Scaling of the critical temperature and quark potential with a renormalization group improved SU(3) gauge action

In this paper (the second of a series) we extend our calculation of a classical fixed point action for lattice $SU(3)$ pure gauge theory to include gauge configurations with large fluctuations. The action is parameterized in terms of closed loops of link variables. We construct a few-parameter approximation to the classical FP action which is valid for short correlation lengths. We perform a scaling test of the action by computing the quantity $G = L \sqrt{\sigma(L)}$ where t...

SU(3) lattice gauge theory is studied by means of an improved action where a $2 \times 2$ Wilson loop is supplemented to the standard plaquette term. By contrast to earlier studies using a tree level improvement, the prefactor of the $2 \times 2$ Wilson term is determined by minimizing the breaking of rotational symmetry detected from the static quark-antiquark potential. On coarse lattices, the novel action is superior to the Iwasaki action and comparable with DBW2 action. T...

We calculate numerically the renormalization group (RG) flow of lattice QCD in two-coupling space, $(\beta_{1\times 1},\beta_{1\times 2})$. This is the first explicit calculation of the RG flow of SU(3) gauge theory. From the RG flow,a renormalized trajectory (RT) is revealed. Its behavior is consistent with the strong coupling expansion near the high-temperature fixed point. Actions with $(\beta_{1\times 1},\beta_{1\times 2})$ are studied; the lattice spacing is evaluated by...

We present results of a detailed investigation of the temperature dependence of the spatial string tension in SU(2) gauge theory. We show, for the first time, that the spatial string tension is scaling on the lattice and thus is non-vanishing in the continuum limit. It is temperature independent below Tc and rises rapidly above. For temperatures larger than 2Tc we find a scaling behaviour consistent with sigma_s(T) = 0.136(11) g^4(T) T^2, where g(T) is the 2-loop running coup...

We present further evidence for the bulk nature of the phase transition line in the fundamental--adjoint action plane of SU(3) lattice gauge theory. Computing the string tension and some glueball masses along the thermal phase transition line of finite temperature systems with $N_t=4$, which was found to join onto the bulk transition line at its endpoint, we find that the ratio $\sqrt{\sigma} / T_c$ remains approximately constant. However, the mass of the $0^{++}$ glueball de...

We revise the $SU(N_c)$, $N_c=3,4,6$, lattice data on pure gauge theories at finite temperature by means of a quasi-particle approach. In particular we focus on the relation between the quasi-particle effective mass and the order of the deconfinement transition, the scaling of the interaction measure with $N^2_c -1$, the role of gluon condensate, the screening mass.

We summarize our recent work on the construction and properties of fixed point (FP) actions for lattice $SU(3)$ pure gauge theory. These actions have scale invariant instanton solutions and their spectrum is exact through 1--loop, i.e. in their physical predictions there are no $a^n$ nor $g^2 a^n$ cut--off effects for any $n$. We present a few-parameter approximation to a classical FP action which is valid for short correlation lengths. We perform a scaling test of the action...

Accurate determinations of the physical scale of a lattice action are required to check scaling and take the continuum limit. We present a high statistics study of the static potential for the SU(3) Wilson gauge action on coarse lattices ($5.54 \leq \beta \leq 6.0$). Using an improved analysis procedure we determine the string tension and the Sommer scale $r_0$ (and related quantities) to 1% accuracy, including all systematic errors. Combining our results with earlier ones on...

During the first part of this review we will focus on the thermodynamics of $SU(N)$ gauge theories at finite temperature. We will present results from a calculation of electric and magnetic screening masses for the gluons, discuss calculations of the critical temperature in units of the string tension and bulk thermodynamic quantities like the energy density and pressure. In particular, the latter calculations have now reached a stage where $O(a^2)$ cut-off effects can be con...

A detailed investigation of the temperature dependence of the spatial string tension $\sigma_s$ in $SU(2)$ gauge theory is presented. A sustained performance of 3~GFLOPS on a 64K Connection Machine CM-2 equivalent has been achieved. Scaling of $\sigma_s$ between $\beta=2.5115$ and $\beta=2.74$, on large lattices, is demonstrated. Below the critical temperature, $T_c$, $\sigma_s$ remains constant. For temperatures larger than $2T_c$ the temperature dependence can be parametriz...