On the nature of the residual meson-meson interaction from simulations with a QED$_{2+1}$ model

A potential between mesons is extracted from 4-point functions within lattice gauge theory taking 2+1 dimensional QED as an example. This theory possesses confinement and dynamical fermions. The resulting meson-meson potential has a short-ranged hard repulsive core and the expected dipole-dipole forces lead to attraction at intermediate distances. Sea quarks lead to a softer form of the total potential