Search

We estimate the momentum diffusion coefficient of a heavy quark within a pure SU(3) plasma at a temperature of about 1.5Tc. Large-scale Monte Carlo simulations on a series of lattices extending up to 192^3*48 permit us to carry out a continuum extrapolation of the so-called colour-electric imaginary-time correlator. The extrapolated correlator is analyzed with the help of theoretically motivated models for the corresponding spectral function. Evidence for a non-zero transport coefficient is found and, incorporating systematic uncertainties reflecting model assumptions, we obtain kappa = (1.8 - 3.4)T^3. This implies that the "drag coefficient", characterizing the time scale at which heavy quarks adjust to hydrodynamic flow, is (1.8 - 3.4) (Tc/T)^2 (M/1.5GeV) fm/c, where M is the heavy quark kinetic mass. The results apply to bottom and, with somewhat larger systematic uncertainties, to charm quarks., Comment: 18 pages. v2: clarifications added

We explore a method developed in statistical physics which has been argued to have exponentially small finite-volume effects, in order to determine the critical temperature Tc of pure SU(3) gauge theory close to the continuum limit. The method allows us to estimate the critical coupling betac of the Wilson action for temporal extents up to Nt ~ 20 with < 0.1% uncertainties. Making use of the scale setting parameters r0 and sqrt{t0} in the same range of beta-values, these results lead to the independent continuum extrapolations Tc r0 = 0.7457(45) and Tc sqrt{t0} = 0.2489(14), with the latter originating from a more convincing fit. Inserting a conversion of r0 from literature (unfortunately with much larger errors) yields Tc / LambdaMSbar = 1.24(10)., Comment: 12 pages. v2: clarifications and references added, published version

The analytic continuation needed for the extraction of transport coefficients necessitates in principle a continuous function of the Euclidean time variable. We report on progress towards achieving the continuum limit for 2-point correlator measurements in thermal SU(3) gauge theory, with specific attention paid to scale setting. In particular, we improve upon the determination of the critical lattice coupling and the critical temperature of pure SU(3) gauge theory, estimating r0*Tc ~ 0.7470(7) after a continuum extrapolation. As an application the determination of the heavy quark momentum diffusion coefficient from a correlator of colour-electric fields attached to a Polyakov loop is discussed., Comment: 7 pages. To appear in the Proceedings of the 31st International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, July 29 - August 3, 2013, Mainz, Germany

A competition of incommensurate symmetries occurs whenever a system is forced to conform to an ordering that is different from the intrinsically preferred structure of the system itself. As a model system of such a competition, we study the rivalry between the triangular ordering of hard disks and the square symmetry induced by a periodic square substrate. By using density functional theory as well as Monte Carlo computer simulations, we determine the full phase behavior for the case of one particle per minimum. We observe a rhombic preordering structure preceding the hexagonal solid as a direct consequence of the competing symmetries. Furthermore, the square-rhombic transition is reentrant with increasing substrate interaction. Our predictions can be verified in experiments of colloids in laser fields., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

We determine the classical and quantum complexities of a specific ensemble of three-satisfiability problems with a unique satisfying assignment for up to N=100 and N=80 variables, respectively. In the classical limit we employ generalized ensemble techniques and measure the time that a Markovian Monte Carlo process spends in searching classical ground states. In the quantum limit we determine the maximum finite correlation length along a quantum adiabatic trajectory determined by the linear sweep of the adiabatic control parameter in the Hamiltonian composed of the problem Hamiltonian and the constant transverse field Hamiltonian. In the median of our ensemble both complexities diverge exponentially with the number of variables. Hence, standard, conventional adiabatic quantum computation fails to reduce the computational complexity to polynomial. Moreover, the growth-rate constant in the quantum limit is 3.8 times as large as the one in the classical limit, making classical fluctuations more beneficial than quantum fluctuations in ground-state searches.

