Defining the force between separated sources on a light front

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Physical Review, D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.60.045001· OSTI ID:357346

Rozowsky, J S; Thorn, C B ^[1]

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1. Institute for Fundamental Theory, Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States)

The Newtonian character of gauge theories on a light front requires that the longitudinal momentum P{sup +}, which plays the role of Newtonian mass, be conserved. This requirement conflicts with the standard definition of the force between two sources in terms of the minimal energy of quantum gauge fields in the presence of a quark and anti-quark pinned to {ital points} separated by a distance {ital R}. We propose that, on a light front, the force be defined by minimizing the energy of gauge fields in the presence of a quark and an anti-quark pinned to {ital lines} (1-branes) oriented in the longitudinal direction singled out by the light front and separated by a transverse distance {ital R}. Such sources will have a limited 1+1 dimensional dynamics. We study this proposal for weak coupling gauge theories by showing how it leads to the Coulomb force law. For QCD we also show how asymptotic freedom emerges by evaluating the {ital S} matrix through one loop for the scattering of a particle in the N{sub c} representation of color SU(N{sub c}) on a 1-brane by a particle in the {bar N}{sub c} representation of color on a parallel 1-brane separated from the first by a distance R{lt}1/{Lambda}{sub QCD}. Potential applications to the problem of confinement on a light front are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 357346
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D, Journal Name: Physical Review, D Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 60; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
COULOMB FIELD
GAUGE INVARIANCE
LIGHT CONE
QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS
QUARKS
S MATRIX
SU GROUPS