The quantization of non-abelian Yang-Mills theory requires the inclusion of Faddeev-Popov ghosts to represent functional determinants arising from gauge fixing in a covariant derivative, distinguishing it from abelian theories through intrinsic self-interactions involving three and four gauge fields. These anticommuting scalar ghost fields cancel unphysical longitudinal polarizations in loop diagrams via fermion sign conventions, ensuring unitarity within the S-matrix while maintaining BRST symmetry constraints on external states. The theory is defined by a non-quadratic action where coupling parameters control vertices with explicit momentum dependence, governing strong interactions in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) under SU(3) gauge groups without requiring quark matter for initial quantization consistency checks.
The quantization of non-abelian Yang-Mills theory requires the inclusion of Faddeev-Popov ghosts to represent functional determinants arising from gauge fixing in a covariant derivative, distinguishi…