Lattice QCD

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In physics, lattice quantum chromodynamics (lattice QCD) is a theory of quarks and gluons formulated on a space-time lattice. That is, it is a lattice model of quantum chromodynamics, a special case of a lattice gauge theory or lattice field theory.

Analytic or perturbative solutions in QCD are hard or impossible due to the highly nonlinear nature of the strong force. The formulation of QCD on a discrete rather than continuous space-time naturally introduces a momentum cut off at the order 1/a, which regularizes the theory. As a result lattice QCD is mathematically well-defined. Most importantly, lattice QCD provides the framework for investigation of non-perturbative phenomena such as confinement and quark-gluon plasma formation, which are intractable by means of analytic field theories.

Lattice QCD has already made contact with experiments at various fields with good results.

[edit] References

  • Creutz, Michael "Quarks, Gluons and Lattices" (Cambridge, 1983)
  • Degrand and De Tar "Lattice Methods for Quantum Chromodynamics" (World Scientific, 2006)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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