Some aspects of a unified approach to gauge,dual and Gribov theories

We consider quantum chromodynamics (QCD) with N_c colours and N_f flavours. Large N expansions for this theory are discussed and their advantages are pointed out, especially in relation to the possibility of unifying gauge, dual and Gribov theories of strong interactions. We first recall how the 1/N_c expansion of 't Hooft can be related to a dual loop expansion with a fixed coupling constant. We point out the necessity for quarkless (purely gluonic) bound states to appear and their importance in maintaining confinement at higher orders in 1/N_c. We show how non-orientable dual loops are reinterpreted in QCD and how a paradox appears when N_f is such that asymptotic freedom is lost. Some recent results of Cornwall and Tiktopoulos are analyzed in leading order in 1/N_c. We then introduce a 1/N expansion at ? ≡ N_f/N_c fixed and show how it is related to the hadronic topological expansion (TE). This allows an unambiguous definition of reggeon field theory concepts such as the bare pomeron and diffractive dissociation in QDC. We are able to relate the parameter ? to the clustering of hadronic final states into resonances. Decreasing ? corresponds to increasing cluster over gap size. Renormalization of the dual coupling constant as a function of ? is discussed and an apparent paradox is resolved. We are also able to shed some new light on the problem of f extinction in the TE.Finally, we compare our approach to other schemes trying to relate different aspects of hadron physics.