QCD versus Skyrme-Faddeev Theory

Abstract

We discuss the physical impacts of the ``Cho decomposition'' (or the ``Cho-Faddeev-Niemi-Shabanov decomposition'') of the non-Abelian gauge potential on QCD. We show how the decomposition makes a subtle but important modification on the non-Abelian dynamics, and present three physically equivalent quantization schemes of QCD which are consistent with the decomposition. In particular, we show that the decomposition enlarges the dynamical degrees of QCD by making the topological degrees of the non-Abelian gauge symmetry dynamical. Furthermore with the decomposition we show that the Skyrme-Faddeev theory of non-linear sigma model and QCD have almost identical topological structures. In specific we show that an essential ingredient in both theories is the Wu-Yang type non-Abelian monopole, and that the Faddeev-Niemi knots of the Skyrme-Faddeev theory can actually be interpreted to describe the multiple vacua of the SU(2) QCD. Finally we argue that the Skyrme-Faddeev theory is, just like QCD, a theory of confinement which confines the magnetic flux of the monopoles.