This thesis focuses on an unresolved problem in particle and nuclear physics: the relation between two important non-perturbative phenomena in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) – quark confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. The author develops a new analysis method in the lattice QCD, and derives a number of analytical formulae to express the order parameters for quark confinement, such as the Polyakov loop, its fluctuations, and the Wilson loop in terms of the Dirac eigenmodes closely related to chiral symmetry breaking. Based on the analytical formulae, the author analytically as well as numerically shows that at finite temperatures there is no direct one-to-one correspondence between them. The thesis describes this extraordinary achievement using the first-principle analysis, and proposes a possible new phase in which quarks are confined and chiral symmetry is restored.

This first open access volume of the handbook series contains articles on the standard model of particle physics, both from the theoretical and experimental perspective. It also covers related topics, such as heavy-ion physics, neutrino physics and searches for new physics beyond the standard model. A joint CERN-Springer initiative, the "Particle Physics Reference Library" provides revised and updated contributions based on previously published material in the well-known Landolt-Boernstein series on particle physics, accelerators and detectors (volumes 21A, B1,B2,C), which took stock of the field approximately one decade ago. Central to this new initiative is publication under full open access

The 20-year-old problem of the confinement and the resulting spectrum of the bound states is central to quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Many approaches have been tried starting from different points of view: the potential theory, the Bethe-Salpeter equation, string and flux tube models, bag models, vacuum structure, current algebra, lattice theory, and numerical simulations. Phenomenological assumptions and first-principle theoretical results or indications have been combined. Many partial successes have been attained, but a unified and comprehensive treatment is still lacking.In recent years, new attention has been given to the problem, both in terms of theoretical developments and for the purpose of evaluating the spectrum and other properties of the particles. In particular, attention has been focussed on areas like numerical simulations, the derivation of the potential, the use of the Bethe-Salpeter equation, the connection between the potential and the chiral symmetry approach.This workshop was an opportunity for a synthesis and a comparison of the different points of view.

The QNP series of international conferences on Quarks and Nuclear Physics is by now a well established and highly respected forum where the most recent developments in the field are discussed and communicated. QNP 2006 is the forth edition of this biennial meeting. Selected and refereed original contributions of QNP 2006 have been published in The European Physical Journal A - Hadrons and Nuclei (EPJ A), while the present proceedings book, in addition to reprinting the articles published in EPJ A, further includes all other contributions selected and accepted by the organizing committee for publication and archiving.

This volume presents the important recent progress in both theoretical and phenomenological issues of strong coupling gauge theories, with/without supersymmetry and extra dimensions, etc. Emphasis is placed on dynamical symmetry breaking with large anomalous dimensions governed by the dynamics near the nontrivial fixed point. Also presented are recent developments of the corresponding effective field theories, such as those including light spectra other than the Nambu-Goldstone particles.This book is a must for all those who are interested in dynamical symmetry breaking and effective field theories in a modern version.

The quark confinement mechanism is one of the most difficult problems in particle physics, and is listed as the 7 difficult mathematical problems of the new millennium. The first person who first solves this problem will be awarded a prize of US$ 1 Million by Cray Mathematics Institute. This volume is useful for the systematic understanding of quark confinement and nonperturbative aspects of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) from the wide viewpoints of mathematical physics, lattice QCD physics and quark-hadron physics. It covers the current studies of nonperturbative QCD: quark confinement mechanism; topologies in QCD (instantons, monopoles and vortices); BRS quartet mechanism for color confinement; lattice QCD calculations for quarks, gluons and hadrons; dynamical chiral symmetry breaking and hadrons.

This is the proceedings of the third Nagoya workshop on Strong Coupling Gauge Theories (SCGT), after SCGT 88 and SCGT 90. As a tradition of the Nagoya SCGT workshops, the focus is on dynamical symmetry breaking with particular emphasis on the nontrivial fixed points and/or large anomalous dimension, which was actually the basis of walking technicolor, strong ETC technicolor and top quark condensate, etc. Special attention is also paid to the fixed point structure in supersymmetric gauge theories, which has recently been highlighted through duality arguments.