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Massimo D'Elia

Publications and source records attributed to Massimo D'Elia.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2024

The $θ$-dependence of the $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ critical temperature at large $N$

We investigate, by means of numerical lattice simulations, the $θ$-dependence of the critical deconfinement temperature of $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ gauge theories at large $N$: $T_c(θ) = T_c(0)[1-Rθ^2+O(θ^4)]$, with $R\sim O(1/N^2)$. We follow two different strategies to determine $R$, one based on the calculation of the latent heat of the transition and on the jump of the topological susceptibility at the $θ=0$ critical point, the other relying on a direct probe of $T_c(θ)$ by means of imaginary-$θ$ Monte Carlo simulations. Our results show that $R$ follows the expected large-$N$ scaling.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2024

Sphaleron rate of $N_f=2+1$ QCD

We compute the sphaleron rate of $N_f=2+1$ QCD at the physical point for a range of temperatures $200$ MeV $\lesssim T \lesssim 600$ MeV. We adopt a strategy recently applied in the quenched case, based on the extraction of the rate via a modified version of the Backus-Gilbert method from finite-lattice-spacing and finite-smoothing-radius Euclidean topological charge density correlators. The physical sphaleron rate is finally computed by performing a continuum limit at fixed physical smoothing radius, followed by a zero-smoothing extrapolation. Dynamical fermions were discretized using the staggered formulation, which is known to yield large lattice artifacts for the topological susceptibility. However, we find them to be rather mild for the sphaleron rate.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Sphaleron rate as an inverse problem: a novel lattice approach

We compute the sphaleron rate on the lattice. We adopt a novel strategy based on the extraction of the spectral density via a modified version of the Backus-Gilbert method from finite-lattice-spacing and finite-smoothing-radius Euclidean topological charge density correlators. The physical sphaleron rate is computed by performing controlled continuum limit and zero-smoothing extrapolations both in pure gauge and, for the first time, in full QCD.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

The Twisted Gradient Flow strong coupling with Parallel Tempering on Boundary Conditions

We present a proposal for calculating the running of the coupling constant of the $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ pure-gauge theory, which combines the Twisted Gradient Flow (TGF) renormalization scheme with Parallel Tempering on Boundary Conditions (PTBC). The TGF is a gradient flow-based renormalization scheme formulated in an asymmetric lattice with twisted boundary conditions. Combined with step scaling, it has been successfully used to calculate the $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ $Λ$ parameter. As with all gradient flow-based schemes, the coupling constant is highly correlated with the topological charge and affected by topology freezing, an issue addressed by projecting the determination of the coupling onto the zero topological sector. As an alternative to the zero-charge projection, we combine TGF with PTBC, by replicating multiple copies of the same lattice, interpolating between periodic and open boundary conditions in a parallel-tempered manner. We present a first exploration of these ideas by analyzing specific ensembles of $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ lattices with and without PTBC.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

The chiral condensate of $N_f=2+1$ QCD from the spectrum of the staggered Dirac operator

We compute the chiral condensate of $2+1$ QCD from the mode number of the staggered Dirac operator, performing controlled extrapolations to both the continuum and the chiral limit. We consider also alternative strategies, based on the quark mass dependence of the topological susceptibility and of the pion mass, and obtain consistent results within errors. Results are also consistent with phenomenological expectations and with previous numerical determinations obtained with different lattice discretizations.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Sphaleron rate from lattice QCD

We compute the sphaleron rate on the lattice from the inversion of the Euclidean time correlators of the topological charge density, performing also controlled continuum and zero-smoothing extrapolations. The correlator inversion is performed by means of a recently-proposed modification of the Backus-Gilbert method.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Quantum Computation of Thermal Averages for a Non-Abelian $D_4$ Lattice Gauge Theory via Quantum Metropolis Sampling

In this paper, we show the application of the Quantum Metropolis Sampling (QMS) algorithm to a toy gauge theory with discrete non-Abelian gauge group $D_4$ in (2+1)-dimensions, discussing in general how some components of hybrid quantum-classical algorithms should be adapted in the case of gauge theories. In particular, we discuss the construction of random unitary operators which preserve gauge invariance and act transitively on the physical Hilbert space, constituting an ergodic set of quantum Metropolis moves between gauge invariant eigenspaces, and introduce a protocol for gauge invariant measurements. Furthermore, we show how a finite resolution in the energy measurements distorts the energy and plaquette distribution measured via QMS, and propose a heuristic model that takes into account part of the deviations between numerical results and exact analytical results, whose discrepancy tends to vanish by increasing the number of qubits used for the energy measurements.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2023

Sphaleron rate from a modified Backus-Gilbert inversion method

We compute the sphaleron rate in quenched QCD for a temperature $T \simeq 1.24~T_c$ from the inversion of the Euclidean lattice time correlator of the topological charge density. We explore and compare two different strategies: one follows a new approach proposed in this study and consists in extracting the rate from finite lattice spacing correlators, and then in taking the continuum limit at fixed smoothing radius followed by a zero-smoothing extrapolation; the other follows the traditional approach of extracting the rate after performing such double extrapolation directly on the correlator. In both cases the rate is obtained from a recently-proposed modification of the standard Backus-Gilbert procedure. The two strategies lead to compatible estimates within errors, which are then compared to previous results in the literature at the same or similar temperatures; the new strategy permits to obtain improved results, in terms of statistical and systematic uncertainties.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Quantum Algorithms for the computation of quantum thermal averages at work

Recently, a variety of quantum algorithms have been devised to estimate thermal averages on a genuine quantum processor. In this paper, we consider the practical implementation of the so-called Quantum-Quantum Metropolis algorithm. As a testbed for this purpose, we simulate a basic system of three frustrated quantum spins and discuss its systematics, also in comparison with the Quantum Metropolis Sampling algorithm.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2023

