Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Nonperturbative'

In chapter 3 the relation between two different classes of perturbative non-BPS bi-spinor states of heterotic string theory and certain non-perturbative non-BPS D-brane states of the dual type I' theory is exhibited. The domains of stability of these states as well as their decay products in both theories are determined and shown to agree with the duality map. In chapter 4 the effects of the non-BPS D-instanton in type I theory and its M-theory origin is described. The starting point is the tree-level amplitude for the scattering of two gauge particles in the Hořava-Witten formulation of M-theory. At low momenta this exactly reproduces the corresponding tree-level scattering amplitude of the E₈ x E₈ heterotic string theory. After compactification to nine dimensions this amplitude is used to describe the scattering of two massive SO(16) spinor states. The non-BPS D-instanton component of this amplitude is explicitly determined from this expression. In chapter 5 the renormalization group method is used to study tachyon condensation on bosonic D25-brane. The decay of the D25-brane is controlled by a nearby IR fixed point representing D24-branes. The boundary entropy corresponding to the D24-brane tension is calculated in leading order in perturbation theory and agrees with the expected result to an accuracy of 8%. Multicritical behaviour of the IR theory suggests that the end point of the flow represents a configuration of two D24-branes. An analogy with Kondo physics is discussed. Chapter 6 ongoing developments in the context of little string theory and matrix theory.

The extreme electromagnetic or gravitational fields associated with some astrophysical objects can give rise to macroscopic effects arising from the physics of the quantum vacuum. Therefore, these objects are incredible laboratories for exploring the physics of quantum field theories. In this dissertation, we explore this idea in three astrophysical scenarios. In the early universe, quantum fluctuations of a scalar field result in the generation of particles, and of the density fluctuations which seed the large- scale structure of the universe. These fluctuations are generated through quantum processes, but are ultimately treated classically. We explore how a quantum-to-classical transition may occur due to non-linear self-interactions of the scalar field. This mechanism is found to be too inefficient to explain classicality, meaning fields which do not become classical because of other mechanisms may maintain some evidence of their quantum origins. Magnetars are characterized by intense magnetic fields. In these fields, the quantum vacuum becomes a non-linear optical medium because of interactions between light and quantum fluctuations of electron-positron pairs. In addition, there is a plasma surrounding the magnetar which is a dissipative medium. We construct a numerical simulation of electromagnetic waves in this environment which is non-perturbative in the wave amplitudes and background field. This simulation reveals a new class of waves with highly non-linear structure that are stable against shock formation. The dense nuclear material in a neutron star is expected to be in a type-II superconducting state. In that case, the star’s intense magnetic fields will penetrate the core and crust through a dense lattice of flux tubes. However, depending on the details of the free energy associated with these flux tubes, the nuclear material may be in a type-I state which completely expels the field. We compute the quantum corrections to the classical energies of these flux tubes by creating a new, massively parallel Monte-Carlo simulation. The quantum contribution tends to make a small contribution which adds to the classical free energy. We also find a non-local interaction energy with a sign that depends on the field profile and spacing between flux tubes.

Nonperturbative solutions to the Hubbard model are found by using the functional derivative method. A system of closed equations is obtained for the Green's functions of the Hubbard model. Exact expressions for the self-energy are derived which involve only first order functional derivatives. A scheme is proposed for systematically calculating self-energy corrections. We apply the solution to finite rings of two and four lattice sites and compare to the results of numerical calculations on these systems.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions le comportement à longue distance des membranes polymérisées en utilisant une approche de groupe de renormalization non-perturbative (NPRG). Après une présentation du NPRG, nous introduisons les membranes. Dans notre travail, nous nous concentrons sur différents types de membranes polymérisées: homogène, anisotrope et avec du désordre gelé́. De plus, nous avons aussi étudié les points de Lifshitz dans les systèmes magnétiques. Nos résultats, aussi bien pour les membranes que pour Lifshitz, se comparent bien aux résultats perturbatifs dans les différents cas limites: couplages faibles, basse température et large-d (ou large-n pour Lifshitz). Mais, en utilisant le NPRG, nous pouvons aller au de-là̀ de ces cas limites et atteindre les cas qui sont physiquement intéressants. La question de l'ordre de la transition entre la phase froissé et la phase plate dans les membranes homogènes est depuis longtemps sans une réponse définitive. Malgré̀ que nos résultats ne permettent pas encore de lever cette question, ils semblent indiquer que la transition est du premier ordre en accord avec des simulations récentes. Une propriété́ importante des membranes polymérisées est l'existence d'une phase plate à basse température avec un comportement non-trivial. Cette phase décrit correctement le comportement du graphène malgré̀ que les dégrées de liberté́ électroniques ne soient pas pris en compte

In this thesis we investigate unusual and non-trivial interplays between gravity and field theory. We concentrate on two examples, one related to holography and the other to the physics of false vacuum decay. In the first chapter we overview basic concepts and techniques from both these examples. In chapter 2 we construct solutions describing flows between AdS and Lifshitz spacetimes in IIB supergravity. We find that flows from AdS5 can approach either AdS3 or Lifshitz3 in the IR depending on the values of the deformation from AdS5. Surprisingly, the choice between AdS and Lifshitz in the IR depends only on the value of the deformation, not on its character; the breaking of the Lorentz symmetry in the flows with a Lifshitz IR is spontaneous. We find that the values of the deformation which lead to flows to Lifshitz make the UV field theory dual to the AdS5 geometry unstable, so that these flows do not offer an approach to defining the field theory dual to the Lifshitz spacetime. In chapter 3 we consider the possibility that small black holes can act as nu- cleation seeds for the decay of a metastable vacuum. Using a thin-wall bubble approximation for the nucleation process, we show that black holes can stimulate vacuum decay. In chapter 4 we apply this technique to the particular example of the Higgs potential with generic quantum gravity corrections. We show how small black holes can act as seeds for vacuum decay, spontaneously nucleating a new Higgs phase centred on the black hole with a lifetime measured in millions of Planck times rather than billions of years. The constraints on the parameter space of corrections to the Higgs potential are outlined. We demonstrate that for suitable parameter ranges, the vacuum decay process dominates over the Hawking evaporation process. We also comment on the application of these results to vacuum decay seeded by black holes produced in particle collisions. By relaxing the conditions for the thin-wall approximation and proceeding to the numerical calculations an expansion of the range of the parameter space is proposed.

This thesis describes the calculation of the form factors for four semileptonic decays. The decays considered are those where a pseudoscalar meson composed of a heavy and a light valence quark decays to a vector meson containing only light valence quarks. The form factors were calculated in nonperturbatively O(a) improved quenched lattice QCD. To estimate discretisation effects the calculation was done at b = 6.0 and b = 6.2, with lattice 16³ x 48 and 24³ x 48 respectively. Results are presented for the following semileptonic decays of charmed mesons: D_s (r) ?, D (r) K^* and D (r) ρ. The b = 6.2 and b = 6.0 results agree within errors. The b = 6.2 results were used to calculate integrated decay rates and form factor ratios at q² = 0. The lattice predictions for integrated decay rates are in reasonable agreement with experiment. In some cases the lattice form factor ratios differ significantly from experiment. The simulation results were extrapolated to obtain B (r) ρ form factors at high q². The lattice results and |V_ub| = 3.5 x 10^-3 gives the partially integrated decay rate DG(14 GeV² < q² < q²_max) = 8.7^+1.9_-1.2x 10⁷ s^-1 (lattice statistical errors). This is in agreement with the experimental results of the CLEO collaboration. The systematic error associated with the heavy quark extrapolation is estimated to be similar to the statistical error.

