Coulomb string tension, asymptotic string tension, and the gluon chain

TL;DR

This paper uses numerical simulations to analyze the non-perturbative Coulomb potential in SU(3) gauge theory, revealing a linear infrared behavior and a Coulomb string tension significantly larger than the asymptotic string tension.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed numerical computation of the Coulomb potential in Coulomb gauge for SU(3), clarifying the relationship between Coulomb and asymptotic string tensions.

Findings

Coulomb potential scales with asymptotic freedom

Coulomb potential is linear in the infrared

Coulomb string tension is about four times larger than the asymptotic string tension

Abstract

We compute, via numerical simulations, the non-perturbative Coulomb potential of pure SU(3) gauge theory in Coulomb gauge. We find that that the Coulomb potential scales nicely in accordance with asymptotic freedom, that the Coulomb potential is linear in the infrared, and that the Coulomb string tension is about four times larger than the asymptotic string tension. We explain how it is possible that the asymptotic string tension can be lower than the Coulomb string tension by a factor of four.