Studying mass generation for gluons

TL;DR

This paper investigates the nonperturbative origin of gluon mass generation in Yang-Mills theory using Dyson-Schwinger equations, highlighting the role of longitudinal massless poles in the process.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the dynamics behind gluon mass generation, identifying key parameters and mechanisms distinguishing massive and massless solutions.

Findings

Mass generation is linked to longitudinal massless poles.

Parameter distinguishes massive from decoupling solutions.

Evidence supports the role of longitudinal poles in mass generation.

Abstract

In covariant gauges, the gluonic mass gap in Yang-Mills theory manifests itself in the basic observation that the massless pole in the perturbative gluon propagator disappears in nonperturbative calculations, but the origin of this behavior is not yet fully understood. We summarize a recent study of the respective dynamics with Dyson-Schwinger equations in Landau-gauge Yang-Mills theory. We identify the parameter that distinguishes the massive Yang-Mills regime from the massless decoupling solutions, whose endpoint is the scaling solution. Similar to the PT-BFM scheme, we find evidence that mass generation in the transverse sector is triggered by longitudinal massless poles.