Light-cone Wilson loop in classical lattice gauge theory

TL;DR

This study uses classical lattice gauge theory simulations to measure the light-cone Wilson loop, revealing strong short-distance interactions and supporting the use of dimensionally reduced models for jet quenching analysis.

Contribution

First measurement of the light-cone Wilson loop with classical lattice gauge theory, providing insights into jet quenching mechanisms and validating dimensionally reduced approaches.

Findings

Strong interactions at short transverse distances suggest more efficient jet quenching.

Asymptotics of the Wilson loop remain unchanged across the light cone.

Infrared contributions to jet quenching can be studied with space-like domain simulations.

Abstract

The transverse broadening of an energetic jet passing through a non-Abelian plasma is believed to be described by the thermal expectation value of a light-cone Wilson loop. In this exploratory study, we measure the light-cone Wilson loop with classical lattice gauge theory simulations. We observe, as suggested by previous studies, that there are strong interactions already at short transverse distances, which may lead to more efficient jet quenching than in leading-order perturbation theory. We also verify that the asymptotics of the Wilson loop do not change qualitatively when crossing the light cone, which supports arguments in the literature that infrared contributions to jet quenching can be studied with dimensionally reduced simulations in the space-like domain. Finally we speculate on possibilities for full four-dimensional lattice studies of the same observable, perhaps by employing shifted boundary conditions in order to simulate ensembles boosted by an imaginary velocity.