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Perturbative expansions in many physical systems yield 'only' asymptotic series which are not even Borel resummable. Interestingly, the corresponding ambiguities point to nonperturbative physics. We numerically verify this renormalon mechanism for the first time in two-dimensional sigma models, that, like four-dimensional gauge theories, are asymptotically free and generate a strong scale through dimensional transmutation. We perturbatively expand the energy through a numerical version of stochastic quantization. In contrast to the first energy coefficients, the high order coefficients are independent on the rank of the model. Technically, they require a sophisticated analysis of finite volume effects and the continuum limit of the discretized model. Although the individual coefficients do not grow factorially (yet), but rather decrease strongly, the ratio of consecutive coefficients clearly obey the renormalon asymptotics., Comment: Published version, updated references, minor text changes, 13 pages, 10 figures, REVTeX style

We numerically study the spectral properties, the entanglement and the zero-temperature phase structure at nonvanishing chemical potential of the O(3) nonlinear sigma model. Using matrix product states, a particular kind of one-dimensional tensor network state, we show that we are able to reach the asymptotic scaling regime and to reproduce the analytical predictions for the mass gap at vanishing chemical potential. In addition, we study the scaling of the entanglement entropy towards the continuum limit obtaining a central charge consistent with 2. Moreover, our approach does not suffer from the sign problem and we also explore the phase structure of the model for nonzero chemical potential and map out the location of the transitions between different charge sectors with high precision., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, version 2: slightly different title, published version

In general, perturbative expansions of observables in powers of the coupling constant in quantum field theories are asymptotic series. In many cases it is possible to apply resummation techniques to assign a unique finite value to an asymptotic series, but a particular pattern of divergence, the so-called renormalon, gives rise to non-perturbative ambiguities. The framework of Numerical Stochastic Perturbation Theory (NSPT), based on stochastic quantisation and the perturbative expansion of lattice fields, makes it possible to compute coefficients of perturbative series on the lattice. In this work we report on an NSPT study of asymptotically free sigma models, namely the Principal Chiral Model and the $\text{CP}{(N-1)}$ model. We present results for a lattice computation of the expansion coefficients of the energy density and discuss signatures of renormalons., Comment: 7 pages, PoS style, to appear in the proceedings of the Lattice 2018 conference (22-28 July 2018, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA)

Two long-standing problems in the construction of coherent state path integrals, the unwarranted assumption of path continuity and the ambiguous definition of the Hamiltonian symbol, are rigorously solved. To this end the fully controlled dual representation familiar from lattice quantum field theories is introduced. Dualization allows for both the step-by-step check in the construction of discrete path integrals and for the identification of the Hamiltonian and Berry phase part of the action, thus making both discrete and continuous path integrals consistently defined. Once the correct action is constructed, we are able to follow the transition to the continuum for the polar form of general Bose-Hubbard models and to provide an exact form of the path integral for general spin systems, where previous works showed its failure for all standard choices of operator ordering., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; supplemental material in ancillary file

We analyze two-dimensional nonlinear sigma models at nonzero chemical potentials, which are governed by a complex action. In the spirit of contour deformations (thimbles) we extend the fields into the complex plane, which allows to incorporate the chemical potentials mu as twisted boundary conditions. We write down the equations of motion and find exact BPS-like solutions in terms of pairs of (anti)holomorphic functions, in particular generalizations of unit charge and fractional instantons to generic mu. The decay of these solutions is controled by the imaginary part of mu and a vanishing imaginary part causes jumps in the action. We analyze how the total charge is distributed into localized objects and to what extent these are characterized by topology., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures

We will discuss the issue of Landau levels of quarks in lattice QCD in an external magnetic field. We will show that in the two-dimensional case the lowest Landau level can be identified unambiguously even if the strong interactions are turned on. Starting from this observation, we will then show how one can define a "lowest Landau level" in the four-dimensional case, and discuss how much of the observed effects of a magnetic field can be explained in terms of it. Our results can be used to test the validity of low-energy models of QCD that make use of the lowest-Landau-level approximation., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures; to appear in the proceedings of the 35th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2017), June 19-24, 2017, Granada, Spain

