arXiv subjects

T. G. Kovacs

Publications and source records attributed to T. G. Kovacs.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

QCD thermodynamics with dynamical chiral fermions

We discuss properties of thermal Quantum Chromodynamics obtained by means of lattice simulations with overlap fermions. This fermion discretisation preserves chiral symmetry at finite lattice spacing. We present details of the formulation and results for the chiral observables. We determine the topological susceptibility from simulations at fixed global topological charge based on the slab method. Using the measured values of the topological susceptibility we sum the chiral observables over all topological sectors. The volume dependence of the chiral susceptibility is in agreement with the crossover nature of the thermal QCD phase transition. Additionally we discuss the spectrum of the overlap Dirac operator and its volume and temperature dependence. Presented results are obtained at the temporal lattice extent $N_t=8$.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2020

Why integral equations should be used instead of differential equations to describe the dynamics of epidemics

It is of vital importance to understand and track the dynamics of rapidly unfolding epidemics. The health and economic consequences of the current COVID-19 pandemic provide a poignant case. Here we point out that since they are based on differential equations, the most widely used models of epidemic spread are plagued by an approximation that is not justified in the case of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Taking the example of data from New York City, we show that currently used models significantly underestimate the initial basic reproduction number ($R_0$). The correct description, based on integral equations, can be implemented in most of the reported models and it much more accurately accounts for the dynamics of the epidemic after sharp changes in $R_0$ due to restrictive public congregation measures. It also provides a novel way to determine the incubation period, and most importantly, as we demonstrate for several countries, this method allows an accurate monitoring of $R_0$ and thus a fine-tuning of any restrictive measures. Integral equation based models do not only provide the conceptually correct description, they also have more predictive power than differential equation based models, therefore we do not see any reason for using the latter.

q-bio.PE↗

arXiv2017

Landau levels in QCD

We present first evidence for the Landau level structure of Dirac eigenmodes in full QCD for nonzero background magnetic fields, based on first principles lattice simulations using staggered quarks. Our approach involves the identification of the lowest Landau level modes in two dimensions, where topological arguments ensure a clear separation of these modes from energetically higher states, and an expansion of the full four-dimensional modes in the basis of these two-dimensional states. We evaluate various fermionic observables including the quark condensate and the spin polarization in this basis to find how much the lowest Landau level contributes to them. The results allow for a deeper insight into the dynamics of quarks and gluons in background magnetic fields and may be directly compared to low-energy models of QCD employing the lowest Landau level approximation.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2016

Lattice QCD for Cosmology

We present a full result for the equation of state (EoS) in 2+1+1 (up/down, strange and charm quarks are present) flavour lattice QCD. We extend this analysis and give the equation of state in 2+1+1+1 flavour QCD. In order to describe the evolution of the universe from temperatures several hundreds of GeV to several tens of MeV we also include the known effects of the electroweak theory and give the effective degree of freedoms. As another application of lattice QCD we calculate the topological susceptibility (chi) up to the few GeV temperature region. These two results, EoS and chi, can be used to predict the dark matter axion's mass in the post-inflation scenario and/or give the relationship between the axion's mass and the universal axionic angle, which acts as a initial condition of our universe.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2013

Inverse magnetic catalysis and the Polyakov loop

We study the physical mechanism of how an external magnetic field influences the QCD quark condensate. Two competing mechanisms are identified, both relying on the interaction between the magnetic field and the low quark modes. While the coupling to valence quarks enhances the condensate, the interaction with sea quarks suppresses it in the transition region. The latter `sea effect' acts by ordering the Polyakov loop and, thereby, reduces the number of small Dirac eigenmodes and the condensate. It is most effective around the transition temperature, where the Polyakov loop effective potential is flat and a small correction to it by the magnetic field can have a significant effect. Around the critical temperature, the sea suppression overwhelms the valence enhancement, resulting in a net suppression of the condensate, named inverse magnetic catalysis. We support this physical picture by lattice simulations including continuum extrapolated results on the Polyakov loop as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We argue that taking into account the increase in the Polyakov loop and its interaction with the low-lying modes is essential to obtain the full physical picture, and should be incorporated in effective models for the description of QCD in magnetic fields in the transition region.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2005

A comprehensive search for the Θ^+ pentaquark on the lattice

We study spin 1/2 isoscalar and isovector, even and odd parity candidates for the $Θ^+(1540)$ pentaquark particle using large scale lattice QCD simulations. Previous lattice works led to inconclusive results because so far it has not been possible to unambiguously identify the known scattering spectrum and tell whether additionally a genuine pentaquark state also exists. Here we carry out this analysis using several possible wave functions (operators). Linear combinations of those have a good chance of spanning both the scattering and pentaquark states. Our operator basis is the largest in the literature, and it also includes spatially non-trivial ones with unit orbital angular momentum. The cross correlator we compute is 14$\times$14 with 60 non-vanishing elements. We can clearly distinguish the lowest scattering state(s) in both parity channels up to above the expected location of the pentaquark, but we find no trace of the latter. Based on that we conclude that there are most probably no pentaquark bound states at our quark masses, corresponding to $m_π$=400--630 MeV. However, we cannot rule out the existence of a pentaquark state at the physical quark mass corresponding to $m_π$=135 MeV or pentaquarks with a more exotic wave function.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2004

