We study chiral properties of eigenvalue spectrum for staggered quarks. We present a new method to identify would-be zero modes and nonzero modes using their symmetry and chiral properties. Here, we review the traditional method with HYP improved staggered quarks, and extend it to a completely new method which uses the chiral Ward identities and leakage patterns to achieve the goal.
We have constructed the lowest few eigenvectors of the staggered Dirac operator on SU(3) gauge configurations, both quenched and dynamical. We use these modes to study the topological charge and to construct approximate hadronic correlators.
We measure the low lying eigenmodes of an overlap Dirac operator on 2--flavor staggered configurations. By comparing the eigenmode distribution to the predictions of Random Matrix Theory we test to what accuracy staggered configurations describe continuum QCD. The agreement between the numerical data and RMT implies that at our quark mass values the lattice artifacts of the staggered configurations are comparable to overlap configurations. We identify the overlap valence mass that best matches the staggered sea quarks and predict the value of the infinite volume 2-flavor chiral condensate.
We carry out lattice simulations of two-color QCD and spectroscopy at finite density with two flavors of rooted-staggered quarks and a diquark source term. As in a previous four-flavor study, for small values of the inverse gauge coupling we observe a Goldstone spectrum which reflects the symmetry-breaking pattern of a Gaussian symplectic chiral random-matrix ensemble (GSE) with Dyson index $β_D=4$, which corresponds to any-color QCD with adjoint quarks in the continuum instead of QC$_2$D wih fundamental quarks. We show that this unphysical behavior occurs only inside of the bulk phase of $SU(…
We present recent progress in understanding weak matrix elements on the lattice. We use HYP staggered fermions in quenched QCD to study numerically various properties of the $K^+\toπ^+$ amplitudes of the electroweak penguin operators $Q_7$ and $Q_8$. We check chiral Ward identities to probe the validity of using improved staggered fermions in the calculation of weak matrix elements. We address the issue of mixing with unphysical lower dimension operators, which causes a divergent term in the case of the $ΔI = 1/2$ amplitudes. We propose a particular subtraction method as the best choice. We al…
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 p…
The eigenvalue spectra of staggered fermions with an Adams and/or Hoelbling mass term are studied. The chiralities of the eigenmodes reflect whether the chirality linked to the unflavored approximate (γ_5 \times 1) or the flavored exact (γ_5 \times ξ_5) staggered symmetry is considered, and which one of the RR, LR, RL, LL eigenmode definitions is used. In either case a sensitivity to the topological charge of the gauge background is found. We discuss how to remove the leading cut-off effects of these actions by means of a properly tuned improvement term and/or the overlap procedure. The combin…
Growing evidence indicates that in the continuum limit the rooted staggered action is in the correct QCD universality class, the non-local terms arising from taste breaking can be viewed as lattice artifacts. In this paper we consider the 2-flavor Asqtad staggered action at a lattice spacing of approximately 0.13 fm and probe the properties of the staggered configurations by an overlap valence Dirac operator. By comparing the distribution of the overlap eigenmodes to continuum QCD predictions we investigate if/when the lattice artifacts are small as a function of the staggered quark mass. We d…
The spectral properties of a variety of improved staggered operators are studied in quenched QCD. The systematic dependence of the infrared eigenvalue spectrum on i) improvement in the staggered operator, ii) improvement in the gauge field action, iii) lattice spacing and iv) lattice volume, is analyzed. It is observed that eigenmodes with small eigenvalues and large chirality appear as the level of improvement increases or as one approaches the continuum limit. These eigenmodes can be identified as the ``zero modes'' which contribute to the chirality associated, via the index theorem, with th…
We investigate general properties of the eigenvalue spectrum for improved staggered quarks. We introduce a new chirality operator $[γ_5 \otimes 1]$ and a new shift operator $[1 \otimes ξ_5]$, which respect the same recursion relation as the $γ_5$ operator in the continuum. Then we show that matrix elements of the chirality operator sandwiched between two eigenstates of the staggered Dirac operator are related to those of the shift operator by the Ward identity of the conserved $U(1)_A$ symmetry of staggered fermion actions. We perform a numerical study in quenched QCD using HYP staggered quark…
We present results of the eigenvalue spectrum for the staggered Diräc operator obtained using a modified Lanczos algorithm. We identify zero modes and non-zero modes. We derive the chiral Ward identity derived from the conserved $U(1)_A$ symmetry, and check it numerically. This is the first step toward construction of an improved method to identify zero modes reliably with staggered fermions.
