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Reinhard Alkofer

Publications and source records attributed to Reinhard Alkofer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

On the low-energy spectrum of an SU(2) gauge theory with dynamical fermions

The spectrum of light bound states in an SU(2) gauge theory with two flavors of fundamentally charged fermions is investigated by solving the Bethe-Salpeter equations in the respective channels within a 3PI-type (i.e., beyond rainbow-ladder) truncation including self-consistently a correspondingly truncated fermion--gauge-boson vertex. Remarkable differences with respect to the meson spectrum of an SU(3) gauge theory are found although in our approach these are not as pronounced as indicated by some recent respective investigations within lattice gauge field theory.

hep-ph↗

Electromagnetic transition form factors of baryons in a relativistic Faddeev approach

The covariant Faddeev approach which describes baryons as relativistic three-quark bound states and is based on the Dyson-Schwinger and Bethe-Salpeter equations of QCD is briefly reviewed. All elements, including especially the baryons' three-body-wave-functions, the quark propagators and the dressed quark-photon vertex, are calculated from a well-established approximation for the quark-gluon interaction. Selected previous results of this approach for the spectrum and elastic electromagnetic form factors of ground-state baryons and resonances are reported. The main focus of this talk is a presentation and discussion of results from a recent investigation of the electromagnetic transition form factors between ground-state octet and decuplet baryons as well as the octet-only $Σ^0$ to $Λ$ transition.

hep-ph↗

Ponderomotive effects in multiphoton pair production

The Dirac-Heisenberg-Wigner formalism is employed to investigate electron-positron pair production in cylindrically symmetric but otherwise spatially inhomogeneous, oscillating electric fields. The oscillation frequencies are hereby tuned to obtain multiphoton pair production in the nonperturbative threshold regime. An effective mass as well as a trajectory-based semi-classical analysis are introduced in order to interpret the numerical results for the distribution functions as well as for the particle yields and spectra. The results, including the asymptotic particle spectra, display clear signatures of ponderomotive forces.

hep-ph↗

Electromagnetic transition form factors of baryons in the space-like momentum region

We present results from a calculation of the electromagnetic transition form factors between ground-state octet and decuplet baryons as well as the octet-only $Σ^0$ to $Λ$ transition. We work in the combined framework of Dyson-Schwinger equations and covariant Bethe-Salpeter equations with all elements, the baryon three body wave function, the quark propagators and the dressed quark-photon vertex determined from a well-established, momentum dependent approximation for the quark-gluon interaction. We discuss in particular the similarities among the different transitions as well as the differences induced by SU(3)-isospin symmetry breaking. We furthermore provide estimates for the slopes of the electric and magnetic $Σ^0$ to $Λ$ transitions at the zero photon momentum point.

hep-ph↗

Three-point vertex functions in Yang-Mills Theory and QCD in Landau gauge

Solutions for the three-gluon and quark-gluon vertices from Dyson-Schwinger equations and the three-particle irreducible formalism are discussed. Dynamical quarks (``unquenching'') change the three-gluon vertex via the quark-triangle diagrams which themselves include fully dressed quark-gluon vertex functions. On the other hand, the quark-swordfish diagram is, at least with the model used for the two-quark-two-gluon vertex employed here, of minor importance. For the leading tensor structure of the three-gluon vertex the "unquenching" effect can be summarized for the nonperturbative part as a shift of the related dressing function towards the infrared.

hep-ph↗

Baryons as relativistic three-quark bound states

We review the spectrum and electromagnetic properties of baryons described as relativistic three-quark bound states within QCD. The composite nature of baryons results in a rich excitation spectrum, whilst leading to highly non-trivial structural properties explored by the coupling to external (electromagnetic and other) currents. Both present many unsolved problems despite decades of experimental and theoretical research. We discuss the progress in these fields from a theoretical perspective, focusing on nonperturbative QCD as encoded in the functional approach via Dyson-Schwinger and Bethe-Salpeter equations. We give a systematic overview as to how results are obtained in this framework and explain technical connections to lattice QCD. We also discuss the mutual relations to the quark model, which still serves as a reference to distinguish 'expected' from 'unexpected' physics. We confront recent results on the spectrum of non-strange and strange baryons, their form factors and the issues of two-photon processes and Compton scattering determined in the Dyson-Schwinger framework with those of lattice QCD and the available experimental data. The general aim is to identify the underlying physical mechanisms behind the plethora of observable phenomena in terms of the underlying quark and gluon degrees of freedom.

