The variational method allows one to study the mixing of interpolators with different chiral transformation properties in the nonperturbatively determined physical state. It is then possible to define and calculate in a gauge-invariant manner the chiral as well as the partial wave content of the quark-antiquark component of a meson in the infrared, where mass is generated. Using a unitary transformation from the chiral basis to the $^{2S+1}L_J$ basis one may extract the partial wave content of a meson. We present results for the $rho$- and $rho$-mesons using a simulation with $N_f=2$ dynamical quarks, all for lattice spacings close to 0.15 fm. Our results indicate a strong chiral symmetry breaking in the $rho$ state and its simple $^3S_1$-wave composition in the infrared. For the $rho$-meson we find a small chiral symmetry breaking in the infrared as well as a leading contribution of the $^3D_1$ partial wave, which is contradictory to the quark model.
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