Phase Transitions in Particle Physics -- Results and Perspectives from Lattice Quantum Chromo-Dynamics

Phase transitions in a non-perturbative regime can be studied by ab initio Lattice Field Theory methods. The status and future research directions for LFT investigations of Quantum Chromo-Dynamics under extreme conditions are reviewed, including properties of hadrons and of the hypothesized QCD axion as inferred from QCD topology in different phases. We discuss phase transitions in strong interactions in an extended parameter space, and the possibility of model building for Dark Matter and Electro-Weak Symmetry Breaking. Methodological challenges are addressed as well, including new developments in Artificial Intelligence geared towards the identification of different phases and transitions.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

Spectral Observables and Gauge Field Couplings in Causal Dynamical Triangulations

In the first part of this Chapter, we discuss the role of spectral observables, describing possible ways to build them from discretizations of the Laplace--Beltrami operator on triangulations, and how to extract useful geometric information. In the second part, we discuss how to simulate the composite system of gauge fields coupled to CDT for generic groups and dimensions, showing results in some specific case and pointing out current challenges.

hep-th↗
arXiv2023

Topological susceptibility of $2d~\mathrm{CP}^1$ or $\mathrm{O}(3)$ non-linear $σ$-model: is it divergent or not?

The topological susceptibility of $2d$ $\mathrm{CP}^{N-1}$ models is expected, based on perturbative computations, to develop a divergence in the limit $N \to 2$, where these models reduce to the well-known non-linear $\mathrm{O}(3)$ $σ$-model. The divergence is due to the dominance of instantons of arbitrarily small size and its detection by numerical lattice simulations is notoriously difficult, because it is logarithmic in the lattice spacing. We approach the problem from a different perspective, studying the behavior of the model when the volume is fixed in dimensionless lattice units, where perturbative predictions are turned into more easily checkable behaviors. After testing this strategy for $N = 3$ and $4$, we apply it to $N = 2$, adopting at the same time a multicanonic algorithm to overcome the problem of rare topological fluctuations on asymptotically small lattices. Our final results fully confirm, by means of purely non-perturbative methods, the divergence of the topological susceptibility of the $2d$ $\mathrm{CP}^1$ model.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Phase diagram of QCD in strong background magnetic field

We discuss the phase diagram of QCD in the presence of a strong background magnetic field, providing numerical evidence, based on lattice simulations of QCD with $2+1$ flavours and physical quark masses, that the QCD crossover turns into a first order phase transition for large enough magnetic field, with a critical endpoint located between $eB=4$ GeV$^2$ (where we found an analytic crossover at a pseudo-critical temperature $T_c=(98\pm3)$ MeV) and $eB=9$ GeV$^2$ (where the measured critical temperature is $T_c=(63\pm5)$ MeV).

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Localisation of Dirac eigenmodes and confinement in gauge theories: the Roberge-Weiss transition

Ample numerical evidence from lattice calculations shows a strong connection between the confining properties of gauge theories at finite temperature and the localisation properties of the low-lying Dirac eigenmodes. In this contribution we discuss recent progress on this topic, focussing on results for QCD at imaginary chemical potential $μ_I/T = π$ at temperatures above the Roberge-Weiss transition temperature. These confirm the general picture of low modes turning from delocalised to localised at the deconfinement transition, in a previously unexplored setup with a genuine, physical transition in the presence of dynamical fermions. This further supports the use of Dirac eigenmodes as a tool to investigate the mechanisms behind confinement and the deconfinement transition.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

The QCD topological susceptibility at high temperatures via staggered fermions spectral projectors

The QCD topological observables are essential inputs to obtain theoretical predictions about axion phenomenology, which are of utmost importance for current and future experimental searches for this particle. Among them, we focus on the topological susceptibility, related to the axion mass. We present lattice results for the topological susceptibility in QCD at high temperatures obtained by discretizing this observable via spectral projectors on eigenmodes of the staggered Dirac operator, and we compare them with those obtained with the standard gluonic definition. The adoption of the spectral discretization is motivated by the large lattice artifacts affecting the standard gluonic susceptibility, related to the choice of non-chiral fermions in the lattice action.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Topological susceptibility of $N_f=2+1$ QCD from staggered fermions spectral projectors at high temperatures

We compute the topological susceptibility of $N_f=2+1$ QCD with physical quark masses in the high-temperature phase, using numerical simulations of the theory discretized on a space-time lattice. More precisely we estimate the topological susceptibility for five temperatures in the range from $\sim200$ MeV up to $\sim600$ MeV, adopting the spectral projectors definition of the topological charge based on the staggered Dirac operator. This strategy turns out to be effective in reducing the large lattice artifacts which affect the standard gluonic definition, making it possible to perform a reliable continuum extrapolation. Our results for the susceptibility in the explored temperature range are found to be partially in tension with previous determinations in the literature.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2022

Towards glueball masses of large-$N~\mathrm{SU}(N)$ Yang-Mills theories without topological freezing via parallel tempering on boundary conditions

Standard local updating algorithms experience a critical slowing down close to the continuum limit, which is particularly severe for topological observables. In practice, the Markov chain tends to remain trapped in a fixed topological sector. This problem further worsens at large $N$, and is known as $\mathit{topological}~\mathit{freezing}$. To mitigate it, we adopt the parallel tempering on boundary conditions proposed by M. Hasenbusch. This algorithm allows to obtain a reduction of the auto-correlation time of the topological charge up to several orders of magnitude. With this strategy we are able to provide the first computation of low-lying glueball masses at large $N$ free of any systematics related to topological freezing.

hep-lat↗