We consider QCD at strong coupling with scalar quarks coupled to a chemical potential. Performing the link integrals we present a diagrammatic representation of the path integral weight. It is based on mesonic and baryonic building blocks, in close analogy to fermionic QCD. Likewise, the baryon loops are subject to a manifest conservation of the baryon number. The sign problem is expected to disappear in this representation and we do confirm this for three flavors, where a scalar baryon can be built and thus a dependence on the chemical potential occurs. For higher flavor number we analyse examples for a potential sign problem in the baryon sector and conjecture that all weights are positive upon exploring the current conservation of each flavor., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

In QCD above the chiral restoration temperature there exists an Anderson transition in the fermion spectrum from localized to delocalized modes. We investigate whether the same holds for nonlinear sigma models which share properties like dynamical mass generation and asymptotic freedom with QCD. In particular we study the spectra of fermions coupled to (quenched) CP(N-1) configurations at high temperatures. We compare results in two and three space-time dimensions: in two dimensions the Anderson transition is absent, since all fermion modes are localized, while in three dimensions it is present. Our measurements include a more recent observable characterizing level spacings: the distribution of ratios of consecutive level spacings., Comment: 7 pages, Lattice 2017, proceedings

The spectrum of the two-dimensional continuum Dirac operator in the presence of a uniform background magnetic field consists of Landau levels, which are degenerate and separated by gaps. On the lattice the Landau levels are spread out by discretization artefacts, but a remnant of their structure is clearly visible (Hofstadter butterfly). If one switches on a non-Abelian interaction, the butterfly structure will be smeared out, but the lowest Landau level (LLL) will still be separated by a gap from the rest of the spectrum. In this talk we discuss how one can define the LLL in QCD and check how well certain physical quantities are approximated by taking into account only the LLL., Comment: 1+6 pages, 2 figures. Contribution to the 34th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2016), 24-30 July 2016, University of Southampton, UK

We study scalar QCD at nonzero density in the strong coupling limit. It has a sign problem which looks structurally similar to the one in QCD. We show first data for the reweighting factor. After introducing dual variables by integrating out the SU(3) gauge links, we find that at least 3 flavors are needed for a nontrivial dependence on the chemical potential. In this dual representation there is no sign problem remaining. The dual variables are partially constrained, thus we propose to use a hybrid approach for the updates: For unconstrained variables local updates can be used, while for constrained variables using updates based on the worm algorithm is more promising., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, PoS LATTICE2016

We have simulated the asymptotically free two-dimensional O(3) model at nonzero chemical potential using the model's dual representation. We first demonstrate how the latter solves the sign (complex action) problem. The system displays a crossover at nonzero temperature, while at zero temperature it undergoes a quantum phase transition when mu reaches the particle mass (generated dynamically similar to QCD). The density follows a square root behavior universal for repulsive bosons in one spatial dimension. We have also measured the spin stiffness, known to be sensitive to the spatial correlation length, using different scaling trajectories to zero temperature and infinite size. It points to a dynamical critical exponent z=2. Comparisons to thermodynamic Bethe ansaetze are shown as well., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, talk presented at the 34th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, 24-30 July 2016, University of Southampton, UK

We discuss the thermodynamics of the O(3) nonlinear sigma model in 1+1 dimensions at nonzero chemical potential (equivalent to a magnetic field). In its conventional field theory representation the model suffers from a sign problem. By dualizing the lattice model we present, for the first time, nonzero density data of an asymptotically free theory with dynamical mass-gap. We find a quantum phase transition at zero temperature where as a function of the chemical potential the density assumes a nonzero value. We present evidence for a corresponding dynamical critical exponent z close to 2. The low energy O(3) model is conjectured to be described by a massive boson triplet with repulsive interactions. We confirm the universal square root behavior expected for such a system at low density (and temperature) and compare our data to the results of Bethe ansatz solutions of the relativistic and non-relativistic one-dimensional Bose gas. We also comment on a potential Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition at nonzero density., Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures; finite size analysis and a second version of the lattice phase diagram added, minor modifications of the text, conclusions unchanged

