An Analytic Variational Study of the Mass Spectrum in 2+1 Dimensional SU(3) Hamiltonian Lattice Gauge Theory

TL;DR

This paper uses an analytic variational method to compute the mass spectrum of low-lying states in 2+1 dimensional SU(3) lattice gauge theory, providing insights into its non-perturbative structure.

Contribution

It introduces an analytic variational approach with a one-plaquette trial state to calculate mass gaps in SU(3) gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions.

Findings

Mass gaps calculated for symmetric and antisymmetric sectors.

Ground state approximated by a one-plaquette trial state.

Results provide analytic estimates of the mass spectrum.

Abstract

We calculate the masses of the lowest lying eigenstates of improved SU(2) and SU(3) lattice gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions using an analytic variational approach. The ground state is approximated by a one plaquette trial state and mass gaps are calculated in the symmetric and antisymmetric sectors by minimising over a suitable basis of rectangular states.