Bibliography: leaves 84-88
We present a collection of results on solitons in low-dimensional classical field theory. We begin by reviewing the geometrical setting of he nonlinear ơ-model and demonstrate the integrability of the theory in two-dimensions on a symmetric target manifold. After reviewing the construction of soliton solutions in the 0(3) ơ-model we consider a class of gauged nonlinear ơ-models on two-dimensional axially-symmetric target spaces. We show that, for a certain choice of self-interaction, these models are all self-dual and analyze the resulting Bogomol'nyi equations in the BPS limit using techniques from dynamical systems theory. Our analysis is then extended to topologically massive gauge fields. We conclude with a deviation into exploring links between four-dimensional self-dual Yang-Mills equations and various lower-dimensional field theories. In particular, we show that at the level of equations of motion, the Euclidean Yang-Mills equations in light-cone coordinates reduce to the two-dimensional nonlinear ơ-model.

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit Quantenfeldtheorien auf nicht-kommutativen Räumen. Solche Modelle treten im Zusammenhang mit der Stringtheorie und mit der Quantengravitation auf. Ihre nicht-störungstheoretische Behandlung ist üblicherweise schwierig. Hier untersuchen wir jedoch drei nicht-kommutative Quantenfeldtheorien nicht-perturbativ, indem wir die Wirkungsfunktionale in eine äquivalente Matrixformulierung übersetzen. In der Matrixdarstellung kann die jeweilige Theorie dann numerisch behandelt werden. Als erstes betrachten wir ein regularisiertes skalares Modell auf der nicht-kommutativen Ebene und untersuchen den Kontinuumslimes bei festgehaltener Nicht-Kommutativität. Dies wird auch als Doppelskalierungslimes bezeichnet. Insbesondere untersuchen wir das Verhalten der gestreiften Phase. Wir finden keinerlei Hinweise auf die Existenz dieser Phase im Doppelskalierungslimes. Im Anschluss daran betrachten wir eine vier-dimensionale U(1) Eichtheorie. Hierbei sind zwei der räumlichen Richtungen nicht-kommutativ. Wir untersuchen sowohl die Phasenstruktur als auch den Doppelskalierungslimes. Es stellt sich heraus, dass neben den Phasen starker und schwacher Kopplung eine weitere Phase existiert, die gebrochene Phase. Dann bestätigen wir die Existenz eines endlichen Doppelskalierungslimes, und damit die Renormierbarkeit der Theorie. Weiterhin untersuchen wir die Dispersionsrelation des Photons. In der Phase mit schwacher Kopplung stimmen unsere Ergebnisse mit störungstheoretischen Berechnungen überein, die eine Infrarot-Instabilität vorhersagen. Andererseits finden wir in der gebrochenen Phase die Dispersionsrelation, die einem masselosen Teilchen entspricht. Als dritte Theorie betrachten wir ein einfaches, in seiner Kontinuumsform supersymmetrisches Modell, welches auf der "Fuzzy Sphere" formuliert wird. Hier wechselwirken neutrale skalare Bosonen mit Majorana-Fermionen. Wir untersuchen die Phasenstruktur dieses Modells, wobei wir drei unterschiedliche Phasen finden.
This work deals with three quantum field theories on spaces with noncommuting position operators. Noncommutative models occur in the study of string theories and quantum gravity. They usually elude treatment beyond the perturbative level. Due to the technique of dimensional reduction, however, we are able to investigate these theories nonperturbatively. This entails translating the action functionals into a matrix language, which is suitable for numerical simulations. First we explore a scalar model on a noncommutative plane. We investigate the continuum limit at fixed noncommutativity, which is known as the double scaling limit. Here we focus especially on the fate of the striped phase, a phase peculiar to the noncommutative version of the regularized scalar model. We find no evidence for its existence in the double scaling limit. Next we examine the U(1) gauge theory on a four-dimensional spacetime, where two spatial directions are noncommutative. We examine the phase structure and find a new phase with a spontaneously broken translation symmetry. In addition we demonstrate the existence of a finite double scaling limit which confirms the renormalizability of the theory. Furthermore we investigate the dispersion relation of the photon. In the weak coupling phase our results are consistent with an infrared instability predicted by perturbation theory. If the translational symmetry is broken, however, we find a dispersion relation corresponding to a massless particle. Finally, we investigate a supersymmetric theory on the fuzzy sphere, which features scalar neutral bosons and Majorana fermions. The supersymmetry is exact in the limit of infinitely large matrices. We investigate the phase structure of the model and find three distinct phases. Summarizing, we study noncommutative field theories beyond perturbation theory. Moreover, we simulate a supersymmetric theory on the fuzzy sphere, which might provide an alternative to attempted lattice formulations.

We show that all fundamental barriers to simulations of various supersymmetric field theories in 3 and 4 dimensions with a lattice regulator can be removed with known and established methods and provide detailed procedures to accomplish this end for N=1 Super-Yang-Mills theory in 3 dimensions and N=4 Super-Yang-Mills theory in 4 dimensions. We also describe generalizations to various other 3 and 4D theories with varying levels of detail where appropriate and analyze a novel new approach to lattice supersymmetry: discretization of a particular topological twist of Super-Yang-Mills in 2 and 4 dimensions.
Nous montrons que les obstacles fondamentaux des simulations de différents domaines théoretiqe de champs supersymétriques de 3 et 4 dimensions avec Régularisation sur réseau peuvent être surmonté avec méthodes établies, et nous fournissons des procèdures dètaillées pour le théorie N=1 Super-Yang-Mills en 3 dimensions et N=4 Super-Yang-Mills en 4 dimensions. Nous décrivons, avec diffèrents niveaux de détail, les généralisations à divers autres thèories de 3 et 4D, et nous analysons un approche de réseau supersymétrie: discrétisation d'une torsion topologique de Super-Yang-Mills dans 2 et 4 dimensions.

Nonperturbative bare quark mass and coupling renormalization is studied for two flavor quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In particular, the β function for the case of Kogut-Susskind quarks is determined over the parameter space of existing lattice (spectrum) simulations from the existing spectrum data. This β function is combined with a series of finite temperature lattice simulations (N(t) = 4) to calculate the interaction measure, ε-3p, which together with the pressure yields the thermal equation of state. A method of computing the asymmetry, or Karsch, coefficients, is also given. These coefficients give the parameter renormalizations for anisotropic lattices. However, for the three points in parameter space that we studied (one using Wilson fermions and two using Kogut-Susskind fermions), a clear determination of the asymmetry coefficients could not be made because of the remarkable fact that ratios of masses measured in different directions on lattices with anisotropic couplings were Euclidean invariant.

