Lattice Gauge Fields Topology Uncovered by Quaternionic sigma-model Embedding

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We investigate SU(2) gauge fields topology using new approach, which exploits the well known connection between SU(2) gauge theory and quaternionic projective sigma-models and allows to formulate the topological charge density entirely in terms of sigma-model fields. The method is studied in details and for thermalized vacuum configurations is shown to be compatible with overlap-based definition. We confirm that the topological charge is distributed in localized four dimensional regions which, however, are not compatible with instantons. Topological density bulk distribution is investigated at different lattice spacings and is shown to possess some universal properties.