English

A variational approach to the QCD wavefunctional: Calculation of the QCD beta-function

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-30 v2 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

The beta-function is calculated for an SU(N) Yang-Mills theory from an ansatz for the vacuum wavefunctional. Direct comparison is made with the results of calculations of the beta-function of QCD. In both cases the theories are asymptotically free. The only difference being in the numerical coefficient of the beta-function, which is found to be -4 from the ansatz and -4+1/3 from other QCD calculations. This is because, due to the constraint of Gauss' law applied to the wavefunctional, transverse gluons (which contribute the 1/3) are omitted. The renormalisation procedure is understood in terms of `tadpole' and `horse-shoe' Feynman diagrams which must be interpreted with a non-local propagator.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9705136,
  title  = {A variational approach to the QCD wavefunctional: Calculation of the QCD beta-function},
  author = {William E. Brown and Ian I. Kogan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9705136},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

23 pages, LaTex, 2 figs

R2 v1 2026-07-22T16:05:06.273Z