Numerical simulation of fractional topological charge in $SU(N)$ gauge theory coupled with ${\mathbb{Z}}_N$ 2-form gauge fields

Motokazu Abe, Okuto Morikawa

The pure $SU(N)$ gauge theory with a $\theta$ term has the ${\mathbb{Z}}_N$ $1$-form global symmetry. When this symmetry is gauged, it is formally established that the topological charge…