hep-ph↗

On the effect of time-dependent inhomogeneous magnetic fields in electron-positron pair production

Electron-positron pair production in space- and time-dependent electromagnetic fields is investigated. Especially, the influence of a time-dependent, inhomogeneous magnetic field on the particle momenta and the total particle yield is analyzed for the first time. The role of the Lorentz invariant $\mathbf{E}^2 - \mathbf{B}^2$, including its sign and local values, in the pair creation process is emphasized.

hep-ph↗

Unquenching the three-gluon vertex: A status report

We discuss unquenching of the three-gluon vertex via its Dyson-Schwinger equation. We review the role of Furry's theorem and present first results for the quark triangle diagrams using non-perturbatively calculated dressing functions for the quark propagator and the quark-gluon vertex.

hep-ph↗

Electromagnetic baryon form factors in the Poincare-covariant Faddeev approach

Baryons are treated as three-quark systems using QCD degrees of freedom in Poincare-covariant bound-state equations. The quark self-energy as well as the interaction between quarks are approximated by a vector-vector interaction via a single dressed-gluon exchange (rainbow-ladder truncation), thereby allowing a unified study of quark, meson and baryon properties. Here we will focus on the calculation of electromagnetic properties of spin-1/2 and spin-3/2 ground state baryons.

hep-ph↗

Running coupling in the conformal window of large-Nf QCD

Quantum Chromodynamics with a relatively large number of fundamentally charged quark flavours in the chiral limit is considered. A self-consistent solution of the quark, gluon and ghost propagator Dyson-Schwinger equations in Landau gauge exhibits a phase transition. Above the critical number of fermion flavours the non-perturbative running coupling develops a plateau over a wide momentum range, and the propagators follow a power law behaviour for these momenta. Hereby, the critical number of quark flavours depends crucially on the beyond-tree-level tensor structures of the quark-gluon vertex.

hep-ph↗

On propagators and three-point functions in Landau gauge QCD and QCD-like theories

Recent progress in our studies of propagators and three-point functions in Landau gauge for QCD and QCD-like theories is presented. Special emphasis is put on the properties of the three-gluon vertex and the quark-gluon vertex. The effect of unquenching is investigated. Furthermore, an exploratory study for a large number of light flavours is described, from where clear evidence for the qualitative behaviour of propagators in the so-called conformal window can be extracted.

hep-ph↗

Infrared behaviour of propagators and running coupling in the conformal window of QCD

Using the Dyson-Schwinger approach we investigate Landau gauge QCD with a relatively large number of chiral quark flavours. A self-consistent treatment on the propagator level enables us to study unquenching effects via the quark loop diagram in the gluon equation. Above the critical number of fermion flavours the non-perturbative running coupling develops a plateau over a wide momentum range. Correspondingly, the propagators follow a power law behaviour in this momentum range indicating conformal behaviour. Our value $N_f^{crit}=4.5$ is strongly sensitive to the details of the quark-gluon vertex calling for more detailed investigations in future studies.