Three-dimensional scalar electrodynamics, with a local U(1) gauge symmetry, is believed to be dual to a scalar theory with a global U(1) symmetry, near the phase transition point. The conjectured duality leads to definite predictions for the scaling exponents of the gauge theory transition in the type II region, and allows thus to be scrutinized empirically. We review these predictions, and carry out numerical lattice Monte Carlo measurements to test them: a number of exponents, characterising the two phases as well as the transition point, are found to agree with expectations, supporting the conjecture. We explain why some others, like the exponent characterising the photon correlation length, appear to disagree with expectations, unless very large system sizes and the extreme vicinity of the transition point are considered. Finally, we remark that in the type I region the duality implies an interesting quantitative relationship between a magnetic flux tube and a 2-dimensional non-topological soliton., Comment: 27 pages. v2: reference and minor clarifications added, to appear in Nucl.Phys.B

The three-dimensional integer-valued lattice gauge theory, which is also known as a "frozen superconductor," can be obtained as a certain limit of the Ginzburg-Landau theory of superconductivity, and is believed to be in the same universality class. It is also exactly dual to the three-dimensional XY model. We use this duality to demonstrate the practicality of recently developed methods for studying topological defects, and investigate the critical behavior of the phase transition using numerical Monte Carlo simulations of both theories. On the gauge theory side, we concentrate on the vortex tension and the penetration depth, which map onto the correlation lengths of the order parameter and the Noether current in the XY model, respectively. We show how these quantities behave near the critical point, and that the penetration depth exhibits critical scaling only very close to the transition point. This may explain the failure of superconductor experiments to see the inverted XY model scaling., Comment: 17 pages, 18 figures. Updated to match the version published in PRB (http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRB/v67/e014525) on 27 Jan 2003

We study the critical behaviour of the three-dimensional U(1) gauge+Higgs theory (Ginzburg-Landau model) at large scalar self-coupling \lambda (``type II region'') by measuring various correlation lengths as well as the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortex tension. We identify different scaling regions as the transition is approached from below, and carry out detailed comparisons with the criticality of the 3d O(2) symmetric scalar theory., Comment: Lattice2001(higgssusy), 3 pages

We study with lattice Monte Carlo simulations the relation of global O(2) symmetry breaking in three dimensions to the properties of a geometrically defined vortex loop network. We find that different definitions of constructing a network lead to different results even in the thermodynamic limit, and that with typical definitions the percolation transition does not coincide with the thermodynamic phase transition. These results show that geometrically defined percolation observables need not display universal properties related to the critical behaviour of the system, and do not in general survive in the field theory limit., Comment: 14 pages; references added, version to appear in Phys.Lett.B

In the pure U(1) lattice gauge theory with the Villain action we find that the monopole mass in the Coulomb phase and the monopole condensate in the confinement phase scale according to simple power laws. This holds outside the coupling region in which on finite toroidal lattices the metastability phenomena occur. A natural explanation of the observed accuracy of the scaling behaviour would be the second order of the phase transition between both phases in the general space of couplings not far away from the Villain action., Comment: LATTICE99(Topology and Confinement) - 3 pages, 4 figs

We study with lattice Monte Carlo simulations the interactions and macroscopic behaviour of a large number of vortices in the 3-dimensional U(1) gauge+Higgs field theory, in an external magnetic field. We determine non-perturbatively the (attractive or repelling) interaction energy between two or more vortices, as well as the critical field strength H_c, the thermodynamical discontinuities, and the surface tension related to the boundary between the Meissner phase and the Coulomb phase in the type I region. We also investigate the emergence of vortex lattice and vortex liquid phases in the type II region. For the type I region the results obtained are in qualitative agreement with mean field theory, except for small values of H_c, while in the type II region there are significant discrepancies. These findings are relevant for superconductors and some models of cosmic strings, as well as for the electroweak phase transition in a magnetic field., Comment: 30 pages, 12 figures; references added, to appear in Nucl.Phys.B

We observe the power law scaling behavior of the monopole mass and condensate in the pure compact U(1) gauge theory with the Villain action. In the Coulomb phase the monopole mass scales with the exponent \nu_m=0.49(4). In the confinement phase the behavior of the monopole condensate is described with remarkable accuracy by the exponent \beta_{exp}=0.197(3). Possible implications of these phenomena for a construction of a strongly coupled continuum U(1) gauge theory are discussed., Comment: Added references [1]

