The Spatial String Tension in the Deconfined Phase of SU(N) Gauge Theory and Gauge/String Duality

TL;DR

This paper calculates the spatial string tension in SU(N) gauge theories above the deconfinement temperature using gauge/string duality, showing consistency with lattice data and suggesting a simplified geometric description at large distances.

Contribution

It provides a novel gauge/string duality-based calculation of spatial string tension in the deconfined phase, aligning with lattice results and proposing a simplified geometric model.

Findings

Results agree with lattice data for N=2,3

Large distance physics can be described by a 5D geometry without internal space

Supports gauge/string duality as a tool for finite-temperature gauge theories

Abstract

The spatial string tension of a SU(N) gauge theory without quarks is calculated using gauge/string duality for 1.2T_c<T<3T_c. The result is remarkably consistent with the available lattice data for N=2,3. Some evidence is found that to leading order the large distance physics of a string can be described by a five-dimensional geometry without a need for an internal space.