Four-quark flux distribution and binding in lattice SU(2)

Abstract

The full spatial distribution of the color fields of two and four static quarks is measured in lattice SU(2) field theory at separations up to 1 fm at $\ensuremath{\beta}=2.4.$ The four-quark case is equivalent to a $q\overline{q}q\overline{q}$ system in SU(2) and is relevant to meson-meson interactions. By subtracting two-body flux tubes from the four-quark distribution we isolate the flux contribution connected with the four-body binding energy. This contribution is further studied using a model for the binding energies. Lattice sum rules for two and four quarks are used to verify the results.