This work is concerned with the breaking of chiral symmetry in gauge theories and the associated generation of a dynamical mass scale. We investigate this phenomenon in the context of a simple model, three dimensional QED, where the complicating factor of infinite renormalisations is absent. This model possesses an intrinsic scale, set by the coupling [e(^2)] = M, and it is the relationship between this and the dynamically generated mass scale that is of interest. The chiral symmetry breaking mechanism is investigated using the Schwinger Dyson equations which are then truncated in a nonperturbative manner using the Ball-Chiu vertex ansatz. The complexity of the resulting coupled fermion-photon system means that the photon is initially replaced by its perturbative form. Numerical investigations of this simplified system then reveal the existence of an exponential relationship, in terms of the dimensionless parameter N, between the intrinsic and dynamical mass scales, m ~ e(^2) exp(-cN). Contrary to the assertions of Appelquist et al the wavefunction renormalisation was found to be nonperturbative and crucial in determining this behaviour. The sensitivity of this mechanism to the nonperturbative behaviour of the photon is investigated. A simple analysis shows it to be far stronger than previously expected. This is confirmed by a numerical analysis of the coupled photon-fermion system which suggest the relationship between the two scales in the theory is of the form m ~ e(^2) exp(-cN(^2)). This model therefore illustrates how a large hierarchy of scales may naturally occur in a gauge theory, for instance N=3 m/a ~ 10(^-5). Finally an investigation of the gauge dependence of this approach is initiated. The softening of the photon in the low momentum region is shown to amplify automatically any inadequacy of the vertex ansatz by factors of O(a/m) in all but the Landau gauge. It is therefore expected that any incomplete vertex form will result in the generation of a "critical gauge", ɛ(_e), below which chiral symmetry breaking solutions will not exist. A path of further investigation is suggested.

Despite the vast success of the Standard Model of particle physics, it is no secret that is also has its shortcomings, thus providing incentive to look beyond the Standard Model for solutions. In this thesis we focus in particular on a model of horizontal flavor symmetry, unification via a universal Landau pole, emergent gravity, and dark matter. First we explain the observed hierarchies in the elementary fermion mass spectrum via a model based on the double tetrahedral group, the smallest discrete subgroup of SU(2), while relaxing previous assumptions of supersymmetry. A sequential symmetry breaking process results in a hierarchy in the Yukawa couplings. Just as the Standard Model raises questions on the origin of the fermion mass spectrum, it similarly raises questions on the origins of its gauge couplings. We have to look beyond the Standard Model for the possibility of a unified description of the electromagnetic, weak and strong forces. As an alternative to conventional unification, we assume the existence of a universal Landau pole in which the gauge couplings blow up at a common scale in the ultraviolet. We consider extensions of the minimal scenario, to see if there are cases that might be probed at a future hadron collider. Next we focus on gravity, the fourth fundamental force that has yet to be embedded in the Standard Model. We consider a model where gravity is an emergent phenomenon in which the graviton appears as a bound state of scalars. We show how this approach can accommodate an arbitrary metric. Lastly we turn to the issue of dark matter, a hypothetical form of matter believed to account for a large portion of the universe but with no place in the Standard Model. We specifically focus on fermionic dark matter that is charged under the simplest non-Abelian dark gauge group. Exotic, vector-like leptons that also transform under the dark gauge group group can mix with standard model leptons and serve as a portal between the dark and visible sectors. We present a framework based on symmetries that allows the mixing between the dark and visible sectors to be non-negligible, while simultaneously suppressing unwanted flavor-changing processes. By extending the particle content and symmetries of the Standard Model, we can solve its various issues. In this thesis we seek to explain the observed hierarchies in the fermion mass spectrum, provide a unified description of the three gauge couplings, generalize a model of emergent gravity, and create a model that gives rise to dark matter via a vector-like fermion portal.

La cosmologie moderne amène à étudier la théorie quantique des champs en espace-temps courbe. Les champs scalaires légers, notamment, génèrent un mécanisme simple pour l'inflation et les fluctuations primordiales. Cependant, les calculs de boucles de ces modèles contiennent des divergences infrarouges et séculaires qui requièrent des techniques de resommation. Dans ce but, on implémente le groupe de renormalisation non perturbatif pour des champs scalaires en espace-temps de De Sitter. Dans un premier temps, on applique l'Approximation de Potentiel Local (APL). On démontre que les effets infrarouges sont responsables d'une restauration de la symétrie, et qu'une masse est générée en accord avec l'approche stochastique. On étudie ensuite la limite d'espace-temps plat de notre formalisme en prenant la courbure $H\to 0$, ce qui reproduit un certain nombre de résultats connus. Enfin, on s'intéresse à l'expansion dérivative, qui va au-delà de l'APL. Son implémentation semble trop complexe dans le cas général d'un espace-temps courbe, mais les symétries de De Sitter permettent de trouver une représentation simple. On définit une prescription pour tous les ordres de l'expansion, puis on implémente le flot du terme de premier ordre dans le cas simple où la dépendance en champ est négligée
The nonperturbative renormalization group for quantum field theory in de Sitter space.The study of cosmology draws us to the topic of quantum fields in curved space-time. In particular, light scalar fields offer a simple mechanism for inflation and primordial fluctuations. When computing loop corrections to these models however, infrared and secular divergences appear which call for resummation techniques. To this end, we implement the nonperturbative renormalization group for quantum scalar fields on a fixed de Sitter background. First, the Local Potential Approximation (LPA) is applied. We show that there is always symmetry restoration due to infrared effects, and that mass is generated in agreement with the stochastic approach. Next, we study the flat space limit of our formalism by taking the curvature $H\to0$, and we check that it reproduces a number of known results. Finally, we discuss the derivative expansion, which goes beyond the LPA. Its implementation seems too complex in general curved space-times, but de Sitter symmetries allow for a simpler representation. We define a prescription for all orders of the expansion, and discuss the flow of the first order term in the simple case where we neglect the field dependency (LPA')

A detailed theoretical and numerical investigation of the behaviour of reactive systems under the influence of chaotic stirring is presented. These systems exhibit stationary solutions arising from the balance between chaotic advection and diffusion. Excessive stirring of such systems results in the termination of the reaction via a saddle-node bifurcation. The solution behaviour of these systems is analytically described using a recently developed nonperturbative, non-asymptotic variational method. This method involves fitting appropriate parameterised test functions to the solution, and also allows us to describe the bifurcations of these systems. This method is tested against numerical results obtained using a reduced one-dimensional reaction-advection-diffusion model. Four one- and two-component reactive systems with multiple homogeneous steady-states are analysed, namely autocatalytic, bistable, excitable and combustion systems. In addition to the generic stirring-induced saddle-node bifurcation, a rich and complex bifurcation scenario is observed in the excitable system. This includes a previously unreported region of bistability characterised by a hysteresis loop, a supercritical Hopf bifurcation and a saddle-node bifurcation arising from propagation failure. Results obtained with the nonperturbative method provide a good description of the bifurcations and solution behaviour in the various regimes of these chaotically stirred reaction-diffusion systems.

