Non-Abelian Vortex and Confinement

TL;DR

This paper explores the properties of non-Abelian magnetic vortices in gauge theories with various symmetry groups, highlighting their potential role in explaining quark confinement through dual magnetic theories.

Contribution

It characterizes the types and properties of non-Abelian vortices in different gauge groups and discusses their implications for confinement mechanisms.

Findings

Non-Abelian vortices carry fractional and non-Abelian charges.

Vortices can emerge as dual magnetic objects in effective theories.

Potential link between vortices and quark confinement mechanisms.

Abstract

We discuss general properties and possible types of magnetic vortices in non-Abelian gauge theories (we consider here $G= SU(N), SO(N), USp(2N)$) in the Higgs phase. The sources of such vortices carry "fractional" quantum numbers such as $Z_n$ charge (for SU(N)), but also full non-Abelian charges of the dual gauge group. If such a model emerges as an effective dual magnetic theory of the fundamental (electric) theory, the non-Abelian vortices can provide for the mechanism of quark-confinement in the latter.