Gluon propagator with dynamical quarks

Abstract

We review recent work on the effects of quark loops on the gluon propagator in the Landau gauge, relying mainly on the Schwinger-Dyson equations that describe the two-point sector of QCD. Particularly important in this context is the detailed study of how the standard gluon mass generation mechanism, which is responsible for the infrared finiteness of the quenched gluon propagator, is affected by the inclusions of dynamical quarks. This issue is especially relevant and timely, given the qualitative picture that emerges from recent unquenched lattice simulations. Our results demonstrate clearly that the gluon mass generation persists, and that the corresponding saturation points of the unquenched gluon propagators are progressively suppressed, as the number of quark flavors increases.