Three-gluon running coupling from lattice QCD at $N_f=2+1+1$: a consistency check of the OPE approach

Abstract

We present a lattice calculation of the renormalized running coupling constant in symmetric (MOM) and asymmetric ($\widetilde{\rm MOM}$) momentum substraction schemes including $u$, $d$, $s$ and $c$ quarks in the sea. An Operator Product Expansion dominated by the dimension-two $\langle A^2\rangle$ condensate is used to fit the running of the coupling. We argue that the agreement in the predicted $\langle A^2\rangle$ condensate for both schemes is a strong support for the validity of the OPE approach and the effect of this non-gauge invariant condensate over the running of the strong coupling.