Bootstrapping SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills theory

A bstract We apply the positivity bootstrap approach to SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills (YM) theory, extending previous studies of large N and SU(2) theories by incorporating multiple-trace Wilson loop operators. By utilizing Hermitian and reflection positivity conditions, alongside Schwinger-Dyson (SD) loop equations, we compute rigorous bounds for the expectation values of plaquette Wilson loops in 2D, 3D, and 4D YM theories. Our results exhibit clear convergence and are consistent with known analytic or numerical results. To enhance the approach, we introduce a novel twist-reflection positivity condition, which we prove to be exact in 2D YM theory. Additionally, we propose a dimensional-reduction truncation, where Wilson loop operators are effectively restricted to a lower-dimensional subplane, significantly simplifying computations. SD equations for double-trace Wilson loops are also derived in detail. Our findings suggest that the positivity bootstrap method is broadly applicable to higher-rank gauge theories beyond single-trace cases, providing a solid foundation for further non-perturbative investigations of gauge theories using positivity-based methods.