Detection of Center Vortices in the Lattice Yang-Mills Vacuum
Abstract
We discuss the implementation of the ``direct'' maximal center gauge (a gauge which maximizes the lattice average of the squared-modulus of the trace of link variables), and its use in identifying Z(2) center vortices in Yang-Mills vacuum configurations generated by lattice Monte Carlo. We find that center vortices identified in the vacuum state account for the full asymptotic string tension. Scaling of vortex densities with lattice coupling, change in vortex size with cooling, and sensitivity to Gribov copies is discussed. Preliminary evidence is presented, on small lattices, for center dominance in SU(3) lattice gauge theory.
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