Bulk-preventing actions for SU(N) gauge theories

Abstract

Lattice gauge field theories may suffer from unphysical "bulk" phase transitions at strong lattice gauge coupling. We introduce a one-parameter family of lattice SU(N) gauge actions which, when used in combination with an HMC update algorithm, prevents the appearance of the bulk phase transition. We briefly discuss the (presumed) mechanism behind the prevention of the bulk transition and present test results for different SU(N) gauge groups.

Comments: 14 pages, 8 figures, contains a refined discussion of the working principle of bulk-prevention in SU(N) gauge theories and a new appendix on the relation between bulk configurations and magnetic monopoles