It is conventional wisdom that staggered fermions do not feel gauge field topology. However, the response of staggered fermion eigenmodes to the topology of the gauge field can depend quite sensitively on the way in which the staggered fermion action is improved. We study this issue using a variety of improved staggered quark actions. We observe that the separation between the ``would be'' zero modes and the non-chiral modes increases with the level of improvement. This enables the ``zero modes'' to be identified unambiguously. The distribution of the remaining non-chiral modes is compared wit…
The QCD topological observables are essential inputs to obtain theoretical predictions about axion phenomenology, which are of utmost importance for current and future experimental searches for this particle. Among them, we focus on the topological susceptibility, related to the axion mass. We present lattice results for the topological susceptibility in QCD at high temperatures obtained by discretizing this observable via spectral projectors on eigenmodes of the staggered Dirac operator, and we compare them with those obtained with the standard gluonic definition. The adoption of the spectral…
We present preliminary lattice results for the topological susceptibility in high-$T$ $N_f=2+1$ QCD obtained discretizing this observable via spectral projectors on eigenmodes of the staggered operator, and we compare them with those obtained with the standard gluonic definition. The adoption of the spectral discretization is motivated by the large lattice artifacts affecting the continuum scaling of the gluonic susceptibility at high $T$, related to the choice of non-chiral fermions in the action.
The determination of $|V_{us}|$ from kaon semileptonic decays requires the value of the form factor $f_+(q^2=0)$ which can be calculated precisely on the lattice. We provide the one-loop partially quenched chiral perturbation theory expressions both with and without including the effects of staggered quarks for all form factors at finite volume and with partially twisted boundary conditions for both the vector current and scalar density matrix elements at all $q^2$. We point out that at finite volume there are more form factors than just $f_+$ and $f_-$ for the vector current matrix element bu…
We study the chirality of staggered quarks on the Dirac eigenvalue spectrum using deep learning (DL) techniques. The Kluberg-Stern method to construct staggered bilinear operators conserves continuum property such as recursion relations, uniqueness of chirality, and Ward identities, which leads to a unique and characteristic pattern (we call it "leakage pattern (LP)") in the matrix elements of the chirality operator sandwiched between two quark eigenstates of staggered Dirac operator. DL analysis gives $99.4(2)\%$ accuracy on normal gauge configurations and $0.998$ AUC (Area Under ROC Curve) f…
The two-dimensional Schwinger model is used to explore how lattice fermion operators perceive the global topological charge $q \in \mathbb{Z}$ of a given background gauge field. We focus on Karsten-Wilczek and Borici-Creutz fermions, which are minimally doubled, and compare them to Wilson, Brillouin, naive, staggered and Adams fermions. For each operator the eigenvalue spectrum in a background with $q \neq 0$ is determined along with the chiralities of the eigenmodes, and the spectral flow of the pertinent hermitean operator is worked out. We find that Karsten-Wilczek and Borici-Creutz fermion…
Interacting theories of N relativistic fermion flavors in reducible spinor representations in 2+1 spacetime dimensions are formulated on a lattice using domain wall fermions (DWF), for which a U(2N) global symmetry is recovered in the limit that the wall separation $L_s$ is made large. The Gross-Neveu (GN) model is studied in the large-N limit and an exponential acceleration of convergence to the large-$L_s$ limit is demonstrated if the usual parity-invariant mass $m\barψψ$ is replaced by the U(2N)-equivalent $im_3\barψγ_3ψ$. The GN model and two lattice variants of the Thirring model are simu…