Doctor of Philosophy
A detailed theoretical and numerical investigation of the behaviour of reactive systems under the influence of chaotic stirring is presented. These systems exhibit stationary solutions arising from the balance between chaotic advection and diffusion. Excessive stirring of such systems results in the termination of the reaction via a saddle-node bifurcation. The solution behaviour of these systems is analytically described using a recently developed nonperturbative, non-asymptotic variational method. This method involves fitting appropriate parameterised test functions to the solution, and also allows us to describe the bifurcations of these systems. This method is tested against numerical results obtained using a reduced one-dimensional reaction-advection-diffusion model. Four one- and two-component reactive systems with multiple homogeneous steady-states are analysed, namely autocatalytic, bistable, excitable and combustion systems. In addition to the generic stirring-induced saddle-node bifurcation, a rich and complex bifurcation scenario is observed in the excitable system. This includes a previously unreported region of bistability characterised by a hysteresis loop, a supercritical Hopf bifurcation and a saddle-node bifurcation arising from propagation failure. Results obtained with the nonperturbative method provide a good description of the bifurcations and solution behaviour in the various regimes of these chaotically stirred reaction-diffusion systems.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Alysson Fábio Ferrari
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, 2017.
Na literatura encontramos argumentos tanto fenomenológicos quanto teóricos que favorecem o congelamento da constante de acoplamento da QCD a valores moderados no regime infravermelho. O acoplamento pode ser parametrizado em termos de uma massa efetiva para o gluon (mg) obtida dinamicamente através das equações de Schwinger- Dyson, cuja soluções são compatíveis com as simulações da QCD na rede. Primeiro nós consideramos o processo de aniquilação elétron-pósitron em hádrons Re+e- até O(3s) e adotamos o método de smearing sugerido por Poggio, Quinn e Weinberg para confrontar os dados experimentais com a teoria. Nós vamos usar como modelo teórico a QCD com uma constante de acoplamento finita no regime de baixas energias. Para encontrar o melhor fit entre os dados experimentais e teóricos, nós realizamos um test de 2, que dentro das incertezas do modelo , tem um valor mínimo quando mg=QCD está entre 1.2 - 1.4. Esses valores concordam com outras determinações fenomenológicas da razão mg=QCD e levam a uma carga efetiva s(0) 0.7. Nós comentamos como essas cargas efetivas poderiam afetar a escala de massa da dualidade global, a qual indica a fronteira entre a física perturbativa e não perturbativa. Calculamos tanto o potencial efetivo aprimorado no caso da QED escalar e da QCD com um escalar sem cor, como também a evolução do acoplamento escalar do Higgs () no Modelo Padrão. Em ambos os casos consideramos pontos fixos. No caso da QCD com o escalar sem carga de cor tanto a barreira associada ao polo de Landau quanto o mínimo do potencial mudam. Por outro lado, encontramos que a existência dos pontos fixos não perturbativos no infravermelho movem a evolução do acoplamento escalar na direcção da estabilidade. Para certos valores da constante de acoplamento da QCD no infravermelho, o potencial do Modelo Padrão pode ficar estável até a escala de Planck.
Several phenomenological and theoretical arguments favor a freezing of the Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) coupling constant in the infrared region at one moderate value. This coupling can be parameterized in terms of an effective dynamical gluon mass (mg) which is determined through Schwinger-Dyson equations, whose solutions are compatible with QCD lattice simulations. First we consider the electron-positron annihilation process into hadrons Re+e- up to O(3s) and we adopt the smearing method suggest by Poggio, Quinn and Weinberg to confront the experimental data with theory. As a theoretical model we use the aforementioned QCD coupling constant frozen in the low energy regime. In order to find the best fit between experimental data and theory we perform a 2 study, that, within the uncertainties of the approach, has a minimum value when mg=QCD is in the range 1.2 - 1.4. These values are in agreement with other phenomenological determinations of this ratio and lead to an infrared effective charge s(0) 0.7. We comment how this effective charge may affect the global duality mass scale that indicates the frontier between perturbative and nonperturbative physics. We also compute the improved effective potential in the case of scalar QED and QCD with a colorless scalar and compute the Standard Model scalar boson Higgs coupling () evolution. In both cases we consider fixed points. In the case of QCD with a colorless scalar not only the barrier associated to the Landau pole is changed but the local minimum of the potential is also changed. On the other hand we find that the existence of such nonperturbative infrared fixed point moves the evolution towards stability. For the phenomenological preferred IR value of the QCD coupling constant the standard model Higgs potential may be stable up to the Planck scale.

In questa tesi sono state applicate le tecniche del gruppo di rinormalizzazione funzionale allo studio della teoria quantistica di campo scalare con simmetria O(N) sia in uno spaziotempo piatto (Euclideo) che nel caso di accoppiamento ad un campo gravitazionale nel paradigma dell'asymptotic safety. Nel primo capitolo vengono esposti in breve alcuni concetti basilari della teoria dei campi in uno spazio euclideo a dimensione arbitraria. Nel secondo capitolo si discute estensivamente il metodo di rinormalizzazione funzionale ideato da Wetterich e si fornisce un primo semplice esempio di applicazione, il modello scalare. Nel terzo capitolo è stato studiato in dettaglio il modello O(N) in uno spaziotempo piatto, ricavando analiticamente le equazioni di evoluzione delle quantità rilevanti del modello. Quindi ci si è specializzati sul caso N infinito. Nel quarto capitolo viene iniziata l'analisi delle equazioni di punto fisso nel limite N infinito, a partire dal caso di dimensione anomala nulla e rinormalizzazione della funzione d'onda costante (approssimazione LPA), già studiato in letteratura. Viene poi considerato il caso NLO nella derivative expansion. Nel quinto capitolo si è introdotto l'accoppiamento non minimale con un campo gravitazionale, la cui natura quantistica è considerata a livello di QFT secondo il paradigma di rinormalizzabilità dell'asymptotic safety. Per questo modello si sono ricavate le equazioni di punto fisso per le principali osservabili e se ne è studiato il comportamento per diversi valori di N.

