CP-violating theta parameter in the domain model of the QCD vacuum

Abstract

A non-zero CP-violating $\theta$ parameter is treated in the domain model which assumes a cluster-like vacuum structure whose units are characterised in particular by a topological charge which is not necessarily an integer number. In the present paper we restrict consideration to rational values of the charge. The model has previously been shown to manifest confinement, spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking and the absence of an axial U(1) Goldstone boson. We find that the specific structure of the minima of the free energy density of the domain ensemble forces a $2\pi$-periodicity of observables in $\theta$ for any number of light quarks, that vacuum doubling occurs at $\theta=\pi$ for any $N_f>1$ and any value of topological charge $q$. These features are in agreement with expectations based on anomalous Ward identities and large $N_c$ effective theories. We find also additional values of $\theta$ depending on $q$ for which vacuum doubling occurs.