The (IR-)relevance of the Gribov ambiguity in SU(2)×U(1) gauge theories with fundamental Higgs matter

Journal Article · Tue Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Annals of Physics (New York)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AOP.2014.01.014· OSTI ID:22314788

Capri, M. A.L., ^[1]; others, and

---

1. Departamento de Física Teórica, Instituto de Física, UERJ - Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 20550-013 Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

It is well accepted that dealing with the Gribov ambiguity has a major impact on correlation functions in gauge-fixed Yang–Mills theories, in particular in the low momentum regime where standard perturbation theory based on the Faddeev–Popov approach fails. Recent results, derived from functional tools (Dyson–Schwinger equations or exact RG) or the effective Gribov–Zwanziger action method, pointed towards e.g. gauge boson correlation functions that are not compatible with the properties of observable degrees of freedom. Although such an observation is a welcome feature for gauge theories exhibiting confinement, it would be a discomfort for gauge theories supplemented with Higgs fields, cf. the experimental success of the electroweak model based on a SU(2)×U(1) gauge group. The purpose of this short note is to assure that the effective action resolution to the Gribov ambiguity reduces to the standard Faddeev–Popov method in the perturbative regime of sufficiently small coupling/large Higgs condensate, thereby not compromising the physical particle spectrum of massive gauge bosons and a massless photon for the SU(2)×U(1) gauge–Higgs model. The closer the theory gets to the limit of vanishing Higgs condensate, the more the Gribov problem resurfaces with all its consequences. We give some speculations w.r.t. the Fradkin–Shenker insights about the phase diagram. -- Highlights: •Gribov horizon influences gauge propagators in a strong-coupling regime. •No influence of Gribov horizon in weak-coupling. •Inclusion of U(1) factor leads to very rich behavior of propagators.

• OSTI ID: 22314788
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics (New York), Vol. 343, Issue Complete; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-4916
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACTION INTEGRAL
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
COUPLING
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
GAUGE INVARIANCE
HIGGS BOSONS
HIGGS MODEL
PERTURBATION THEORY
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHOTONS
PROPAGATOR
STANDARD MODEL
STRONG-COUPLING MODEL
SU-2 GROUPS
U-1 GROUPS
WEINBERG-SALAM GAUGE MODEL
YANG-MILLS THEORY