We use lattice Monte Carlo simulations to study non-perturbatively the tension, i.e. the free energy per unit length, of an infinitely long vortex in the three-dimensional U(1)+Higgs theory. This theory is the low-energy effective theory of high-temperature scalar electrodynamics, the standard framework for cosmic string studies. The vortex tension is measured as a function of the mass parameter at a large value of the Higgs self-coupling, where the transition between the phases is continuous. It is shown that the tension gives an order parameter that can distinguish between the two phases of the system. We argue that the vortex tension can describe the physics of long strings without lattice artifacts, unlike vortex network percolation., Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures

We describe how the strings, which are classical solutions of the continuum three-dimensional U(1)+Higgs theory, can be studied on the lattice. The effect of an external magnetic field is also discussed and the first results on the string free energy are presented. It is shown that the string free energy can be used as an order parameter when the scalar self-coupling is large and the transition is continuous., Comment: LATTICE98(higgs); missing author added, no changes to text

We address the question of the order of the deconfinement phase transition of four dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theory. Simulations of the Z-gauge theory dual to the Villain action on toroidal lattices up to lattice sizes of 28^4 give results consistent with both, a vanishing and a nonvanishing discontinuity in the thermodynamic limit. A decision on the order of the phase transition requires still larger lattice sizes., Comment: LATTICE98(gauge), 3 pages, 2 figures

We continue numerical studies of the spectrum of the pure U(1) lattice gauge theory in the confinement phase, initiated in our previous work. Using the extended Wilson action $ S = -\sum_P [\beta \cos(\Theta_P) + \gamma \cos(2\Theta_P)] $ we address the question of universality of the phase transition line in the ($\beta,\gamma$) plane between the confinement and the Coulomb phases. Our present results at $\gamma= -0.5$ for the gauge-ball spectrum are fully consistent with the previous results obtained at $\gamma= -0.2$. Again, two different correlation length exponents, $\nu_{ng} = 0.35(3)$ and $\nu_{g} = 0.49(7)$, are obtained in different channels. We also confirm the stability of the values of these exponents with respect to the variation of the distance from the critical point at which they are determined. These results further demonstrate universal critical behaviour of the model at least up to correlation lengths of 4 lattice spacings when the phase transition is approached in some interval at $\gamma\leq -0.2$., Comment: 16 pages

We investigate the scaling behaviour of gauge-ball masses and static potential in the pure U(1) lattice gauge theory on toroidal lattices. An extended gauge field action $-\sum_P(\beta \cos\Theta_P + \gamma \cos2\Theta_P)$ is used with $\gamma= -0.2$ and -0.5. Gauge-ball correlation functions with all possible lattice quantum numbers are calculated. Most gauge-ball masses scale with the non-Gaussian exponent $\nu_{ng}\approx 0.36$. The $A_1^{++}$ gauge-ball mass scales with the Gaussian value $\nu_{g} \approx 0.5$ in the investigated range of correlation lengths. The static potential is examined with Sommer's method. The long range part scales consistently with $\nu_{ng}$ but the short range part tends to yield smaller values of $\nu$. The $\beta$-function, having a UV stable zero, is obtained from the running coupling. These results hold for both $\gamma$ values, supporting universality. Consequences for the continuum limit of the theory are discussed., Comment: Contribution to the Lattice 97 proceedings, LaTeX, 3 pages, 3 figures

We explore the compact U(1) lattice gauge theory with staggered fermions and gauge field action -\sum_P [\beta \cos(\Theta_P) + \gamma \cos(2\Theta_P)], both for dynamical fermions and in the quenched approximation. (\Theta_P denotes the plaquette angle.) In simulations with dynamical fermions at various \gamma \le -0.2 on 6^4 lattices we find the energy gap at the phase transition of a size comparable to the pure gauge theory for \gamma \le 0 on the same lattice, diminishing with decreasing \gamma. This suggests a second order transition in the thermodynamic limit of the theory with fermions for \gamma below some finite negative value. Studying the theory on large lattices at \gamma = -0.2 in the quenched approximation by means of the equation of state we find non-Gaussian values of the critical exponents associated with the chiral condensate, \beta \simeq 0.32 and \delta \simeq 1.8, and determine the scaling function. Furthermore, we evaluate the meson spectrum and study the PCAC relation., Comment: 21 pages