We present lattice results for simulations of the $O(3)$ non-linear sigma model at finite chemical potential. The complex action problem is overcome by a dual variable representation of the model. We discuss two aspects of the theory at finite density: 1) The relation of the finite density data to scattering phases and wave-functions. 2) The phase-structure of the theory as a function of chemical potential and the possibility of a Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures; Contribution to LATTICE 2015

We show that information about scattering data of a quantum field theory can be obtained from studying the system at finite density and low temperatures. In particular we consider models formulated on the lattice which can be exactly dualized to theories of conserved charge fluxes on lattice links. Apart from eliminating the complex action problem at nonzero chemical potential mu, these dualizations allow for a particle world line interpretation of the dual fluxes from which one can extract data about the 2-particle wave function. As an example we perform dual Monte Carlo simulations of the 2-dimensional O(3) model at nonzero mu and finite volume, whose non-perturbative spectrum consists of a massive triplet of particles. At nonzero mu particles are induced in the system, which at sufficiently low temperature give rise to sectors of fixed particle number. We show that the scattering phase shifts can be obtained either from the critical chemical potential values separating the sectors or directly from the wave function in the 2-particle sector. We find that both methods give excellent agreement with the exact result. We discuss the applicability and generality of the new approaches., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; estimate of the effect of temperature added, title extended, minor modifications of the text; PRL version

We further pursue an approach to the sign problem of quantum chromodynamics at nonzero chemical potential, in which configurations of the lattice path integral are gathered into subsets. In the subset construction we multiply each temporal link by center elements independently and in a first step neglect the gauge action. The positivity of the subset weights -- shown for 0+1 dimensions in an earlier study -- extends to larger lattices: for two sites in the temporal direction and arbitrary spatial extent we give a proof of the positivity by decomposing the subset weight in positive summands. From numerical evidence we conjecture that the positivity persists on larger lattices and that the gauge action can be reintroduced through mild reweighting. First results on the quark number obtained with this method in two dimensions are shown as well., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, as published in Phys. Rev. D

We derive dual representations for O(N) and CP(N-1) models on the lattice. In terms of the dual variables the partition sums have only real and positive contributions also at finite chemical potential. Thus the complex action problem of the conventional formulation is overcome and using the dual variables Monte Carlo simulations are possible at arbitrary chemical potential., Comment: Missing contribution for the CP(N-1) model added - conclusions unchanged

We consider asymptotically free nonlinear sigma models in two dimensions which, due to their internal symmetries, allow for a conserved charge. Introducing nonzero chemical potential for the SO(2) subgroup of the symmetry group, we discuss two expected phase transitions, which are related to charge condensation and percolation of merons, respectively. The latter are topological objects with half integer charge similar to vortices in the abelianized \emph{O(2)} theory, that emerge for large chemical potentials due to the suppression of the complementary field components. We conjecture a particular ordering of these transitions supported by large N calculations, and discuss dualities helpful for the understanding of these systems in the continuum and on the lattice. In conclusion we suggest that similar behavior is to be expected in QCD at finite density., Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. References and minor changes updated in this version

We propose a physical mechanism for inverse magnetic catalysis, the suppression of the chiral condensate by an external magnetic field in QCD around the critical temperature. We show that this effect, seen in lattice simulations, is a result of how the sea quarks react to the magnetic field. We find that the suppression of the condensate happens because the quark determinant can suppress low quark modes by ordering the Polyakov loop. This mechanism is particularly efficient around $T_c$ where the Polyakov loop effective potential is flat and the determinant can have a significant ordering effect. Our picture suggests that for the description of QCD in large magnetic fields it is crucial to properly capture the interaction between the Polyakov loop and the sea quarks, both in low-energy effective models and on the lattice., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

We present a subset method that solves the sign problem for QCD at nonzero quark chemical potential in 0+1 dimensions. The subsets of gauge configurations are constructed using the center symmetry of the SU(3) group. These subsets completely solve the sign problem for up to five flavors. For a larger number of flavors the sign problem slowly reappears, and we propose an extension of the subsets that also solves the sign problem for these cases. The subset method allows for numerical simulations of the model at nonzero chemical potential. We also present some preliminary results on subsets for QCD in two, three, and four dimensions., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, presented at the 31st International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2013), 29 July - 3 August 2013, Mainz, Germany; one reference added, Table 1 updated

