Chiral symmetry breaking in Abelian-projected SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Chiral symmetry breaking parameters are calculated in quenched SU(2) lattice gauge theory and with Abelian gauge fields projected in maximal Abelian gauge in field strength gauge. The chiral condensate of the full nonabelian theory is reasonably well-reproduced by using maximal Abelian gauge projected fields. Pseudoscalar and vector meson correlators are calculated and found to be reproduced by the use of maximal Abelian gauge fields for small quark masses. In field-strength gauge, Abelian-projected fields give a chiral condensate which closely resembles the results of strongly coupled (β < 1) gauge theory: the chiral condensate is insensitive to β and quark mass and hence violates scaling badly. (author). 19 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs