β-function in a non-covariant Yang-Mills theory

The beta-function for a non-covariant pure Yang-Mills theory is calculated in perturbation theory to lowest order in the coupling constant and in the deviation from covariance. The methods developed by De Witt, Hawking and Dowker are used. The β-function shows that Lorentz invariance becomes more and more accurate as one goes towards smaller mass scales. The relative deviation of the coupling constant set from covariance diminishes towards lower mass scales as αsub(S)sup(-7/11), where αsub(S) is the QCD 'fine structure constant', for a pure (non-covariant) Yang-Mills theory. (Auth.)