Nous étudions le modèle O (N) relativiste, une généralisation quantique de la théorie φ⁴ utilisée en physique statistique pour étudier des transitions de phase. Ce modèle décrit certaines transitions de phase quantiques telles que la transition isolant de Mott-superfluide dans un gaz de bosons piégés dans un réseau optique ou la transition paramagnétique-antiferromagnétique dans un aimant. En deux dimensions d’espace, ces systèmes sont fortement corrélés près de la transition. Nous les étudions à l’aide du groupe de renormalisation non perturbatif, une formulation du groupe de renormalisation de Wilson. Nous nous intéressons aux propriétés universelles au voisinage de la transition de phase quantique à température nulle. Ainsi, nous déterminons les fonctions d’échelle universelles qui définissent la thermodynamique et démontrons que ces fonctions sont reliées à celles décrivant la force de Casimir critique dans un système classique tridimensionel. Ensuite, nous étudions le spectre d’excitation dans la phase ordonnée à température nulle. Pour N = 2 et 3, nous établissons l’existence d’un mode d’amplitude aussi appelé « mode de Higgs » par analogie avec le mécanisme de Higgs en physique des hautes énergies. Pour N = 1, nous montrons l’existence d’un état lié pour des dimensions proches de trois. Enfin, nous calculons la dépendance en fréquence de la conductivité à température nulle et confirmons son universalité, en particulier à la transition. Nous établissons que l’une des composantes du tenseur de conductivité dans la phase ordonnée est une quantité « superuniverselle », ne dépendant ni de la distance au point critique ni de N
We study the relativistic O (N) model, a quantum generalization of the φ⁴ theory used in statistical physics to study some phase transitions. This model describes quantum phase transitions such as the Mott insulator-superluid transition in boson gases trapped in optical latices or the paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic transition in magnets. In two space dimensions, these systems exhibit strong correlations near the transition. We study them using the nonperturbative renormalization group, an implementation of Wilson’s renormalization group. We focus on the universal properties in the vicinity of the zero-temperature quantum phase transition. We determine the universal scaling functions which define the thermodynamics and we show that these functions are related to those describing the critical Casimir forces in a three-dimensional system. Then, we study the excitation spectrum in the zero-temperature ordered phase. For N = 2 and 3, we establish the existence of an amplitude mode, also called “Higgs mode” by analogy with the Higgs mechanism in high-energy physics. For N = 1, we show the existence of a bound state at dimensions close to three. Finally, we compute the frequency-dependent conductivity at zero temperature and confirm its universal character, in particular at the transition. We prove that one of the components of the conductivity tensor in the ordered phase is a “superuniversal” quantity depending neither on the distance to the critical point nor on N

We investigate classically (iso)spinning topological soliton solutions in (2+1)- and (3+1)-dimensional models; more explicitly isospinning lump solutions in (2+1) dimensions, Skyrme solitons in (2+1) and (3+1) dimensions and Hopf soliton solutions in (3 +1) dimensions. For example, such soliton types can be used to describe quasiparticle excitations in ferromagnetic quantum Hall systems, can model spin and isospin states of nuclei and may be candidates to model glueball configurations in QCD.Unlike previous work, we do not impose any spatial symmetries on the isospinning soliton configurations and we explicitly allow the isospinning solitons to deform and break the symmetries of the static configurations. It turns out that soliton deformations clearly cannot be ignored. Depending on the topological model under investigation they can give rise to new types of instabilities, can result in new solution types which are unstable for vanishing isospin, can rearrange the spectrum of minimal energy solutions and can allow for transitions between different minimal-energy solutions in a given topological sector. Evidently, our numerical results on classically isospinning, arbitrarily deforming solitons are relevant for the quantization of classical soliton solutions.

The central theme in this thesis is compactifications: reductions of higher dimensional theories to lower dimensions and how the geometry of the compactification manifold determines features of the low energy physics. This is studied in the context of non-perturbative string theory in the framework of M-theory and F-theory. Supersymmetry requires the compactification manifold in F-theory to be an elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau, where the complex structure of the elliptic fibration is identified with the complexified coupling constant in type IIB string theory. The non-perturbative nature of the theory originates from the strong-weak duality of type IIB, which manifests itself as the SL(2;Z) modular transformation of the complex structure. Non-abelian gauge symmetries arise naturally in this framework and engineering Grand Uni ed Theories within F-theory has been an active area of research. Compactifications on Calabi-Yau four-folds give rise to gauge theories with N = 1 supersymmetry in four dimensions coupled to gravity. In the first part of this thesis we focus on abelian gauge symmetries in F-theory, which are essential in SU(5) GUTs for forbidding couplings which result in fast proton decay. These arise from rational sections in the elliptic fibration and from the geometric constraints on these sections one can determine the set of possible U(1) charges of GUT matter representations. Armed with this constrained set of charges we then proceed to study the phenomenology of these abelian gauge symmetries in the context of SU(5) GUT models. We analyse their e ectiveness at suppressing proton decay operators and explore the types of realistic flavour textures that can be generated using the Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism. In the latter part of this thesis the focal point changes to M5-branes, one of the two fundamental objects of M-theory. The theory of multiple M5-branes is known to be a 6d N = (2; 0) superconformal eld theory, of which only the space-time symmetries and abelian equations of motion have been determined. In spite of this, fascinating correspondences have been shown to arise from the reduction of the M5-brane theory to lower dimensions. In particular, supersymmetric observables in the reduced theories capture non-trivial aspects of the geometry of the compactification manifold. The final chapter of this thesis studies the compactification of the 6d N = (2; 0) theory on the two-sphere as a step towards deriving a correspondence related to four-manifolds.