We present a subset method which solves the sign problem for QCD at nonzero quark chemical potential in 0+1 dimensions. The subsets gather gauge configurations based on the center symmetry of the SU(3) group. We show that the sign problem is solved for one to five quark flavors and that it slowly reappears for a larger number of flavors. We formulate an extension of the center subsets that solves the sign problem for a larger number of flavors as well. We also derive some new analytical results for this toy model., Comment: 29 pages, 12 figures; references added, as published in JHEP

We give analytical and numerical solutions for the zero modes of the Dirac operator in topological SU(2) gauge backgrounds at nonzero chemical potential. Continuation from imaginary to real chemical potential is used to systematically derive analytical zero modes for calorons at arbitrary holonomy and, in particular limits, for instantons and dyons (magnetic monopoles). For the latter a spherical ansatz is explored as well. All the zero mode exhibit stronger peaks at the core and negative regions in their densities. We discuss the structure of the corresponding overlap matrix elements. For discretized calorons on the lattice we consider the staggered operator and show that it does possess (quartet quasi-)zero modes, whose eigenmodes agree very well with the continuum profiles, also for nonzero chemical potential., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures

We study a model of dyons for SU(2) Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature T < T_c, in particular its ability to generate a confining force between a static quark antiquark pair. The interaction between dyons corresponds to a long-range 1/r potential, which in naive treatments with a finite number of dyons typically gives rise to severe finite volume effects. To avoid such effects we apply the so-called Ewald method, which has its origin in solid state physics. The basic idea of Ewald's method is to consider a finite number of dyons inside a finite cubic volume and enforce periodicity of this volume. We explain the technicalities of Ewald's method and outline how the method can be applied to a wider class of 1/r^p long-range potentials., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, contribution to conference "Confinement X"

We provide a status report on the advances in blocking-inspired supersymmetric actions. This is done at the example of interacting supersymmetric quantum mechanics as well as the Wess-Zumino model. We investigate in particular the implications of a nontrivial realisation of translational symmetry on the lattice in this approach. We also discuss the locality of symmetry generators., Comment: 8 pages

We explain the physical nature of the subset solution to the sign problem in chiral random matrix theory: The subset sum is shown to project out the canonical determinant with zero quark charge from a given configuration. As the grand canonical chiral random matrix partition function is independent of the chemical potential, the zero quark charge sector provides the full result., Comment: 9 pages

We analyze the Euclidean version of supersymmetric quantum mechanics on the lattice by means of a numerical path integral. We consider two different lattice derivatives and improve the actions containing them with respect to supersymmetry by systematically adding interaction terms with non-zero extent. To quantize this improvement, we measure boson and fermion masses and Ward identities for the naive as well as the improved models. The masses are degenerate in all models, but the magnitude of the Ward identities decreases significantly for both derivative operators using the improved actions. This is a clear sign that the breaking of supersymmetry due to lattice artifacts is reduced., Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures

We consider antisymmetric perturbations of real symmetric matrices in the context of random matrix theory and two-color quantum chromodynamics. We investigate the level spacing distributions of eigenvalues that remain real or become complex conjugate pairs under the perturbation. We work out analytical surmises from small matrices and show that they describe the level spacings of large random matrices. As expected from symmetry arguments, these level spacings also apply to the overlap Dirac operator for two-color QCD with chemical potential., Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, 1 animation; minor corrections, references added, as published in JHEP

We consider the nearest-neighbor spacing distributions of mixed random matrix ensembles interpolating between different symmetry classes, or between integrable and non-integrable systems. We derive analytical formulas for the spacing distributions of 2x2 or 4x4 matrices and show numerically that they provide very good approximations for those of random matrices with large dimension. This generalizes the Wigner surmise, which is valid for pure ensembles that are recovered as limits of the mixed ensembles. We show how the coupling parameters of small and large matrices must be matched depending on the local eigenvalue density., Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures. (v2) more details on physical applications and one appendix on large-s behavior added, journal version

