Vortex Structure in Abelian-Projected Lattice Gauge Theory

Abstract

We report on a breakdown of both monopole dominance and positivity in abelian-projected lattice Yang-Mills theory. The breakdown is associated with observables involving two units of the abelian charge. We find that the projected lattice has at most a global $Z_2$ symmetry in the confined phase, rather than the global U(1) symmetry that might be expected in a dual superconductor or monopole Coulomb gas picture. Implications for monopole and center vortex theories of confinement are discussed.

Comments: LATTICE99(confine), 3 pages, 2 figures