Ab Initio Calculation of Finite Temperature Charmonium Potentials

TL;DR

This study uses lattice QCD to calculate the interquark potential in charmonium at various temperatures, revealing increased screening and flattening of the potential as temperature rises.

Contribution

First ab initio calculation of finite temperature charmonium potentials using lattice QCD with a novel analysis method based on the Schrödinger equation.

Findings

Potential becomes flatter at higher temperatures

Screening effects increase with temperature

Potential differs significantly from zero-temperature case

Abstract

The interquark potential in charmonium states is calculated for the first time in both the zero and non-zero temperature phases from a first-principles lattice QCD calculation. Simulations with two dynamical quark flavours were used with temperatures T in the range 0.4 T_c \lesssim T \lesssim 1.7 T_c, where T_c is the deconfining temperature. The correlators of point-split operators were analysed to gain spatial information about the charmonium states. A method, introduced by the HAL QCD collaboration and based on the Schroedinger equation, was applied to obtain the interquark potential. We find a clear temperature dependence, with the central potential becoming flatter (more screened) as the temperature increases.