The status of pentaquark spectroscopy on the lattice

The present work is a summary of the status of lattice pentaquark calculations. After a pedagogic introduction to the basics of lattice hadron spectroscopy we give a critical comparison of results presently available in the literature. Special emphasis is put on presenting some of the possible pitfalls of these calculations. In particular we discuss at length the choice of the hadronic operators and the separation of genuine five-quark states from meson-baryon scattering states.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2004

Pentaquark hadrons from lattice QCD

We study spin 1/2 isoscalar and isovector candidates in both parity channels for the recently discovered Θ^+(1540) pentaquark particle in quenched lattice QCD. Our analysis takes into account all possible uncertainties, such as statistical, finite size and quenching errors when performing the chiral and continuum extrapolations and we have indications that our signal is separated from scattering states. The lowest mass that we find in the I^P=0^- channel is in complete agreement with the experimental value of the Θ^+ mass. On the other hand, the lowest mass state in the opposite parity I^P=0^+ channel is much higher. Our findings suggests that the parity of the Θ^+ is negative.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2002

Low-Lying Fermion Modes: Dynamical versus Quenched

We compare the low-lying eigenmodes of the O(a) improved Wilson-Dirac operator on quenched and dynamical configurations and investigate methods of probing the topological properties of gauge configurations

hep-lat↗

arXiv2001

Low-lying fermion modes of Nf=2 improved Wilson fermions

We present preliminary results for the topological charge and susceptibility determined from the low-lying eigenmodes of the Wilson-Dirac operator. These modes have been computed on dynamical configurations with Nf=2 non-perturbatively improved Wilson fermions. We compare our results with the eigenmodes of fermions in the quenched approximation.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2001

Vortex waistlines and long range fluctuations

We examine the manner in which a linear potential results from fluctuations due to vortices linked with the Wilson loop. Our discussion is based on exact relations and inequalities between the Wilson loop and the vortex and electric flux order parameters. We show that, contrary to the customary naive picture, only vortex fluctuations of thickness of the order of the spatial linear size of the loop are capable of producing a strictly linear potential. An effective theory of these long range fluctuations emerges naturally in the form of a strongly coupled Z(N) lattice gauge theory. We also point out that dynamical fermions introduced in this medium undergo chiral symmetry breaking.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2000

Computation of the Vortex Free Energy in SU(2) Gauge Theory

We present the first measurement of the vortex free-energy order parameter at weak coupling for SU(2) in simulations employing multihistogram methods. The result shows that the excitation probability for a sufficiently thick vortex in the vacuum tends to unity. This is rigorously known to provide a necessary and sufficient condition for maintaining confinement at weak coupling in SU(N) gauge theories.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2000

Overlapping Instantons

Overlapping instantons have an action density profile that significantly deviates from the simple addition of the density profiles of single instantons. This turns out to have important consequences for identifying the proper instanton content of a given configuration. Most dramatic is the case where the instantons are parallel in group space, leading to the effect of hiding large instantons. Sufficiently large instantons can have important contributions to a confining interaction.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

Comments on the Instanton Size Distribution

By studying the non-linear effects of overlapping instanton pairs we address difficulties in the identification of instanton distributions when the average instanton size is comparable to the average distance. For the exact charge two solution, we study how its parametrisation relates to a description in terms of individual instantons. There exist two dual sets of parameters describing the same charge two instanton solution. This duality implies the existence of a minimal separation between two instantons. Conventionally used lattice instanton finder algorithms based on the assumption of diluteness tend to underestimate instanton sizes. Finally we numerically confirm this for realistic parameters of the instanton liquid. The effect is enhanced by parallel orientation in group space.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1999

Instanton Effects in Hadron Spectroscopy Revisited

We use an optimised clover action to study spectroscopy on an instanton ensemble reconstructed from smoothed Monte Carlo configurations. Due to the better chirality of the clover action, the artificial configurations show a marked difference from the free field behaviour obtained with the Wilson action. They however still fail to reproduce the physics observed on the smoothed configurations. The presence of freely propagating quark modes is found to be responsible for this.

hep-lat↗

arXiv1999

Investigating and Optimizing the Chiral Properties of Lattice Fermion Actions

We study exceptional modes of both the Wilson and the clover action in order to understand why quenched clover spectroscopy suffers so severely from exceptional configurations. We show that, in contrast to the case of the Wilson action, a large clover coefficient can make the exceptional modes extremely localized and thus very sensitive to short distance fluctuations. We describe a way to optimize the chiral behavior of Wilson-type lattice fermion actions by studying their low energy real eigenmodes. We find a candidate action, the clover action with fat links with a tuned clover term. We present a calculation of spectroscopy and matrix elements at Wilson gauge coupling beta=5.7. When compared to simulations with the standard (nonperturbatively improved) clover action at small lattice spacing, the action shows good scaling behavior, with an apparent great reduction in the number of exceptional configurations.

hep-lat↗