We investigate the continuum limit of the gauge-ball spectrum in the four-dimensional pure U(1) lattice gauge theory. In the confinement phase we identify various states scaling with the correlation length exponent $\nu \simeq 0.35$. The square root of the string tension also scales with this exponent, which agrees with the non-Gaussian fixed point exponent recently found in the finite size studies of this theory. Possible scenarios for constructing a non-Gaussian continuum theory with the observed gauge-ball spectrum are discussed. The $0^{++}$ state, however, scales with a Gaussian value $\nu \simeq 0.5$. This suggests the existence of a second, Gaussian continuum limit in the confinement phase and also the presence of a light or possibly massless scalar in the non-Gaussian continuum theory. In the Coulomb phase we find evidence for a few gauge-balls, being resonances in multi-photon channels; they seem to approach the continuum limit with as yet unknown critical exponents. The maximal value of the renormalized coupling in this phase is determined and its universality confirmed., Comment: 46 pages, 12 figures

We examine selected properties of the gauge-ball spectrum and fermionic variables in the vicinity of the recently discussed non-Gaussian fixed point of 4D compact U(1) lattice gauge theory within the quenched approximation. Approaching the critical point from within the confinement phase, our data support scaling of $T1^{+-}$ gauge-ball states in units of the string tension square root. The analysis of the chiral condensate within the framework of a scaling form for the equation of state suggests non mean-field values for the magnetic exponents $\delta$ and $\beta_{exp}$., Comment: 73K postscript file

We study the effective 3-D SU(2) Gauge-Higgs model at finite temperature for Higgs-masses in the range from $60$ GeV up to $100$ GeV. The first order electroweak phase transition weakens with increasing Higgs-mass and terminates at a critical end-point. For Higgs-mass values larger than about $m_{H,c}=75.4(6)$ GeV the thermodynamic signature of the transition is described by a crossover. Close to this Higgs-mass value we investigate the vector boson propagator in Landau gauge. The calculated W-boson screening masses are compared with predictions based on gap equations., Comment: Talk presented at LATTICE96(electroweak), 3 pages, LaTeX2e File, Style File, 4 eps figures included

Employing a variant of the Multicanonical Ensemble we study twisted spin configurations on periodic boxes in the $D=2$ $O(3)$ nonlinear sigma model for $\beta$-values inbetween $1.55$ to $3.1$. The free energy difference of twisted spin configurations is determined from the constraint effective potential. The finite size scaling behavior is in accordance with the asymptotically free nature of the continuum theory. Upon certain reasonable assumptions we determine the $\Delta \beta( \beta)$-shift of the stiffness correlation length $\xi_s$. The mass-gap as determined by our analysis is ${m_0}=79.6(1.9)~\Lambda_{latt}$. This value agrees with the analytical result of the thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz ${m_0}=80.1~\Lambda_{latt}$., Comment: unix script file of Wuppertal WUB 96-30 of about 350K

Some interesting nonperturbative properties of the strongly coupled 4D compact U(1) lattice gauge theories, both without and with matter fields, are pointed out. We demonstrate that the pure gauge theory has a non-Gaussian fixed point with $\nu = 0.365(8)$ at the second order confinement-Coulomb phase transition. Thus a non-asymptotic free and nontrivial continuum limit of this theory, and of its various dual equivalents, in particular of a special case of the effective string theory, can be constructed. Including a scalar matter field (compact scalar QED), we confirm the Gaussian behavior at the endpoint of the Higgs phase transition line. In the theory with both scalar and fermion matter fields, we demonstrate the existence of a tricritical point. Here, the chiral symmetry is broken, and the mass of unconfined composite fermions is generated dynamically. Appart from the Goldstone bosons, the spectrum contains also a massive scalar. This resembles the Higgs-Yukawa sector of the SM, albeit of dynamical origin, like the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model. However, the scaling behavior is different from that in the NJL model and the nonperturbative renormalizability might thus be possible., Comment: Contribution to the conference ICHEP96, Warsaw, 7 pages

