Improved determination of the classical sphaleron transition rate

We determine the sphaleron transition rate using real-time lattice simulations of the classical system. An improved definition of the lattice topological charge allows us to obtain a more reliable estimate of the transition rate. For an SU(2) Yang-Mills-Higgs system in the broken phase we find the transition rate to be strongly suppressed, and we have observed no sphaleron transitions in the range of coupling constants used. For a pure SU(2) Yang-Mills system in large volumes the rate behaves as k(alpha(w)T)(4), with k slightly decreasing as the lattice spacing is reduced. If the lattice size is reduced to about twice the magnetic screening length, the rate is suppressed by finite-size effects, and k is approximately proportional to the lattice spacing. Our rate measurements are supplemented by analysis of gauge field correlation functions in the Coulomb gauge. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.