Die vorliegende Dissertationarbeit ist dem Problem der analytischen Beschreibung des Confinement-Mechanismus in der QCD und in anderen Eichtheorien gewidment. Als Leitprinzip der Arbeit wurde das sogenannte Wilsonsche-Confinement-Kriterium gewählt, gemäss welchem diese Erscheinung durch eine effektive Stringtheorie beschrieben werden kann. Die entstehenden Strings des Eichfeldes verbinden farbige-Objekte (Quarks, Gluonen) miteinander und hindern ihr Auseinandergehen auf makroskopische Abstände. Es werden verschiedene Verfahren der Ableitung dieser Stringstheorien aus unterschiedlichen Eichtheorien, einschliesslich der QCD, vorgestellt. Kapitel 2 enthält die Untersuchung der nichtlokalen effektiven Stringwirkung, die im Rahmen des sogenannten stochastischen Vakuum-Modells der QCD entsteht, wobei die Wechselwirkung zwischen den Elementen der String-Weltfläche durch den phänomenologischen Background-Gluon-Propagator vermittelt wird. Durch Entwicklung dieser Wirkung nach Ableitungen wurden die ersten Terme niedrigster Ordnung bestimmt. Die ersten beiden Terme dieser Entwicklung sind die Nambu-Goto- und Rigidity-Terme mit Kopplungskonstanten, die sich durch das Gluon-Kondensat und die Korrelationlänge des QCD-Vakuums ausdrücken lassen. Die Vorzeichen dieser Konstanten zeigen, dass die durch dieses Verfahren erhaltenen Strings stabil sind. Danach wurde eine mögliche Lösung des ``Crumpling'' Problems auf der Basis eines zusätzlichen topologischen Stringtermes im Instantongas-Modell des QCD-Vakuums vorgestellt. Mittels Störungstheorie im nicht-störungstheoretischen QCD-Background berechneten wir zusätzliche-Korrekturen zur ursprünglichen nicht-störungstheoretischen Stringwirkung. Diese Korrekturen führen zu neuen Formen der nichtlokalen effektiven Stringwirkung, die den störungstheoretischen Gluon-Propagator im Backgroundfeld zwischen den Elementen der Weltfläche enthalten. Durch Ableitungsentwicklung dieser Wirkung bekommen wir eine Korrektur zur Kopplungskonstante des Rigidity-Terms; die Stringsspannung des Nambu-Goto-Terms jedoch bleibt unverändert. Am Ende dieses Kapitels wurde der Hamilton-Operator des QCD-Strings mit spinlosen Quarks hergeleitet, der der effektiven Stringwirkung mit Rigidity-Term entspricht. Dieser Hamilton-Operator liefert einen Korrekturterm zur Wechselwirkung im relativistischen Quarkmodell-Operator. Im Kapitel 3 untersuchten wir das Problem der Stringdarstellung von Abelsch-projezierten Eichtheorien. Als erstes wurde die Herleitung der Stringdarstellung der erzeugenden Funktion für das einfachste Modell dieser Art, d.h. die Abelsch-projezierte SU(2)-QCD gegeben, die einem dualen Abelschen Higgs-Modell mit äusseren elektrisch geladendenen Teilchen äquivalent ist. Der Vorteil dieses Stringszuganges im Vergleich zum Zugang des stochastischen Vakuum-Modells der QCD besteht in der Berücksichtigung der Integration über String-Weltflächen, die auf Grund der Integration über den Singulärteil der Higgsfeld-Phase entsteht. Zusätzlich zur Stringdarstellung der erzeugenden Funktion wurde im London-Limes die Stringdarstellung für die erzeugenden Funktionale der Feldstärke- und Monopolstromkorrelatoren hergeleitet. Dies gab uns die Möglichkeit, die entsprechenden bilokalen Kumulanten zu finden und zu zeigen, dass die bilokalen Kumulanten der Feldstärke für grosse Abstände das gleiche Verhalten wie die entsprechenden eichinvarianten Kumulanten der QCD zeigen. Das Letztere wurde durch das stochastische Vakuum-Modell vorhergesagt und durch Gitterexperimente berechnet. Dieses Ergebnis unterstützt einerseits die Methode der Abelschen Projektion und gibt anderseits dem stochastischen Vakuum-Modell der QCD einen neuen feldtheoretischen Status. Danach erweiterten wir unsere Analyse über den Rahmen des London-Limes hinaus untersuchten den Zusammenhang von quartischen Kumulanten und bilokalen Kumulanten. Anschliessend wurde die Stringdarstellung der SU(3)-Gluodynamik hergeleitet. Dabei wurde die Stringdarstellung für ein entsprechendes duales Modell formuliert, das drei Arten des magnetischen Higgs-Feldes enthält. Infolgedessen liefert das Modell drei Strings, von denen nur zwei wirklich unabhängig sind. Alle diese Strings wechselwirken untereinander durch Austausch zweier massiver dualer Eichbosonen. Ausserdem erhielten wir die bilokalen Kumulanten des effektiven dualen Modells der SU(3)-Gluodynamik. Die entsprechenden bilokalen Kumulanten zeigen für grosse Abstände ein Verhalten wie es durch das stochastische Vakuum-Modell vorhergesagt wurde. Zum Schluss dieses Kapitels geben wir eine nützliche Darstellung für erzeugende Funktionen von Abelsch-projezierten Theorien in Form von Integralen über Monopolströme an. Im Kapitel 4 wurde ein weiteres Modell untersucht, das eine analytische Beschreibung des Confinement-Mechanismus zulässt, nämlich die 3D kompakte QED. Für den Wilson-Loop der entsprechenden Theorie mit Monopoldichten wurde die Äquivalenz zur sogenannten Confining-Stringtheorie demonstriert. Ausserdem wurde das Verhalten der bilokalen Kumulante der Feldstärke im Limes schwacher Felder untersucht. Dieses Verhalten befindet sich ebenfalls in Übereinstimmung mit den Voraussagen des stochastischen Vakuum-Modells. Erwartungsgemäss sind die Stringdarstellungen der erzeugenden Funktionen der 3D kompakten QED im Limes schwacher Felder und der dualen Abelschen Higgs-Modelle sehr ähnlich. Wir zeigten ausserdem, dass diese Entsprechung nicht zufällig ist. Die 3D kompakte QED ergibt sich nämlich im Limes verschwindender Eichbosonmasse aus dem 3D Abelschen Higgs-Modell mit äusseren Monopolen. Zum Schluss wurde ein allgemeines Verfahren der Beschreibung der Anregungen der Stringweltfläche in Abelsch-projezierten Theorien (kompakte QED und QCD) ausgearbeitet. Es ist auf der Methode der nicht-linearen Sigma-Modelle gegründet und gibt eine Möglichkeit, die in diesen Fluktuationen quadratische Effektive Wirkung zu erhalten. In der Dissertation wurden analytische nicht-störungstheoretische Verfahren ausgearbeitet, die neue Informationen über den Confinement-Mechanismus in der QCD und anderen Eichtheorien liefern und zum besseren Verständnis der Vakuumstruktur dieser Theorien beitragen können. Sie sind insbesondere relevant für die Herleitung effektiver Stringtheorien aus Eichtheorien.
The main problem addressed in the present Dissertation was an attempt of an analytical description of confinement in QCD and other gauge theories. As a guiding principle for our investigations served the so-called Wilson's picture of confinement, according to which this phenomenon can be described in terms of some effective theory of strings, joining coloured objects to each other and preventing them from moving apart to macroscopic distances. In this Dissertation, we have proceeded with a derivation of such string theories corresponding to various gauge ones, including QCD, i.e. with the solution of the problem of string representation of gauge theories. We have started our analysis with the nonlocal string effective action, arising within the so-called Stochastic Vacuum Model of QCD, where the interaction between the string world-sheet elements is mediated by the phenomenological background gluon propagator. By performing the derivative expansion of this action, we have derived the first few terms of a string Lagrangian. The first two nontrivial of them turned out to be the Nambu-Goto and rigidity terms with the coupling constants expressed completely via the gluonic condensate and correlation length of the QCD vacuum. The signs of these constants ensure the stability of strings in the so-obtained effective string theory. After that, we have investigated the problem of crumpling for the string world-sheets by derivation of the topological string term in the instanton gas model of the gluodynamics vacuum. Next, by making use of perturbation theory in the nonperturbative QCD vacuum, we have calculated perturbative corrections to the obtained string effective action. Those lead to a new form of the nonlocal string effective action with the propagator between the elements of the world-sheet being the one of a perturbative gluon in the confining background. By the derivative expansion of this action, we got a correction to the rigidity term coupling constant, whereas the string tension of the Nambu-Goto term occurs to get no corrections due to perturbative gluonic exchanges. Finally, we have derived the Hamiltonian of QCD string with spinless quarks at the ends, associated with the obtained string effective action including the rigidity term. In the particular case of vanishing orbital momentum of the system, this Hamiltonian reduces to that of the so-called relativistic quark model, albeit with some modifications due to the rigidity term, which might have some influence on the dynamics of the QCD string with quarks. All these topics have been elaborated on in Section 2, and form the essence of the string representation of QCD within the Stochastic Vacuum Model. In Section 3, we have addressed the problem of string representation of Abelian-projected theories. In this way, we have started with the string representation for the partition function of the simplest model of this kind, namely the Abelian-projected SU(2)-QCD, which is argued to be the dual Abelian Higgs Model with external electrically charged particles. The advantage of this approach to the string representation of QCD w.r.t. the one based on the Stochastic Vacuum Model is a possibility to get an integration over the string world-sheets, resulting from the integration over the singular part of the phase of the Higgs field. After the string representation of the partition function in the London limit, we have proceeded with the string representation for the generating functionals of the field strength and monopole current correlators. Those enabled us to find the corresponding bilocal cumulants and demonstrate that the large-distance asymptotic behaviour of the bilocal field strength cumulant matches the one of the corresponding gauge-invariant cumulant in QCD, predicted by the Stochastic Vacuum Model and measured in the lattice experiments. This result supports the method of Abelian projection on the one hand and gives a new field-theoretical status to the Stochastic Vacuum Model on the other hand. After that, we have extended our analysis beyond the London limit, and studied the relation of the quartic cumulant, which appears there, with the bilocal one in the London limit. Next, by making use of the Abelian projection method, we have addressed the problem of string representation of the SU(3)-gluodynamics. Namely, we have casted the related dual model, containing three types of magnetic Higgs fields, into the string form. Consequently, the latter one turned out to contain three types of strings, among which only two ones were actually independent. As a result, we have found, that both the ensemble of strings as a whole and individual strings display confining properties in a sense that all types of strings (self)interact via the exchanges of the massive dual gauge bosons. We have also derived bilocal cumulants in the effective dual model of confinement, corresponding to the SU(3)-gluodynamics, and they turned out to be also in line with the ones predicted by the Stochastic Vacuum Model. In conclusion of this topic, we have obtained another useful representation for the partition functions of the Abelian-projected theories in the form of an integral over the monopole currents. In Section 4, we have studied another model, allowing for an analytical description of confinement, which is 3D compact QED. In this way, by virtue of the integral over the monopole densities, we have derived string representation for the Wilson loop in this theory and demonstrated the correspondence of this representation to another recently found one, the so-called confining string theory. After that, we have calculated the bilocal cumulant of the field strength tensors in the weak-field limit of the model under study. It also turned out to be in line with the general concepts of the Stochastic Vacuum Model and therefore matches the corresponding results known from the lattice measurements in QCD and found analytically for the effective Abelian-projected theories in the previous Section. Besides that, string representations of the partition functions of the weak-field limit of 3D compact QED and of the dual Abelian Higgs Model turned out to be also quite similar. We have illustrated later on that this correspondence is not accidental. Namely, we have shown that 3D compact QED is nothing else, but the limiting case of 3D Abelian Higgs Model with external monopoles, corresponding to the vanishing gauge boson mass. Finally, we have elaborated on a unified method of description of the string world-sheet excitations in the Abelian-projected theories, compact QED, and QCD, based on the techniques of nonlinear sigma-models, and obtained the effective action, quadratic in the world-sheet fluctuations. In conclusion, the proposed nonperturbative techniques provide us with some new information on the mechanisms of confinement in QCD and other gauge theories and shed some light on the vacuum structure of these theories. They also show the relevance of string theory to the description of this phenomenon and yield several prescriptions for the construction of the adequate string theories from the corresponding gauge ones.

The multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree-Fock (MCTDHF) and multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) methods are employed to investigate nonperturbative multielectron dynamics in finite quantum systems. MCTDHF is a powerful tool that allows for the investigation of multielectron dynamics in strongly perturbed quantum systems. We have developed an MCTDHF code that is capable of treating problems involving three dimensional (3D) atoms and molecules exposed to strong laser fields. This code will allow for the theoretical treatment of multielectron phenomena in attosecond science that were previously inaccessible. These problems include complex ionization processes in pump-probe experiments on noble gas atoms, the nonlinear effects that have been observed in Ne atoms in the presence of an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) and the molecular rearrangement of cations after ionization. An implementation of MCTDH that is optimized for two electrons, each moving in two dimensions (2D), is also presented. This implementation of MCTDH allows for the efficient treatment of 2D spin-free systems involving two electrons; however, it does not scale well to 3D or to systems containing more that two electrons. Both MCTDHF and MCTDH were used to treat 2D problems in nanophysics and attosecond science. MCTDHF is used to investigate plasmon dynamics and the quantum breathing mode for several electrons in finite lateral quantum dots. MCTDHF is also used to study the effects of manipulating the potential of a double lateral quantum dot containing two electrons; applications to quantum computing are discussed. MCTDH is used to examine a diatomic model molecular system exposed to a strong laser field; nonsequential double ionization and high harmonic generation are studied and new processes identified and explained. An implementation of MCTDHF is developed for nonuniform tensor product grids; this will allow for the full 3D implementation of MCTDHF and will provide a means to investigate a wide variety of problems that cannot be currently treated by any other method. Finally, the time it takes for an electron to tunnel from a bound state is investigated; a definition of the tunnel time is established and the Keldysh time is connected to the wavefunction dynamics.

L'objet de cette thèse est l'étude de phénomènes critiques hors-équilibre. Pour décrire ces systèmes, l'utilisation d'équations de Langevin est souvent incontournable car elles permettent une description heuristique relativement simple du phénomène, construite en ajoutant un terme de bruit à la dynamique macroscopique. J'ai montré qu'il est toutefois possible, dans le cas des processus de réaction-diffusion, d'aller au delà de cette approche et de dériver une équation de Langevin exacte qui décrit la dynamique au niveau microscopique. Une seconde partie de ma thèse est consacrée à l'étude de modèles spécifiques de phénomènes critiques hors-équilibre à l'aide du groupe de renormalisation non-perturbatif (NPRG), une version moderne des blocs de spins de Wilson et Kadanoff. À l'équilibre, cet outil tire son succès de sa capacité à contrôler les fluctuations au voisinage de la transition grâce à un régulateur. Hors équilibre, les fluctuations temporelles doivent être traitées de la même façon, et j'ai donc conçu un régulateur qui contrôle à la fois les fluctuations spatiales et temporelles. Enfin, j'ai appliqué le NPRG à un modèle d'érosion. En effet, l'apparition générique de lois d'échelles dans les paysages suggère l'existence d'un mécanisme sous-jacent qui conduit ces systèmes à leur point critique. L'équation de Kardar-Parisi-Zhang modélise l'érosion à grande échelle (>2 km), mais ne s'accorde pas aux observations à plus petite échelle. Un modèle différent, tenant compte de l'anisotropie (la pente d'une montagne), fut donc suggéré. À l'aide du NPRG, je montre que ce modèle possède une ligne de points fixes qui correspond à un domaine continu d'exposants d'échelle
This manuscript is focused on the study of critical phenomena taking place out-of-equilibrium. In the description of such phenomena, Langevin equations are ubiquitous and are usually derived in a phenomenological way by adding a noise term to a deterministic mean-field equation. However, I show that for reaction-diffusion processes it is in fact possible to derive an exact Langevin equation from the microscopic process. A second part of my thesis work has been devoted to the study of specific nonequilibrium critical phenomena using the nonperturbative renormalization group (NPRG), which is a modern implementation of Wilson and Kadanoff's block-spin idea. This tool, very powerful in an equilibrium context, takes care of the growing spatial fluctuations that arise near criticality through the use of a regulator. In a nonequilibrium context, the temporal fluctuations also have to be controlled. I have therefore designed a regulator that tackles both spatial and temporal fluctuations. Finally, I have applied the NPRG techniques to a model of landscape erosion: indeed, the generic scaling behaviour that appear in erosional landscapes suggests the existence of an underlying mechanism naturally fine-tuned to be critical. The Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation seems to give a correct model for landscape erosion at large length scale (>2 km), but fails to predict the scaling observed at smaller scale. A different model was thus suggested which takes into account the intrinsic anisotropy at smaller length scale (the slope of the mountain). Using NPRG techniques, I show that this model possesses a line of fixed points associated with a continuous range of scaling exponents