We investigate the confinement-Coulomb phase transition in the four-dimensional (4D) pure compact U(1) gauge theory on spherical lattices. The action contains the Wilson coupling beta and the double charge coupling gamma. The lattice is obtained from the 4D surface of the 5D cubic lattice by its radial projection onto a 4D sphere, and made homogeneous by means of appropriate weight factors for individual plaquette contributions to the action. On such lattices the two-state signal, impeding the studies of this theory on toroidal lattices, is absent for gamma le 0. Furthermore, here a consistent finite-size scaling behavior of several bulk observables is found, with the correlation length exponent nu in the range nu = 0.35 - 40. These observables include Fisher zeros, specific-heat and cumulant extrema as well as pseudocritical values of beta at fixed gamma. The most reliable determination of nu by means of the Fisher zeros gives nu = 0.365(8). The phase transition at gamma le 0 is thus very probably of 2nd order and belongs to the universality class of a non-Gaussian fixed point., Comment: 40 pages, LaTeX, 12 figures

The line of phase transitions, separating the confinement and the Coulomb phases in the four-dimensional pure compact U(1) gauge theory with extended Wilson action, is reconsidered. We present new numerical evidence that a part of this line, including the original Wilson action, is of second order. By means of a high precision simulation on homogeneous lattices on a sphere we find that along this line the scaling behavior is determined by one fixed point with distinctly non-Gaussian critical exponent nu = 0.365(8). This makes the existence of a nontrivial and nonasymptotically free four-dimensional pure U(1) gauge theory in the continuum very probable. The universality and duality arguments suggest that this conclusion holds also for the monopole loop gas, for the noncompact abelian Higgs model at large negative squared bare mass, and for the corresponding effective string theory., Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, 2 figures

We study gauge boson propagators in the symmetric and symmetry broken phases of the 3-d, $SU(2)$ gauge-Higgs model. Correlation functions for the gauge fields are calculated in Landau gauge. They are found to decay exponentially at large distances leading to a non-vanishing mass for the gauge bosons. We find that the W-boson screening mass drops in the symmetry broken phase when approaching the critical temperature. In the symmetric phase the screening mass stays small and is independent of the scalar--gauge coupling (the hopping parameter). Numerical results coincide with corresponding calculations performed for the pure gauge theory. We find $m_w = 0.35(1)g^2T $ in this phase which is consistent with analytic calculations based on gap equations. This is, however, significantly smaller than masses extracted from gauge invariant vector boson correlation functions. As internal consistency check we also have calculated correlation functions for gauge invariant operators leading to scalar and vector boson masses. Finite lattice size effects have been systematically analyzed on lattices of size $L^2\times L_z$ with $L=4-24$ and $L_z = 16 - 128$., Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX2e File, 8 Postscript figures

We present results for 2D and 4D systems on lattices with topology homotopic to the surface of a (hyper) sphere $S^2$ or $S^4$. Finite size scaling is studied in situations with phase transitions of first and second order type. The Ising and Potts models exhibit the expected behaviour; for the 4D pure gauge $U(1)$ theory we find consistent scaling indicative of a second order phase transition with critical exponent $\nu\simeq 0.36(1)$., Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX, 3 POSTSCRIPT figures (uuencoded)

We present evidence about a critical behavior of $4D$ compact QED (CQED) pure gauge theory. Regularizing the theory on lattices homotopic to a sphere, we present evidence for a critical, i.e. second order like behavior at the deconfinement phase transition for certain values of the coupling parameter $\gamma$., Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, POSTSCRIPT file (127KB uuencoded)

