Topologically non-trivial configurations in 3-dimensional Yang-Mills theory

TL;DR

This paper develops criteria to identify topologically non-trivial configurations in 3D Yang-Mills theory and demonstrates their detection in lattice simulations, advancing understanding of gauge field topology.

Contribution

It introduces new criteria for locating topologically non-trivial configurations in lattice gauge theory, building on recent gauge-invariant characterizations.

Findings

Successfully identified topologically non-trivial configurations in lattice simulations.

Validated the criteria through numerical experiments.

Enhanced understanding of topological structures in 3D Yang-Mills theory.

Abstract

Recently Anishetty, Majumdar and Sharatchandra have proposed a way of characterizing topologically non-trivial configurations for 2+1-dimensional Yang-Mills theory in a local and manifestly gauge invariant manner. Here we develop criteria to locate such objects in lattice gauge theory and find them in numerical simulations.