Hamiltonian Truncation Framework for Gauge Theories on the Interval
Abstract
In this work, we investigate gauge theories in two dimensions nonperturbatively using the Hamiltonian truncation approach. Working on a spatial interval and adopting the axial gauge, we remove all gauge field degrees of freedom and express the interacting Hamiltonian in the eigenbasis of the free Dirac theory, truncated at a finite energy. As a benchmark we analyse the Schwinger model, where our numerical spectra agree closely with the exact results from bosonization across a wide range of couplings, validating the construction of the Hamiltonian. We then generalize the formulation to nonabelian gauge groups and apply it to SU(3) gauge theory with a single massless Dirac fermion. These results demonstrate that gauge theories can be explored nonperturbatively using a truncated Hamiltonian that generates evolutions in ordinary time, offering a complementary alternative to lattice field theory.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2509.17890,
title = {Hamiltonian Truncation Framework for Gauge Theories on the Interval},
author = {Rachel Houtz and James Ingoldby},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.17890},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
References and a new clarifying figure added