Confining string and its widening in HP1 embedding approach

Structure of confining string in terms of the topological charge density and the action density is studied in SU(2) Yang-Mills theory on the lattice using HP1 sigma-model embedding approach. We find that the confining flux tube noticeably suppresses both the topological charge and the action densities. Beyond the string formation length the string cross section in terms of these quantities is well described by a Gaussian profile. In both cases the squared string width is found to be a logarithmic function of the string length confirming the Luscher widening of the chromoelectric string. Characteristic string scales in terms of the topological and action densities are estimated as well.Comment: 13 pages, 20 figures, RevTeX 4.0; replaced to match published versio

Topological Content of the Electroweak Sphaleron on the Lattice

3D electroweak sphalerons on the lattice are used as test configurations for definitions of various topological defects. In the maximally Abelian gauge they are shown to contain a symmetric array of Abelian monopoles and anti-monopoles connected by two kinds of Abelian vortex strings. Gauge-invariant lattice definitions of the Nambu monopole and the Z-vortex string are formulated which correspond to Abelian projection from the unitary gauge. The sphalerons contain in their core just one (non-Abelian) Nambu monopole-anti-monopole pair (connected by a Z-string) in an unstable saddle point bound state. This provides an example for the monopole-pair unbinding mechanism expected to work at the electroweak phase transition. The definitions of defects developed here will be used in future studies of topological aspects of this transition.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX, 9 figures, uses epsf.sty; The sign in eq.(13) is corrected; to appear in Phys.Lett.