Structures of the massive vector boson propagators at finite temperature illuminated by the Goldstone equivalence gauge

Abstract

Inspired by the Goldstone equivalence gauge, we study the thermal corrections to an originally massive vector boson by checking the poles and branch cuts. We find that part of the Goldstone boson is spewed out from the longitudinal polarization, becoming a branch cut which can be approximated by the “quasi-poles” in the thermal environment. In this case, physical Goldstone boson somehow partly recovers. We also show the Feynmann rules for the “external legs” of these vector boson as well as the recovered Goldstone boson, expecting to simplify the vector boson participated process calculations by adopting the similar “tree-level” logic as in the zero temperature situation. Gauge boson mixing case are also discussed. Similar results are shown in other gauges, especially in the Rξ gauge.