lorentz symmetry and the Yang-Baxter relations is discussed.

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arXiv1998

Evidence for quenched chiral logs

Using the pole shifting procedure of the modified quenched approximation (MQA) to cure the exceptional configuration problem, accurate hadron hadron spectrum calculations can be obtained at very light quark mass. Here we use the MQA to extend and improve our previous investigation of chiral logs in the pion mass. At beta=5.7 for Wilson fermion, we see clear evidence for quenched chiral logarithms in the pion mass as a function of quark mass. The size of the observed chiral log exponent delta is in good agreement with the value obtained from a direct calculation of the eta' hairpin diagram.

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arXiv1994

Spin Chains and Chiral Lattice Fermions

The generalization of Lorentz invariance to solvable two-dimensional lattice fermion models has been formulated in terms of Baxter's corner transfer matrix. In these models, the lattice Hamiltonian and boost operator are given by fermionized nearest-neighbor Heisenberg spin chain operators. The transformation properties of the local lattice fermion operators under a boost provide a natural and precise way of generalizing the chiral structure of a continuum Dirac field to the lattice. The resulting formulation differs from both the Wilson and staggered (Kogut-Susskind) prescriptions. In particular, an axial $Q_5$ rotation is sitewise local, while the vector charge rotation mixes nearest neighbors on even and odd sublattices.

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