SU(N) Glueball Masses in 2+1 Dimensions

Abstract

We calculate the masses of the lowest lying eigenstates of improved SU(2), SU(3), SU(4) and SU(5) Hamiltonian lattice gauge theory (LGT) 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. Analytic techniques are developed to handle the group integrals arising in the calculation.