hep-ph↗

Infrared Saturation and Phases of Gauge Theories with BRST Symmetry

We investigate the infrared limit of the quantum equation of motion of the gauge boson propagator in various gauges and models with a BRST symmetry. We find that the saturation of this equation at low momenta distinguishes between the Coulomb, Higgs and confining phase of the gauge theory. The Coulomb phase is characterized by a massless gauge boson. Physical states contribute to the saturation of the transverse equation of motion of the gauge boson at low momenta in the Higgs phase, while the saturation is entirely due to unphysical degrees of freedom in the confining phase. This corollary to the Kugo-Ojima confinement criterion in linear covariant gauges also is sufficient for confinement in general covariant gauges with BRST- and anti-BRST symmetry, maximal Abelian gauges with an equivariant BRST symmetry, non-covariant Coulomb gauge and in the Gribov-Zwanziger theory.

hep-th↗

Non-perturbative features of the three-gluon vertex in Landau gauge

We present a calculation of the three-gluon vertex from its Dyson-Schwinger equation in Landau-gauge Yang-Mills theory. All tensor structures are considered and back-coupled self-consistently. Within the chosen truncation, two-loop diagrams as well as diagrams containing Green's functions beyond the primitively divergent ones are neglected. Only the three-gluon vertex is chosen to be dynamical; the other propagators and vertex functions are provided as separate solutions of their Dyson-Schwinger equations or by Ansatz. For both scaling- and decoupling-type solutions we observe, in agreement with other studies, a sign change in the tree-level tensor dressing at a non-perturbative scale.

hep-ph↗

Effective mass signatures in multiphoton pair production

Electron-positron pair production in oscillating electric fields is investigated in the nonperturbative threshold regime. Accurate numerical solutions of quantum kinetic theory for corresponding observables are presented and analyzed in terms of a proposed model for an effective mass of electrons and positrons acquired within the given strong electric field. Although this effective mass cannot provide an exact description of the collective interaction of a charged particle with the strong field, physical observables are identified which carry direct and sensitive signatures of the effective mass.

hep-ph↗

The three-gluon vertex in Landau gauge

We present the first Dyson-Schwinger calculation of the three-gluon vertex in Landau-gauge QCD in which its full covariant structure is back-coupled self-consistently. We truncate a Bose-symmetrized version of the DSE at the level of one-loop diagrams, model the four-gluon vertex, and neglect terms that contain non-primitively divergent n-point functions; the ghost-gluon vertex is taken bare to good approximation. Fit functions for the ghost and gluon propagators that interpolate between scaling and decoupling are presented. In all aspects of our study Bose symmetry is manifest, from the truncation to the basis decomposition and to the momentum invariants. We explore the uniform and soft-collinear infrared limits and obtain the expected infrared exponents. The presence of a zero crossing in the tree-level component of the vertex is confirmed for both scaling- and decoupling-type scenarios. The zero crossing appears at a scale ~1 GeV; however, its location might be sensitive to the four-gluon vertex and missing components in the DSE.

hep-ph↗

Optimizing the pulse shape for Schwinger pair production

Recent studies of the dynamically assisted Schwinger effect have shown that particle production is significantly enhanced by a proper choice of the electric field. We demonstrate that optimal control theory provides a systematic means of modifying the pulse shape in order to maximize the particle yield. We employ the quantum kinetic framework and derive the relevant optimal control equations. By means of simple examples we discuss several important issues of the optimization procedure such as constraints, initial conditions or scaling. By relating our findings to established results we demonstrate that the particle yield is systematically maximized by this procedure.

hep-ph↗

On the Landau gauge matter-gluon vertex in scalar QCD in a functional approach

Recently the quark-gluon vertex has been investigated in Landau gauge using a combined Dyson-Schwinger and nPI effective action approach. We present here a numerical analysis of a simpler system where the quarks have been replaced by charged scalar fields. We solve the coupled system of Dyson-Schwinger equations for the scalar propagator, the scalar-gluon vertex and the Yang-Mills propagators in a truncation related to earlier studies. The calculations have been performed for scalars both in the fundamental and the adjoint representation. A clear suppression of the Abelian diagram is found in both cases. Thus, within the used truncation the suppression of the Abelian diagram predominantly happens dynamically and is to a high degree independent of the colour structure. The numerical techniques developed here can directly be applied to the fermionic case.

hep-ph↗