We study the low eigenmodes of the overlap and staggered Dirac operator at high temperature. We show that the recently found localized quark modes obeying Poisson statistics are connected to physical gauge field objects with their size and density scaling in the continuum limit. The localized modes are also strongly correlated with large fluctuations of the Polyakov loop. Based on that we construct a random matrix model of the low Dirac modes inspired by dimensional reduction. Our model reproduces the Poisson to random matrix transition seen in the lattice Dirac spectrum., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Talk given at the XXIX International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory - Lattice 2011, July 10-16 2011, Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, California

We introduce dressed Wilson loops as a novel confinement observable. It consists of closed planar loops of arbitrary geometry but fixed area and its expectation values decay with the latter. The construction of dressed Wilson loops is based on chiral condensates in response to magnetic (and electric) fields, thus linking different physical concepts. We present results for generalized condensates and dressed Wilson loops on dynamical lattice configurations and confirm the agreement with conventional Wilson loops in the limit of large probe mass. We comment on the renormalization of dressed Wilson loops., Comment: 7 pages; talk presented at the XXIX International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2011), July 10-16, 2011, Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, California, USA

As an approach to describe the long-range properties of non-Abelian gauge theories at non-zero temperature T < T_c, we consider a non-interacting ensemble of dyons (magnetic monopoles) with non-trivial holonomy. We show analytically, that the quark-antiquark free energy from the Polyakov loop correlator grows linearly with the distance, and how the string tension scales with the dyon density. In numerical treatments, the long-range tails of the dyon fields cause severe finite-volume effects. Therefore, we demonstrate the application of Ewald's summation method to this system. Finite-volume effects are shown to be under control, which is a crucial requirement for numerical studies of interacting dyon ensembles., Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures; minor modifications

We investigate how the topological charge density in lattice QCD simulations is affected by violations of chiral symmetry in different fermion actions. To this end we compare lattice configurations generated with a number of different actions including first configurations generated with exact overlap quarks. We visualize the topological profiles after mild smearing. In the topological charge correlator we measure the size of the positive core, which is known to vanish in the continuum limit. To leading order we find the core size to scale linearly with the lattice spacing with the same coefficient for all actions, even including quenched simulations. In the subleading term the different actions vary over a range of about 10 %. Our findings suggest that non-chiral lattice actions at current lattice spacings do not differ much for this specific observable related to topology, both among themselves and compared to overlap fermions., Comment: 7 pages, talk presented at The XXIX International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory - Lattice 2011, July 10-16, 2011, Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, California

We investigate low-lying fermion modes in SU(2) gauge theory at temperatures above the phase transition. Both staggered and overlap spectra reveal transitions from chaotic (random matrix) to integrable (Poissonian) behavior accompanied by an increasing localization of the eigenmodes. We show that the latter are trapped by local Polyakov loop fluctuations. Islands of such "wrong" Polyakov loops can therefore be viewed as defects leading to Anderson localization in gauge theories. We find strong similarities in the spatial profile of these localized staggered and overlap eigenmodes. We discuss possible interpretations of this finding and present a sparse random matrix model that reproduces these features., Comment: 11 pages, 23 plots in 11 figures; some comments and references added, some axis labels corrected; journal version

We introduce dressed Wilson loops as a novel confinement observable. It consists of closed planar loops of arbitrary geometry but fixed area, and its expectation values decay with the latter. The construction of dressed Wilson loops is based on chiral condensates in response to magnetic and electric fields, thus linking different physical concepts. We present results for generalized condensates and dressed Wilson loops on dynamical lattice configurations and confirm the agreement with conventional Wilson loops in the limit of large probe mass. We comment on the renormalization of dressed Wilson loops., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; journal version; added: physical intuition, remarks on renormalization, lattice loop multiplicities (appendix), references

The dual condensate is a new QCD phase transition order parameter, which connnects confinement and chiral symmetry breaking as different mass limits. We discuss the relation between the fermion spectrum at general boundary conditions and the dual condensate and show numerical results for the latter from unquenched SU(3) lattice configurations., Comment: Talk given by Bo Zhang on 'Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum IX', Madrid, Aug.2010