We study the finite temperature localization transition in the spectrum of the overlap Dirac operator. Simulating the quenched approximation of QCD, we calculate the mobility edge, separating localized and delocalized modes in the spectrum. We do this at several temperatures just above the deconfining transition and by extrapolation we determine the temperature where the mobility edge vanishes and localized modes completely disappear from the spectrum. We find that this temperature, where even the lowest Dirac eigenmodes become delocalized, coincides with the critical temperature of the deconf…
We study the influence of center vortices on the low-lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator, in both the overlap and asqtad formulations. For center-projected configurations, one finds that the low-lying near-zero modes are present in the staggered (asqtad) formulation, but not in the overlap and "chirally-improved" formulations. We argue that this is due to the absence of a field-independent chiral symmetry in the latter formulations, when the Dirac operator is evaluated on the very rough configurations generated by center projection. We also confirm and extend the results of Kovalenko et al.…
Intersections of thick, plane SU(2) center vortices are characterized by the topological charge |Q|=1/2. We compare such intersections with the distribution of zeromodes of the Dirac operator in the fundamental and adjoint representation using both the overlap and asqtad staggered fermion formulations in SU(2) lattice gauge theory. We analyze configurations with four intersections and find that the probability density distribution of fundamental zeromodes in the intersection plane differs significantly from the one obtained analytically in [Phys.\ Rev.\ D 66, 85004 (2002)]. The Dirac eigenmode…
We study correlations between center vortices and the low-lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator, in both the overlap and asqtad formulations. In particular we address a puzzle raised some years ago by Gattnar et al. [Nucl. Phys. B 716, 105 (2005)], who noted that the low-lying Dirac eigenmodes required for chiral symmetry breaking do not appear to be present in center-projected configurations. We show that the low-lying modes are in fact present in the staggered (asqtad) formulation, but not in the overlap and ``chirally improved'' formulations, and suggest a reason for this difference. We al…
We study the problems of deconfinement, chiral symmetry restoration and localisation of the low Dirac eigenmodes in a toy model of QCD, namely unimproved staggered fermions on lattices of temporal extension $N_T=4$. This model displays a genuine deconfining and chirally-restoring first-order phase transition at some critical value of the gauge coupling. Our results indicate that the onset of localisation of the lowest Dirac eigenmodes takes place at the same critical coupling where the system undergoes the first-order phase transition. This provides further evidence of the close relation betwe…
We analyze the eigenvalue statistics of the staggered Dirac operator above $T_{c}$ in QCD with 2+1 flavors of dynamical quarks. We use physical quark masses in our simulations. We compare the eigenvalue statistics from several parts of the Dirac spectrum with the predictions of Random Matrix Theory for this universality class and with Poisson statistics. We show that at the low end of the spectrum the eigenmodes are localized and obey Poisson statistics. Above a boundary region the eigenmodes become delocalized and obey Random Matrix statistics. Thus the QCD Dirac spectrum with physical dynami…
We consider $4d$ compact lattice QED in the quenched approximation. First, we briefly summarize the spectrum of the staggered Dirac operator and its connection with random matrix theory. Afterwards we present results for the low-lying eigenmodes of the Neuberger overlap-Dirac operator. In the strong coupling phase we find exact zero-modes. Subsequently we discuss possibly related topological excitations of the U(1) lattice gauge theory.
We analyze the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the staggered Dirac operator in quenched lattice QCD in the vicinity of the deconfinement phase transition using the Lüscher-Weisz gauge action. The spectral and localization properties of the low-lying eigenmodes show characteristic differences between the Z_3 sectors above the critical temperature T_c. These findings can be interpreted in terms of calorons.
