Remarks on the Topology of Gauge Fields

Abstract

In contrast to the short distance behavior of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which is within the scope of perturbation theory and thus can be subjected to quantitative tests, the large distance or strong coupling regime of QCD is not well understood yet even qualitatively. An overriding problem of interest in quark confinement, and various theoretical schemes have been put forward to show that the quarks can indeed be confined. These schemes, though varying from one to another in detail, rely on the idea that the growing coupling constant at large distances plays a key role. It is not clear yet, however, whether confinement is a natural consequence of QCD alone, or it requires some independent and extraneous assumptions.

Amplified version of introductory remarks made at the 1978 Coral Gables Conference.

On leave from the University of Chicago