Related papers: Evidence for a Center Vortex Origin of the Adjoint…
We present a method for locating center vortices (``fluxons'') in thermalized lattice gauge field configurations. We find evidence, in lattice Monte Carlo simulations, that the asymptotic string tension of fundamental-representation Wilson…
We argue that the approximate ``Casimir scaling'' of the string tensions of higher-representation Wilson loops is an effect due to the finite thickness of center vortex configurations. It is shown, in the context of a simple model of the…
To help understand the centre dominance picture of confinement, we look at Wilson loop distributions in pure SU(2) lattice gauge theory. A strong coupling approximation for the distribution is developed to use for comparisons. We perform a…
We present simulation results comparing the SU(3) heavy quark potential extracted from the full Wilson loop expectation to that extracted from the expectation of the Wilson loop fluctuation solely by elements of Z(3). The two potentials are…
The behavior of the adjoint Wilson line in finite-temperature, $SU(2)$, lattice gauge theory is discussed. The expectation value of the line and the associated excess free energy reveal the response of the finite-temperature gauge field to…
We point out that there is a natural explanation, in terms of the center vortex confinement mechanism, for the expected Casimir/Sine Law scaling of k-string tensions in the large N limit. The crucial ingredient is the existence of Z(N)…
We study the representations of SU(2) lattice gauge theory in terms of sums over the worldsheets of center vortices and Z2 electric strings, i.e. surfaces which open on the Wilson loop. It is shown that in contrast to center vortices the…
We study adjoint and fundamental Wilson loops in the center-vortex picture of confinement, for gauge group SU(N) with general N. There are N-1 distinct vortices, whose properties, including collective coordinates and actions, we study. In…
We consider the Wilson loop expectation in SU(2) lattice gauge theory in the presence of constraints. The constraints eliminate from the functional measure gauge field configurations whose physical interpretation is that of thick center…
Lattice simulations are presented showing the expectation of the fluctuation of the Wilson loop solely by elements of the center to fully reproduce the SU(3) heavy quark potential. The results are stable under smoothing, and point to thick…
We review recent developments in the vortex picture of confinement. We discuss numerical simulations demonstrating that the entire asymptotic string tension is due to vortex-induced fluctuations of the Wilson loop. Analytical and numerical…
We discuss the physical picture of thick vortices as the mechanism responsible for confinement at arbitrarily weak coupling in SU(2) gauge theory. By introducing appropriate variables on the lattice we distinguish between thin, thick and…
We exhibit the appropriate variables allowing the plus-minus (Z(2)) `reduction' of the Wilson loop operator which provides a direct measure of the thin, thick and `mixed' Z(2) topological, gauge-invariant vortices in SU(2) LGT. Simulations…
We present a variety of numerical data supporting the Center Vortex theory of confinement. A method is introduced for identifying the location of center vortices, in thermalized gauge-field configurations generated by lattice Monte Carlo.…
The dominance of center degrees of freedom is observed in SU(3) lattice gauge theory in maximal center gauge. The full asymptotic string tension is reproduced, after center projection, by the center elements alone. When center vortices are…
Using an effective theory for an ensemble of center vortices, we observe the area law fall-off in the continuum limit for the SU($2$) gauge group in three-dimensional Euclidean space-time. The string tension is obtained in terms of the…
An uncontroversial observation of adjoint string breaking is proposed, while measuring the static potential from Wilson loops only. The overlap of the Wilson loop with the broken-string state is small, but non-vanishing, so that the…
We report on two recent developments in the center vortex theory of confinement: (i) the asymptotic scaling of the vortex density, as measured in Monte Carlo simulations; and (ii) an explanation of Casimir scaling and the adjoint string…
We discuss two issues related to the physics of center vortices in pure SU(N) lattice gauge theory at large N: (1) Center vortices are stable classical solutions of the Wilson action, as well as of a wide class of improved lattice actions,…
I report on the status of a computation of fundamental and some higher representation string tensions in pure gauge SU(3). An order a^2 tadpole improved action and an anisotropic lattice are used. At present, the static quark potentials and…