We present the Curci-Ferrari model on the lattice. In the massless case the topological interpretation of this model with its double BRST symmetry relates to the Neuberger 0/0 problem which we extend to include the ghost/anti-ghost symmetric formulation of the non-linear covariant Curci-Ferrari gauges on the lattice. The introduction of a Curci-Ferrari mass term, however, serves to regulate the 0/0 indeterminate form of physical observables observed by Neuberger. While such a mass m decontracts the double BRST/anti-BRST algebra, which is well-known to result in a loss of unitarity, observables can be meaningfully defined in the limit m → 0 via l'Hospital's rule. At finite m the topological nature of the partition function used as the gauge fixing device seems lost. We discuss the gauge parameter ξ and mass m dependence of the model and show how both cancel when m ≡ m(ξ) is appropriately adjusted with ξ.

We propose a generalisation of the Faddeev-Popov trick for Yang-Mills fields in the Landau gauge. The gauge-fixing is achieved as a genuine change of variables. In particular the Jacobian that appears is the modulus of the standard Faddeev-Popov determinant. We give a path integral representation of this in terms of auxiliary bosonic and Grassman fields extended beyond the usual set for standard Landau gauge BRST. The gauge-fixing Lagrangian density appearing in this context is local and enjoys a new extended BRST and anti-BRST symmetry though the gauge-fixing Lagrangian density in this case is not BRST exact.Comment: 11 pages, uses elsart.cls style fil

Abstract. We present Extended Double BRST on the lattice and extend the Neuberger problem to include the ghost/anti-ghost symmetric formulation of the non-linear covariant Curci-Ferrari (CF) gauges. We then show how a CF mass regulates the 0/0 indeterminate form of physical observables, as observed by Neuberger, and discuss the gauge parameter and mass dependence of the model.