Topological observables and domain wall tension from finite temperature chiral perturbation theory

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Lu, Zhen-Yan, Tang, Quan, Wang, Shu-Peng, Huang, Yang, Zhang, Zhen, Zhang, Bonan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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_version_ 1866910040976261120
author Lu, Zhen-Yan
Tang, Quan
Wang, Shu-Peng
Huang, Yang
Zhang, Zhen
Zhang, Bonan
author_facet Lu, Zhen-Yan
Tang, Quan
Wang, Shu-Peng
Huang, Yang
Zhang, Zhen
Zhang, Bonan
contents Within the framework of SU(2) chiral perturbation theory, we derive the general solution of the QCD $θ$-vacuum for an arbitrary vacuum phase, explicitly incorporating isospin-breaking effects from the light quark mass difference, and compute the temperature dependence of the topological susceptibility, higher-order cumulants, and the domain wall tension up to next-to-leading order. We find that the topological susceptibility agrees with lattice data at low temperatures but deviates at higher temperatures as expected from the breakdown of the chiral expansion; moreover, we demonstrate that the normalized fourth-order cumulant and the domain wall tension decrease monotonically with increasing temperature, while the normalized sixth-order cumulant exhibits the opposite behavior. These results extend earlier analyses by showing how isospin breaking reshapes the full hierarchy of topological charge cumulants and the dynamics of $θ$-vacuum domain walls, thereby offering new theoretical input on the $θ$-vacuum properties, which are relevant for axion-related effective theories in hot QCD matter.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_04116
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Topological observables and domain wall tension from finite temperature chiral perturbation theory
Lu, Zhen-Yan
Tang, Quan
Wang, Shu-Peng
Huang, Yang
Zhang, Zhen
Zhang, Bonan
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Lattice
High Energy Physics - Theory
Nuclear Theory
Within the framework of SU(2) chiral perturbation theory, we derive the general solution of the QCD $θ$-vacuum for an arbitrary vacuum phase, explicitly incorporating isospin-breaking effects from the light quark mass difference, and compute the temperature dependence of the topological susceptibility, higher-order cumulants, and the domain wall tension up to next-to-leading order. We find that the topological susceptibility agrees with lattice data at low temperatures but deviates at higher temperatures as expected from the breakdown of the chiral expansion; moreover, we demonstrate that the normalized fourth-order cumulant and the domain wall tension decrease monotonically with increasing temperature, while the normalized sixth-order cumulant exhibits the opposite behavior. These results extend earlier analyses by showing how isospin breaking reshapes the full hierarchy of topological charge cumulants and the dynamics of $θ$-vacuum domain walls, thereby offering new theoretical input on the $θ$-vacuum properties, which are relevant for axion-related effective theories in hot QCD matter.
title Topological observables and domain wall tension from finite temperature chiral perturbation theory
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Lattice
High Energy Physics - Theory
Nuclear Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.04116