Fourier acceleration in lattice gauge theories. I: Landau gauge fixing

Fourier acceleration is a useful technique which can be applied to many different numerical algorithms in order to alleviate the problem of critical slowing down. Here we describe its application to an optimization problem in the simulation of lattice gauge theories, that of gauge fixing a configuration of link fields to the Landau gauge (partial/sub ..mu../A/sup ..mu../ = 0). We find that a steepest-descents method of gauge fixing link fields at ..beta.. = 5.8 on an 8/sup 4/ lattice can be made 5 times faster using Fourier acceleration. This factor will grow as the volume of the lattice is increased. We also discuss other gauges that are useful to lattice-gauge-theory simulations, among them one that is a combination of the axial and Landau gauges. This seems to be the optimal gauge to impose for the Fourier acceleration of two other important algorithms, the inversion of the fermion matrix and the updating of gauge field configurations.