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Aguilar, A. C., Binosi, D., & Papavassiliou, J. (2015). Yang-Mills two-point functions in linear covariant gauges. Phys. Rev. D, 91(8), 085014–14pp.
Abstract: In this paper we use two different but complementary approaches in order to study the ghost propagator of a pure SU(3) Yang-Mills theory quantized in the linear covariant gauges, focusing on its dependence on the gauge-fixing parameter xi in the deep infrared. In particular, we first solve the Schwinger-Dyson equation that governs the dynamics of the ghost propagator, using a set of simplifying approximations, and under the crucial assumption that the gluon propagators for xi > 0 are infrared finite, as is the case in the Landau gauge (xi = 0). Then we appeal to the Nielsen identities, and express the derivative of the ghost propagator with respect to xi in terms of certain auxiliary Green's functions, which are subsequently computed under the same assumptions as before. Within both formalisms we find that for xi > 0 the ghost dressing function approaches zero in the deep infrared, in sharp contrast to what happens in the Landau gauge, where it is known to saturate at a finite (nonvanishing) value. The Nielsen identities are then extended to the case of the gluon propagator, and the xi-dependence of the corresponding gluon masses is derived using as input the results obtained in the previous steps. The result turns out to be logarithmically divergent in the deep infrared; the compatibility of this behavior with the basic assumption of a finite gluon propagator is discussed, and a specific Ansatz is put forth, which readily reconciles both features.
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Aguilar, A. C., Binosi, D., Figueiredo, C. T., & Papavassiliou, J. (2016). Unified description of seagull cancellations and infrared finiteness of gluon propagators. Phys. Rev. D, 94(4), 045002–22pp.
Abstract: We present a generalized theoretical framework for dealing with the important issue of dynamical mass generation in Yang-Mills theories, and, in particular, with the infrared finiteness of the gluon propagators, observed in a multitude of recent lattice simulations. Our analysis is manifestly gauge invariant, in the sense that it preserves the transversality of the gluon self-energy, and gauge independent, given that the conclusions do not depend on the choice of the gauge-fixing parameter within the linear covariant gauges. The central construction relies crucially on the subtle interplay between the Abelian Ward identities satisfied by the nonperturbative vertices and a special integral identity that enforces a vast number of “seagull cancellations” among the one-and two-loop dressed diagrams of the gluon Schwinger-Dyson equation. The key result of these considerations is that the gluon propagator remains rigorously massless, provided that the vertices do not contain (dynamical) massless poles. When such poles are incorporated into the vertices, under the pivotal requirement of respecting the gauge symmetry of the theory, the terms comprising the Ward identities conspire in such a way as to still enforce the total annihilation of all quadratic divergences, inducing, at the same time, residual contributions that account for the saturation of gluon propagators in the deep infrared.
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Aguilar, A. C., Binosi, D., & Papavassiliou, J. (2017). Schwinger mechanism in linear covariant gauges. Phys. Rev. D, 95(3), 034017–16pp.
Abstract: In this work we explore the applicability of a special gluon mass generating mechanism in the context of the linear covariant gauges. In particular, the implementation of the Schwinger mechanism in pure Yang-Mills theories hinges crucially on the inclusion of massless bound-state excitations in the fundamental nonperturbative vertices of the theory. The dynamical formation of such excitations is controlled by a homogeneous linear Bethe-Salpeter equation, whose nontrivial solutions have been studied only in the Landau gauge. Here, the form of this integral equation is derived for general values of the gauge-fixing parameter, under a number of simplifying assumptions that reduce the degree of technical complexity. The kernel of this equation consists of fully dressed gluon propagators, for which recent lattice data are used as input, and of three-gluon vertices dressed by a single form factor, which is modeled by means of certain physically motivated Ansatze. The gauge-dependent terms contributing to this kernel impose considerable restrictions on the infrared behavior of the vertex form factor; specifically, only infrared finite Ansatze are compatible with the existence of nontrivial solutions. When such Ansatze are employed, the numerical study of the integral equation reveals a continuity in the type of solutions as one varies the gauge-fixing parameter, indicating a smooth departure from the Landau gauge. Instead, the logarithmically divergent form factor displaying the characteristic “zero crossing,” while perfectly consistent in the Landau gauge, has to undergo a dramatic qualitative transformation away from it, in order to yield acceptable solutions. The possible implications of these results are briefly discussed.
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Aguilar, A. C., Cardona, J. C., Ferreira, M. N., & Papavassiliou, J. (2017). Non-Abelian Ball-Chiu vertex for arbitrary Euclidean momenta. Phys. Rev. D, 96(1), 014029–29pp.
Abstract: We determine the non-Abelian version of the four nontransverse form factors of the quark-gluon vertex, using exact expressions derived from the Slavnov-Taylor identity that this vertex satisfies. In addition to the quark and ghost propagators, a key ingredient of the present approach is the quark-ghost scattering kernel, which is computed within the one-loop dressed approximation. The vertex form factors obtained from this procedure are evaluated for arbitrary Euclidean momenta, and display features not captured by the well-known Ball-Chiu vertex, deduced from the Abelian (ghost-free) Ward identity. Particularly interesting in this analysis is the so-called soft-gluon limit, which, unlike other kinematic configurations considered, is especially sensitive to the approximations employed for the vertex entering in the quark-ghost scattering kernel, and may even be affected by a subtle numerical instability. As an elementary application of the results obtained, we evaluate and compare certain renormalization-point-independent combinations, which contribute to the interaction kernels appearing in the standard quark gap and Bethe-Salpeter equations. In doing so, even though all form factors of the quark-gluon vertex, and in particular the transverse ones which are unconstrained by our procedure, enter nontrivially in the aforementioned kernels, only the contribution of a single form factor, corresponding to the classical (tree-level) tensor, will be considered.
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Aguilar, A. C., Cardona, J. C., Ferreira, M. N., & Papavassiliou, J. (2018). Quark gap equation with non-Abelian Ball-Chiu vertex. Phys. Rev. D, 98(1), 014002–15pp.
Abstract: The full quark-gluon vertex is a crucial ingredient for the dynamical generation of a constituent quark mass from the standard quark gap equation, and its nontransverse part may be determined exactly from the nonlinear Slav nov-Taylor identity that it satisfies. The resulting expression involves not only the quark propagator, but also the ghost dressing function and the quark-ghost kernel, and constitutes the non-abelian extension of the so-called “Ball-Chiu vertex,” known from QED. In the present work we carry out a detailed study of the impact of this vertex on the gap equation and the quark masses generated from it, putting particular emphasis on the contributions directly related with the ghost sector of the theory, and especially the quark-ghost kernel. In particular, we set up and solve the coupled system of six equations that determine the four form factors of the latter kernel and the two typical Dirac structures composing the quark propagator. Due to the incomplete implementation of the multiplicative renormalizability at the level of the gap equation, the correct anomalous dimension of the quark mass is recovered through the inclusion of a certain function, whose ultraviolet behavior is fixed, but its infrared completion is unknown; three particular Ansatze for this function are considered, and their effect on the quark mass and the pion decay constant is explored. The main results of this study indicate that the numerical impact of the quark-ghost kernel is considerable; the transition from a tree-level kernel to the one computed hem leads to a 20% increase in the value of the quark mass at the origin. Particularly interesting is the contribution of the fourth Ball-Chiu form factor, which, contrary to the Abelian case, is nonvanishing, and accounts for 10% of the total constituent quark mass.
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