Extraction of spectral functions from Dyson-Schwinger studies via the maximum entropy method (Q2642087)

\(S(\vec{\mathfrak p},p_4)=\int_{(-\infty,\infty)}[\rho(\omega,\vec {\mathfrak p})/\{2\pi(-ip_4+\mu-\omega)\}]\,d\omega\) is given as a Dirac fermion propagator with the spectral function \(\rho\). Take the data \(D (p_4)\) (related to the current-current correlator) with errors \(\sigma (p_4)\) on \([a,b]\), and choose a prior estimate \(m(\omega)\) on \(I= [\omega_1,\omega_2]\). The author considers the plausibility functional \(P[\rho|DH(m)]\propto P[D|\rho H(m)]P[\rho|H(m)]\), and aims to determine the most plausible spectral function \(\rho_{\text{MEM}}\). \(P[D|\rho H(m)]=\exp(-L[\rho])\) and \(P[\rho|H(m)]=\int_{[0,\infty)} P[\rho|H(\alpha m)]P [\alpha|H(m)]\,d\alpha\). Here \(\alpha\) is the scaling factor satisfying \[ P[\rho|H (\alpha m)]=\exp(\alpha S[\rho]),\quad S[\rho] \simeq\sum_i\Delta(\omega_i(\rho_i-m_i-\rho_i\ln(\rho_i/m_i)). \] (I) Determine the maximum \(\rho_\alpha\) of the functional \(Q[\rho]=\alpha S[\rho]-L[\rho]\) for a fixed \(\alpha\). (II) \(P [\alpha|DH(m)]=\int{\mathcal D}\rho\exp(Q[\rho])/Z\), \({\mathcal D}\rho\simeq d\alpha \Pi_id(2\alpha \Delta\omega_1\rho_i/\pi)^{1/2}\). Calculate \(\rho_{\text{MEM}}= \int_{[0,\infty)}\rho_\alpha P[\alpha|DH(m)]\,d\alpha\), \(\langle \rho_{\text{MEM}} \rangle_1\) for \(\langle\rho_\alpha\rangle_1=\int_1 \rho_\alpha(\omega)d\omega/(\omega_2-\omega_1)\), and \(\langle (\delta\rho_{\text{MEM}})^2\rangle_1\). Spectral functions of quarks in cold dense matter are treated numerically. Differences to the application in lattice QCD are emphasized.