Probing the non-perturbative dynamics of SU(2) vacuum

Abstract

The vacuum dynamics of SU(2) lattice gauge theory is studied by means of a gauge-invariant effective action defined using the lattice Schrödinger functional. Numerical simulations are performed both at zero and finite temperature. The vacuum is probed using an external constant Abelian chromomagnetic field. The results suggest that at zero temperature the external field is screened in the continuum limit. On the other hand at finite temperature it seems that confinement is restored by increasing the strength of the applied field.

29 pages, 10 figures, LaTeX2e