Numerical indication that center vortices drive dynamical mass generation in QCD

TL;DR

This study demonstrates through lattice QCD calculations that center vortices are crucial for dynamical mass generation and chiral symmetry breaking, as removing vortices eliminates mass generation while vortices alone can produce it.

Contribution

First lattice QCD analysis showing the direct role of center vortices in dynamical mass generation in QCD.

Findings

Vortex removal eliminates dynamical mass generation.

Vortex-only fields can generate dynamical mass.

Supports vortices as key to chiral symmetry breaking and confinement.

Abstract

The first calculation of the response of the momentum space quark propagator to center vortices in the ground state fields of QCD is presented. Center vortices are identified on 2+1-flavour dynamical gauge fields with $m_\pi \simeq 156$ MeV to obtain the vortex-removed and vortex-only quark propagator. Dynamical mass generation is found to vanish upon vortex removal, while the vortex-only field is able to generate dynamical mass. These new signatures strengthen the lattice QCD evidence indicating that center vortices underpin both dynamical chiral symmetry breaking and quark confinement.