In this project we study the effect of the $U_A(1)$ anomaly for (2+1)-flavour QCD at high temperature. We apply the overlap operator as a tool to probe the topological properties of gauge field configurations which have been generated within the Highly Improved Staggered Quark (HISQ) discretization scheme on lattices of size $32^3\times 8$ with $m_l/m_s=1/20$, commonly used for the study of QCD thermodynamics. Although we have at present, only results for one value of the quark masses and thus cannot monitor the change of the eigenvalue distributions with the light quark mass, the distribution…
At low temperature in the epsilon regime of QCD the low-end of the Dirac spectrum is described by random matrix theory. In contrast, there has been no similarly well established staistical description in the high temperature, chirally symmetric phase. Using lattice simulations we show that at high temperature a band of extremely localized eigenmodes appear at the low-end of the Dirac spectrum. The corresponding eigenvalues are statistically independent and obey a generalized Poisson distribution. Higher up in the spectrum the Poisson distribution rapidly crosses over into the bulk distribution…
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.
We study the problems of chiral symmetry breaking and eigenmode localisation in finite-temperature QCD by looking at the lattice Dirac operator as a random Hamiltonian. We recast the staggered Dirac operator into an unconventional three-dimensional Anderson Hamiltonian ("Dirac-Anderson Hamiltonian") carrying internal degrees of freedom, with disorder provided by the fluctuations of the gauge links. In this framework, we identify the features relevant to chiral symmetry restoration and localisation of the low-lying Dirac eigenmodes in the ordering of the local Polyakov lines, and in the related…
We present first evidence for the Landau level structure of Dirac eigenmodes in full QCD for nonzero background magnetic fields, based on first principles lattice simulations using staggered quarks. Our approach involves the identification of the lowest Landau level modes in two dimensions, where topological arguments ensure a clear separation of these modes from energetically higher states, and an expansion of the full four-dimensional modes in the basis of these two-dimensional states. We evaluate various fermionic observables including the quark condensate and the spin polarization in this …
Dirac mode localization in QCD near the crossover temperature
Institute of Physics and Astronomy, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University(ELTE厄特沃什·洛兰德大学物理与天文学研究所);Institute for Nuclear Research (ATOMKI)(核能研究所(ATOMKI));Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute(塞浦路斯理工学院计算科学与技术研究中心)
We study the localization properties of the eigenmodes of the staggered Dirac operator across the deconfinement transition in finite-temperature $\mathbb{Z}_3$ pure gauge theory on the lattice in 2+1 dimensions. This allows for nontrivial tests of the sea-islands picture of localization, according to which low modes should localize on favorable Polyakov-loop fluctuations in the deconfined phase of a gauge theory. We observe localized low modes in the deconfined phase of the theory, both in the real Polyakov-loop sector, where they are expected, and in the complex Polyakov-loop sectors, where t…
We study the curvature of the chiral transition/crossover line between the low-temperature hadronic phase and the high-temperature quark-gluon-plasma phase at low densities, performing simulations of two-flavor QCD with improved Wilson quarks. After confirming that the chiral order parameter defined by a Ward-Takahashi identity is consistent with the scaling of the O(4) universality class at zero chemical potential, we extend the scaling analysis to finite chemical potential to determine the curvature of the chiral transition/crossover line at low densities assuming the O(4) universality. To c…
We present lattice QCD results for masses and magnetic polarizabilities of light and strange pseudoscalar mesons, chiral condensates, decay constants of neutral pion, and neutral kaon in the presence of background magnetic fields with $eB$ ranging up to around 3.35 GeV$^2$ ($\sim70~M_π^2$) in the vacuum. The computations were carried out in (2+1)-flavor QCD mostly on $32^3 \times 96$ lattices using the highly improved staggered quark action with $M_π \approx $ 220 MeV at zero temperature. We find that the masses of neutral pseudoscalar mesons monotonously decrease as the magnetic field strengt…
We study the localization properties of the eigenmodes of the staggered Dirac operator in finite-temperature $\mathbb{Z}_2$ pure gauge theory on the lattice in 2+1 dimensions. We find that the low modes turn from delocalized to localized as the system crosses over from the confined to the deconfined phase in the "physical" sector (positive average Polyakov loop) selected by external fermionic probes, while they remain delocalized in the "unphysical" sector (negative average Polyakov loop). This confirms that the close connection between deconfinement and localization of the low Dirac modes in …