Calculating the Jet Quenching Parameter $\hat{q}$ in Lattice Gauge Theory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a non-perturbative lattice gauge theory framework to calculate the jet quenching parameter $\

Contribution

It develops a first-principles method to compute jet modification effects in a thermal medium using lattice gauge theory and operator product expansion.

Findings

Computed the leading order transverse momentum broadening in quenched SU(2) lattice gauge theory.

Established a connection between non-perturbative operator products and local operator expectations.

Provided a new approach for non-perturbative jet quenching calculations.

Abstract

We present a framework where first principles calculations of jet modification may be carried out in a non-perturbative thermal environment. As an example of this approach, we compute the leading order contribution to the transverse momentum broadening of a high energy (near on-shell) quark in a thermal medium. This involves a factorization of a non-perturbative operator product from the perturbative process of scattering of the quark. An operator product expansion of the non-perturbative operator product is carried out and related via dispersion relations to the expectation of local operators. These local operators are then evaluated in quenched SU(2) lattice gauge theory.