Gauge invariant Z(2) vortex vacuum textures and the SU(2) gluon condensate

For SU(2) lattice gauge theory, a new SO(3) cooling procedure is proposed w hich removes the SU(2)/Z(2) coset fields from the lattice configurations an d reveals a Z(2) vortex vacuum texture different from the P-vortex content obtained in the maximal center gauge. Cooling can be restricted in a renorm alization group invariant way by a parameter controlling the remaining SO(3 ) action density. A gauge invariant Z(2) vortex vacuum emerges asymptotical ly if cooling is not restricted. This "vortex texture" does not support the string tension a or a finite part of it. The SU(2) action density associat ed with the new Z(2) vortex texture has a smooth extrapolation to the conti nuum Emit. We propose an interpretation as a mass dimension four condensate related to the gluon condensate featuring in the operator product expansio n. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.