This talk summarizes results obtained from simulating a three dimensional pure Order Parameter (OP) model of the Electroweak Phase Transition (EWPT). Its detailed presentation appears in \cite{karsch}., Comment: 1 postscript file 98KB long

We derive an analytic expression for point-to-point correlation functions of the Polyakov loop based on the transfer matrix formalism. For the $2d$ Ising model we show that the results deduced from point-point spin correlators are coinciding with those from zero momentum correlators. We investigate the contributions from eigenvalues of the transfer matrix beyond the mass gap and discuss the limitations and possibilities of such an analysis. The finite size behaviour of the obtained $2d$ Ising model matrix elements is examined. The point-to-point correlator formula is then applied to Polyakov loop data in finite temperature $SU(2)$ gauge theory. The leading matrix element shows all expected scaling properties. Just above the critical point we find a Debye screening mass $~\mu_D/T\approx4~$, independent of the volume., Comment: 13 pages and 8 figures, latex

We study the phase structure and the chiral limit of $4d$ compact lattice QED with Wilson fermions (both dynamical and quenched). We use the standard Wilson gauge action and also a modified one suppressing lattice artifacts. Different techniques and observables to locate the chiral limit are discussed., Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures attached as compressed postscript files, preprint DESY and HU Berlin-IEP-94/13

We study the pure gauge model on a lattice manifold with trivial fundamental homotopy group, homotopically equivalent to an $S_4$. Monopole loops may fluctuate freely on that lattice without restrictions due to the boundary conditions. For the original Wilson action on the hypertorus there is an established two-state signal in energy distribution functions which disappears for the new geometry. Our finite size scaling analysis suggests stringent upper bounds on possible discontinuities in the plaquette action. However, no consistent asymptotic finite size scaling behaviour is observed., Comment: 18 pages (3 figures), LaTeX + POSTSCRIPT (287 KB), preprint BI-TP 94/37

We investigate an effective model for the finite temperature restoration phase transition of the electroweak theory. It is obtained by dimensional reduction of the $3+1$ dimensional full theory and by subsequent integration over all static gauge degrees of freedom. The resulting theory corresponds to a $3$-dimensional $O(4)$ ferromagnet containing cubic and quartic terms of the field in its potential function. Possible nonperturbative effects of a magnetic screening mass are parametrically included in the potential. We analyse the theory using mean field and numerical Monte Carlo (MC) simulation methods. At the value of the physical Higgs mass, $m_H=37~{\rm GeV}$, considered in the present investigation, we find a discontinuous symmetry restoring phase transition. We determine the critical temperature, order parameter jump, interface tension and latent heat characteristics of the transition. The Monte Carlo results indicate a somewhat weaker first order phase transition as compared to the mean field treatment, demonstrating that non-perturbative fluctuations of the Higgs field are relevant. This effect is especially important for the interface tension. Any observation of hard first order transition could result only from non-perturbative effects related to the gauge degrees of freedom., Comment: 28 pages and 18 figures

We present a new and exploratory approach to determine the $\Delta\beta(\beta)$-shift in the $O(3)$ nonlinear $\sigma$-model. The method is based on a scaling hypothesis for a free energy difference, which is assumed to be valid in a situation where the mass gap correlation length $\xi$ is of the order or larger than the linear extent $L$ of the considered square lattice sizes. The free energy difference arises from the finite volume constraint effective potential of the theory. While the constraint effective potential is calculated in numerical simulations employing a variant of the multicanonical ensemble on medium sized lattices, it is possible to estimate $\Delta\beta(\beta)$ up to a value of $\beta=2.8$ in the standard parameterization of the model., Comment: 4 pages, PostScript

We derive an analytic expression for point to point correlation functions of the Polyakov loop based on the transfer matrix formalism. The contributions from the eigenvalues of the transfer matrix including and beyond the mass gap are investigated both for the $2d$ Ising model and in finite temperature $SU(2)$ gauge theory. We find that the leading matrix element shows similar scaling properties in both models. Just above the critical point we obtain for $SU(2)$ a Debye screening mass $~\mu_D/T\approx4~$, independent of the volume. Sorry, figures are not included and can be sent by ordinary mail., Comment: TALK GIVEN AT THE LATTICE '93 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM LATTICE FIELD THEORY, DALLAS, USA, OCTOBER 12--16, 1993 3 pages preprint HU BERLIN--IEP--93/5 and BIELEFELD BI-TP--93/63, November 1993

