SU(2) potentials in quantum gravity

TL;DR

This study investigates how quantum gravity influences the potential between static charges in an SU(2) gauge field, revealing that confinement persists despite quantum gravitational effects.

Contribution

First simulation of SU(2) gauge potentials coupled with quantum gravity on simplicial lattices showing confinement and screening behaviors.

Findings

Linear potential in the confined phase

Screened Coulomb potential in the deconfined phase

Quantum gravity does not eliminate non-abelian confinement

Abstract

We present investigations of the potential between static charges from a simulation of quantum gravity coupled to an SU(2) gauge field on $6^{3}\times 4$ and $8^{3}\times 4$ simplicial lattices. In the well-defined phase of the gravity sector where geometrical expectation values are stable, we study the correlations of Polyakov loops and extract the corresponding potentials between a source and sink separated by a distance $R$. In the confined phase, the potential has a linear form while in the deconfined phase, a screened Coulombic behavior is found. Our results indicate that quantum gravitational effects do not destroy confinement due to non-abelian gauge fields.