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Neste tese, estudamos os efeitos não perturbativos associados à presença do horizonte de Gribov e à condensação de operadores locais de dimensão dois, numa teoria de Yang-Mills euclidiana em SU(2), quantizada no calibre abeliano maximal. Estes efeitos são introduzidos de modo a preservar as propriedades de renormalizabilidade e localidade da teoria, e refletem-se diretamente no comportamento dos propagadores. A comparação com os dados da rede indicam um bom acordo qualitativo.
In this, we study the nonperturbative effects associated to the presence of the horizon and to the condensation of local dimension two operators in an Eucledean SU(2)Yang-Mills theory quantized in the maximal Abelian gauge. Such effects are introduced in a way to preserve the properties of renormalizability and locality of the theory. The comparison with the lattice data indicates a good qualitative agreement.

Nonperturbative methods in particle physics are introduced. Three nonperturbative approaches are used to extend chiral perturbation theory. Dispersive technique is used to address the asymptotic limit and structure of the pion form factor performing the matching with the constraints of perurbative QCD and chiral perurbation theory. Models of Bosonization technique are used to generate an effective action directly from QCD in order to predict the size of the low energy constants strictly from theory. A simple constituent quark model is also suggested to study the model dependence of [special characters omitted] non-leptonic hyperon decay amplitudes arising from isospin mixing. Finally, spin-dependent physics of monopoles are introduced to examine Montonen-Olive's electromagnetic duality conjecture by studying the long-range field of the different states in the N = 2 BPS monopole supermultiplet.

In this thesis we have studied the structure of the kaon using the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model with the proper-time regularisation scheme to simulate the effect of quark confinement. The separate contributions of each flavour to the elastic form factor are calculated with and without the effect of dressing at the quark-photon vertex. In comparison with the existing experimental data, our model shows a remarkable agreement. We found the contribution of the anti-strange quark sector form factor of the kaon dominates for Q² ≥ 1.6 GeV², whereas the contribution of the u-quark sector form factor of the kaon is larger for Q² ≤ 1.6 GeV². Clearly the difference in quark masses leads to a dramatic difference between the anti-strange quark and the up quark contribution to the kaon form factors. We observed the structure of the kaon with a particular interest in the effects of the larger mass of the strange quark. At present, a detailed understanding of the pion and kaon structure is hampered by the rather small sample of experimental data. It is known that uᴋ is somewhat at softer that uπ in large-x valence region, which we will show is a natural consequence of the larger mass of the spectator strange quark in the K⁺. While at the present time, one does not know the separate flavour contributions to the kaon elastic form factor and one may hope that it will prove possible to measure them in future. Given the phenomenological importance of the Drell-Yan-West relation (DYWR), it is certainly of considerable theoretical interest to compare the flavour dependence of the large-x PDFs with corresponding large-Q² behaviour of the separate flavour contributions to the elastic form factors. We also investigate the effect of the spectator quark mass on the PDF for a given quark flavor, finding satisfactory agreement with the experimental ratio uᴋ+(x) / uπ+(x) . We conclude with a discussion of the relationship of the large-x behaviour of a PDF and the high-Q² behaviour of the contribution to the elastic form factor from the same quark. The comparison of the asymptotic behaviour of the individual flavour form factors and parton distributions is fascinating. While all elastic form factors in the NJL model behave as 1 / Q² at larger Q², as already noted, the total K⁺ and π⁺ form factors only differ by about 10% in that region. As a reflection of the DYWR, we conclude that this dominance of the elastic form factor for the s-quark [s with macron] at large Q² is mirrored in the dominance of the strange PDF at large-x, with sᴋ+(x) / uᴋ+(x) [s with macron] 3 : 1 at large-x.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences, 2016.

Bibliography: p. 156-162.
Chronological list of the author's works: p. 155.
viii, 162 p. : ill. ; 30 cm.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physics and Mathematical Physics, 2002

In this thesis, we construct two QCD based energy loss models to perform quantitative analysis of jet quenching observables in ultra-relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC and the LHC. We first build up a perturbative QCD based CUJET2.0 jet flavor tomography model that couples the dynamical running coupling DGLV opacity series to bulk data constrained relativistic viscous hydrodynamic backgrounds. It solves the strong heavy quark energy loss puzzle at RHIC and explains the surprising transparency of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) at the LHC. The observed azimuthal anisotropy of hard leading hadrons requires a path dependent jet-medium coupling in CUJET2.0 that implies physics of nonperturbative origin. To explore the nonperturbative chromo-electric and chromo-magnetic structure of the strongly-coupled QGP through jet probes, we build up a new CUJET3.0 framework that includes in CUJET2.0 both Polyakov loop suppressed semi-QGP chromo-electric charges and emergent chromo-magnetic monopoles in the critical transition regime. CUJET3.0 quantitatively describes the anisotropic hadron suppression at RHIC and the LHC. More significantly, it provides a robust connection between the long wavelength "perfect fluidity'' of the QGP and the short distance jet transport in the QGP. This framework paves the way for ``measuring'' both perturbative and nonperturbative properties of the QGP, and more importantly for probing color confinement through jet quenching.

The method of modal field theory is a new development in the field of nonperturbative quantum field theory. This approach reduces a quantum field theory to a finite-dimensional quantum mechanical system by expanding field configurations in terms of free-wave modes. In this dissertation we apply this method to three-dimensional &phis;4 theory using two kinds of modal field approaches: a spherical partial wave expansion and a periodic-box mode expansion. The resulting modal-field quantum-mechanical systems are analyzed with the use of the diffusion Monte Carlo method and by calculating the spectrum and eigenstates of the Hamiltonian directly. In the latter approach we employ the recently introduced quasi-sparse eigenvector method which is designed to diagonalize infinite-dimensional yet very sparse matrices. We study the phase structure of three-dimensional &phis;4 theory, computing the critical coupling and the critical exponents ν and β. We also investigate the spectrum of low-lying energy eigenstates and find evidence of a nonperturbative state in the broken-symmetry phase of the theory.