We study the deconfinement phase transition of compact $U(1)$ pure lattice gauge theory with the Wilson action on {\em closed topology} lattices. In contrast to studies of compact QED on {\em hypercubic lattices with periodic boundary conditions}, we find no metastability signal at the phase transition on the lattices with the topology of a sphere. Thus the determination of the order of this phase transition has to be reconsidered. We argue that different properties of closed monopole loops on these topological inequivalent lattices might be responsible for the effect., Comment: 3 pages (1 figure), POSTSCRIPT-file (207 KB), Contribution to Lattice 93, preprint UNIGRAZ-UTP 22-11-93

We determine the interface free energy $F_{o.d.}$ between disordered and ordered phases in the q=10 and q=20 2-d Potts models using the results of multicanonical Monte Carlo simulations on $L^2$ lattices, and suitable finite volume estimators. Our results, when extrapolated to the infinite volume limit, agree to high precision with recent analytical calculations. At the transition point $\beta_t$ the probability distribution function of the energy exhibits two maxima. Their locations have $1/L^2$ corrections, in contradiction with claims of $1/L$ behavior made in the literature. Our data show a flat region inbetween the two maxima which characterizes two domain configurations., Comment: Submited to Nuclear Physics B (FS) Latex file, 24 pages, 11 PostScript figures. Saclay preprint SPhT-93/65

We study the temperature dependence of the Chern-Simons number fluctuations in the SU(2) Higgs Model on Euclidean lattices with spatial sizes up to 20^3. Temperatures well above the Higgs phase transition $T_H$ are achieved on anisotropic lattices. Numerical results are compared to perturbative results on finite lattices as well as in continuum perturbation theory. We find qualitative agreement with perturbative estimates and see at high temperatures a tendency towards static configurations. Up to temperatures $T \simeq 2T_H$ we find indication that tunneling between vacuums with different Chern-Simons numbers are still exponentially suppressed. (Full PostScript file available via Email from plache@physw.uni-bielefeld.de ), Comment: 18 pages latex, (+piclatex+epsf (for 6 figures)), HLRZ-93-39 BI-TP 93/21

Using a geometric definition for the lattice Chern-Simons term in even dimensions, we have studied the distribution of Chern-Simons numbers for the 2d-U(1) and the 4d-SU(2) lattice Higgs models. The periodic structure of the distributions is preserved in our lattice formulation and has been examined in detail. In both cases the finite size effects visible in the distribution of Chern-Simons numbers are well accounted for by the Haar measure. Moreover, we find that $\langle N_{CS}^2 \rangle$ grows with the spatial volume. We also find numerical evidence that tunneling in 4d is increased at high temperature. (PS-File including Figures available via E-mail: plache@physv.uni-bielefeld.de), Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX (+ PicLaTeX) file, HLRZ-93-08 and BI-TP 93/04

We present the results of a multicanonical simulation of the q=20 2-d Potts model in the transition region. This is a very strong first order phase transition. We observe, for the first time, the asymptotic finite size scaling behavior predicted by Borgs and Koteck\'y close to a first order phase transition point., Comment: Submited to Nuclear Physics B (FS) Latex file, 15 pages, 5 PostScript figures. Saclay preprint SPhT-92/120

Using Seiberg's definition for the geometric charge in SU(2) lattice gauge theory, we have managed to apply it also to the Chern-Simons term. We checked the periodic structure and determined the Chern-Simons density on small lattices $L^4$ and $L^3 \times 2,\, 4$ with $L=4,\, 6,\mbox{ and }8$ near the critical region in the SU(2) Higgs model. The data indicate that tunneling is increased at high temperature., Comment: 7 pages plus 4 PS figures