We reveal the center vortex content of SU(2) calorons and ensembles of them. While one part of the vortex connects the constituent dyons of a single caloron, another part is predominantly spatial and can be related to the twist that exists in the caloron gauge field. The latter part depends strongly on the caloron holonomy and degenerates to a plane between the dyons when the asymptotic Polyakov loop is traceless. Correspondingly, the spatial vortex in caloron ensembles is percolating in this case. This finding fits perfectly in the confinement scenario of vortices and shows that calorons are suitable to facilitate the vortex (de)confinement mechanism., Comment: talk given by FB at `Quark Confinement And The Hadron Spectrum IX', Madrid, Sept. 2010; 3 pages; 7 figures

We formulate a random matrix-like model for the Polyakov loop in SU(N) Yang-Mills theories. It describes a simplified dynamics in terms of eigenvalue differences. The deconfinement phase transition encoded in center symmetry breaking is reproduced including its nature being first order for SU(3) and second order for SU(2). Analytical arguments about the phases are presented and a comparison to other approaches is made., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

We reveal the center vortex content of SU(2) calorons and ensembles of them. We use Laplacian Center Gauge as well as Maximal Center Gauges to show that the vortex in a single caloron consists of two parts. The first one connects the constituent dyons of the caloron (which are monopoles in Laplacian Abelian Gauge) and extends in time. The second part is predominantly spatial, encloses one of the dyons and can be related to the twist in the caloron gauge field. This part depends strongly on the caloron holonomy and degenerates to a plane when the holonomy is maximally nontrivial, i.e. when the asymptotic Polyakov loop is traceless. Correspondingly, we find the spatial vortices in caloron ensembles to percolate in this case. This finding fits perfectly in the confinement scenario of vortices and shows that calorons are suitable to facilitate the vortex confinement mechanism., Comment: 21 pages, 20 figures

We use Laplacian Center Gauge to reveal the vortex content of single SU(2) calorons and multi-caloron systems at different holonomies. The vortex surfaces in a single SU(2) caloron consist of two parts that are induced by the constituent dyon charges and by the twist between the dyons, respectively. The latter part percolates in a caloron ensemble at maximal nontrivial holonomy. This finding fits perfectly in the confinement scenario of vortices and shows that calorons are suitable to facilitate the vortex confinement mechanism., Comment: Presented at Lattice 2009, Peking University, China, 25.Jul-31.Jul 2009

We systematically compare filtering methods used to extract topological structures on SU(3) lattice configurations. We show that there is a strong correlation of the topological charge densities obtained by APE and Stout smearing. To get rid of artifacts of these methods, we analyze structures that are also seen by Laplace filtering. This combined analysis shows that the topological charge density is more fragmented in the presence of dynamical quarks., Comment: 7 pages, talk presented at The XXVII International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, July 26-31 2009, Peking University, Beijing, China

We systematically compare filtering methods used to extract topological structures on SU(3) lattice configurations. We show that there is a strong correlation of the topological charge densities obtained by APE and Stout smearing. To get rid of artifacts of these methods, we analyse structures that are also seen by Laplace filtering and indeed identify artifacts for strong smearing. The topological charge density in this combined analysis is more fragmented in the presence of dynamical quarks. A power law exponent that characterises the distribution of filtered topological clusters turns out to be not far off the values of an instanton gas model., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, final version to appear in PLB

Finite temperature lattice QCD is probed by varying the temporal boundary conditions of the fermions. We develop the emerging physical behavior in a study of the quenched case and subsequently present first results for a fully dynamical calculation comparing ensembles below and above the phase transition. We show that for low temperature spectral quantities of the Dirac operator are insensitive to boundary conditions, while in the deconfined phase a non-trivial response to a variation of the boundary conditions sets in.

We investigate both the hyperbolic action and the determinant ratio action designed to fix the topological charge on the lattice. We show to what extent topology is fixed depending on the parameters of these actions, keeping the physical situation fixed. At the same time the agreement between different definitions of topological charge - the field theoretic and the index definition - is directly correlated to the degree topology is fixed. Moreover, it turns out that the two definitions agree very well. We also study finite volume effects arising in the static potential and related quantities due to topology fixing., Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, minor changes, as published in EPJA

We perform a detailed numerical investigation of the approximate moduli space metric proposed by Diakonov and Petrov [arXiv:0704.3181] for a confining model of dyons. Our findings strongly indicate that only for a small number of dyons at sufficiently low density this metric is positive definite - and, therefore, a valid moduli space metric - throughout a considerable part of configuration space. This poses strong limitations on results obtained by an unrestricted integration over collective coordinates in this model. It also indicates that strong correlations between collective coordinates will be essential for the physical content of a dyon model, which could be exhibited by a suitable simulation algorithm., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures

