Identity for Yang-Mills Theories in the Maximal Abelian Gauge

A BRST perturbative analysis of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in a class of maximal Abelian gauges is presented. We point out the existence of a new nonintegrated renormalizable Ward identity which allows to control the dependence of the theory from the diagonal ghosts. This identity, called the diagonal ghost equation, plays a crucial role for the stability of the model under radiative corrections implying, in particular, the vanishing of the anomalous dimension of the diagonal ghosts. Moreover, the Ward identity corresponding to the Abelian Cartan subgroup is easily derived from the diagonal ghost equation. Finally, a simple proof of the fact that the beta function of the gauge coupling can be obtained from the vacuum polarization tensor with diagonal gauge fields as external legs is given. A possible mechanism for the decoupling of the diagonal ghosts at low energy is also suggested.