Results of an investigation of the $O(4)$ spin model at finite temperature using anisotropic lattices are presented. In both the large $N$ approximation and numerical simulations using the Wolff cluster algorithm we find that the ratio of the symmetry restoration temperature $T_{\rm SR}$ to the Higgs mass $m_{\rm H}$ is independent of the anisotropy $\xi$. From the numerical simulations we obtain a lower bound of $T_{\rm SR} / m_{\rm H} \simeq 0.58 \pm 0.02$ at a value for the Higgs mass $m_{\rm H}a_s \simeq 0.5$, which is lowered further by about $10\%$ at $m_{\rm H}a_s \simeq 1$. Requiring certain timelike correlation functions to coincide with their spacelike counterparts, quantum and scaling corrections to the anisotropy are determined and are found to be small, i.e., the anisotropy is found to be close to the ratio of spacelike and timelike lattice spacings., Comment: 16 pages with 4 ps figures included. LaTeX file. BI-TP 92/27, FSU-SCRI-92-101, HLRZ-92-40, TIFR/TH/92-42

To investigate order-order interfaces, we perform multimagnetical Monte Carlo simulations of the $2D$ and $3D$ Ising model. Stringent tests of the numerical methods are performed by reproducing with high precision exact $2D$ results. In the physically more interesting $3D$ case we estimate the amplitude $F^s_0$ of the critical interfacial tension., Comment: talk presented at the workshop "Dynamics of First Order Phase Transitions", Juelich June 1-3; FSU-SCRI-92C-87 preprint; 7 pages; sorry no figures; needs vanilla.sty

To investigate order-order interfaces, we perform multimagnetical Monte Carlo simulations of the $2D$ and $3D$ Ising model. Following Binder we extract the interfacial free energy from the infinite volume limit of the magnetic probability density. Stringent tests of the numerical methods are performed by reproducing with high precision exact $2D$ results. In the physically more interesting $3D$ case we estimate the amplitude $F^s_0$ of the critical interfacial tension $F^s = F^s_0 t^\mu$ to be $F^s_0 = 1.52 \pm 0.05$. This result is in good agreement with a previous MC calculation by Mon, as well as with experimental results for related amplitude ratios. In addition, we study in some details the shape of the magnetic probability density for temperatures below the Curie point., Comment: 25 pages; sorry no figures included

We modified the recently proposed multicanonical MC algorithm for the case of a magnetic field driven order--order phase transition. We test this {\it multimagnetic} Monte Carlo algorithm for the D=2 Ising model at $\beta=0.5$ and simulate square lattices up to size $100 \times 100$. On these lattices with periodic boundary conditions it is possible to enhance the appearance of order-order interfaces during the simulation by many orders of magnitude as compared to the standard Monte Carlo simulation.

Relying on the recently proposed multicanonical algorithm, we present a numerical simulation of the first order phase transition in the 2d 10-state Potts model on lattices up to sizes $100\times100$. It is demonstrated that the new algorithm $lacks$ an exponentially fast increase of the tunneling time between metastable states as a function of the linear size $L$ of the system. Instead, the tunneling time diverges approximately proportional to $L^{2.65}$. Thus the computational effort as counted per degree of freedom for generating an independent configuration in the unstable region of the model rises proportional to $V^{2.3}$, where $V$ is the volume of the system. On our largest lattice we gain more than two orders of magnitude as compared to a standard heat bath algorithm. As a first physical application we report a high precision computation of the interfacial tension.

Results of investigations of the O(4) spin model at finite temperature using anisotropic lattices are presented. In both the large $N$ approximation and the numerical simulations using the Wolff cluster algorithm we find that the ratio of the symmetry restoration temperature $T_{\rm SR}$ to the Higgs mass $m_{\rm H}$ is independent of the anisotropy. We obtain a lower bound of $0.59 \pm 0.04$ for the ratio, $T_{\rm SR}/m_{\rm H}$, at $m_{\rm H}a \simeq 0.5$, which is lowered further by about 10% at $m_{\rm H}a \simeq 1.$