We construct twisted instanton solutions of CP(n) models. Generically a charge-k instanton splits into k(n+1) well-separated and almost static constituents carrying fractional topological charges and being ordered along the noncompact direction. The locations, sizes and charges of the constituents are related to the moduli parameters of the instantons. We sketch how solutions with fractional total charge can be obtained. We also calculate the fermionic zero modes with quasi-periodic boundary conditions in the background of twisted instantons for minimally and supersymmetrically coupled fermions. The zero modes are tracers for the constituents and show a characteristic hopping. The analytical findings are compared to results extracted from Monte-Carlo generated and cooled configurations of the corresponding lattice models. Analytical and numerical results are in full agreement and it is demonstrated that the fermionic zero modes are excellent filters for constituents hidden in fluctuating lattice configurations., Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures

Instantons at finite temperature consist of dyons, with their masses depending on the asymptotic Polyakov loop. It is shown that the suppression of heavy dyons can explain qualitatively the behavior of the periodic and antiperiodic chiral condensate and the topological susceptibility above the phase transition., Comment: poster at Confinement8, Mainz, Germany, September 1 - 6, 2008; 4 pages

We construct a novel observable for finite temperature QCD that relates confinement and chiral symmetry. It uses phases as boundary conditions for the fermions. We discuss numerical and analytical aspects of this observable, like its spectral behavior below and above the critical temperature, as well as the connection to chiral condensate and center symmetry., Comment: talk given by F. Bruckmann at Confinement8, Mainz, Germany, September 1 - 6, 2008

We introduce a lattice symmetry relation for field theories with general linear symmetries. For chiral symmetry the well-known Ginsparg-Wilson relation is reproduced. The new relation encodes the remnant of the original symmetry on the lattice and guides the construction of invariant lattice actions. We apply this approach to lattice supersymmetry. There, an additional constraint has to be satisfied which originates in the derivative operator in the symmetry transformations. As a consequence the non-local SLAC derivative operator appears in the lattice transformation. Despite this non-local form we show how local solutions for quadratic actions can be found. For interacting theories the relation in general leads to a non-polynomial action that can be reduced to a finite polynomial order only under certain conditions., Comment: 7 pages; talk presented at the XXVI International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, July 14-19 2008, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

We construct a novel observable for finite temperature QCD that relates confinement and chiral symmetry. It uses phases as boundary conditions for the fermions. We discuss numerical and analytical aspects of this observable, like its spectral behavior below and above the critical temperature, as well as the connection to chiral condensate, center symmetry and the canonical ensemble., Comment: talk given by F. Bruckmann at the XXVI International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, July 14 - 19, 2008

The Ginsparg-Wilson relation is extended to interacting field theories with general linear symmetries. Our relation encodes the remnant of the original symmetry in terms of the blocked fields and guides the construction of invariant lattice actions. We apply this approach in the case of lattice supersymmetry. An additional constraint has to be satisfied because of the appearance of a derivative operator in the symmetry transformations. The solution of this constraint leads to non-local SLAC-type derivatives. We investigate the corresponding kinetic operators on the lattice within an exact solution of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. These solutions - analogues of the overlap operator for supersymmetry - can be made local through a specific choice of the blocking kernel. We show that the corresponding relation allows for local lattice symmetry operators as well as local lattice actions. We argue that for interacting theories the lattice action is polynomial in the fields only under special circumstances, which is exemplified within an exact solution., Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures

We study the spectrum of the staggered Dirac operator in SU(2) gauge fields close to the free limit, for both the fundamental and the adjoint representation. Numerically we find a characteristic cluster structure with spacings of adjacent levels separating into three scales. We derive an analytical formula which explains the emergence of these different spectral scales. The behavior on the two coarser scales is determined by the lattice geometry and the Polyakov loops, respectively. Furthermore, we analyze the spectral statistics on all three scales, comparing to predictions from random matrix theory., Comment: 11 pages, 25 figures; v2: minor changes, as published in Phys. Rev. D