Continuum extrapolation of finite temperature meson correlation functions in quenched lattice QCD

TL;DR

This paper investigates the continuum limit of meson correlation functions at finite temperature in quenched lattice QCD, analyzing lattice effects and extrapolations to improve understanding of QGP properties.

Contribution

It provides a detailed continuum extrapolation of meson correlators at finite temperature using quenched lattice QCD with improved Wilson fermions, including thermal moments and implications for QGP conductivity.

Findings

Successful continuum limit extrapolations of vector and pseudo scalar correlators.

Analysis of lattice cut-off effects and finite volume impacts.

Insights into the electrical conductivity of the quark-gluon plasma.

Abstract

We explore the continuum limit $a\rightarrow 0$ of meson correlation functions at finite temperature. In detail we analyze finite volume and lattice cut-off effects in view of possible consequences for continuum physics. We perform calculations on quenched gauge configurations using the clover improved Wilson fermion action. We present and discuss simulations on isotropic $N_\sigma^3\times 16$ lattices with $N_\sigma=32,48,64,128$ and $128^3 \times N_\tau$ lattices with $N_\tau=16,24,32,48$ corresponding to lattice spacings in the range of $0.01 fm \lsim a \lsim\ 0.031 fm$ at $T\simeq1.45T_c$. Continuum limit extrapolations of vector meson and pseudo scalar correlators are performed and their large distance expansion in terms of thermal moments is introduced. We discuss consequences of this analysis for the calculation of the electrical conductivity of the QGP at this temperature.