Dense but confined matter as a new state in QCD

TL;DR

This paper explores a new state of dense, confined matter in QCD, where centre sector transitions lead to novel phenomena like Bose statistics for quarks, supported by simulations and theoretical models.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a Fermi-Einstein condensate arising from centre sector transitions in dense QCD-like matter, supported by simulations and theoretical analysis.

Findings

Centre sector transitions occur in the hadronic phase at infinite volume and zero temperature.

Centre dressed quarks can acquire Bose statistics, leading to a Fermi-Einstein condensate.

The mechanism solves the Silver-Blaze problem in the Schwinger model.

Abstract

Centre sector transitions in QCD-like theories with dynamical quark matter are investigated. In the hadronic phase, these transitions still take place in the infinite volume at zero temperature limit despite of the explicit breaking of the centre symmetry by the matter fields. This finding is supported by simulations of the SU(2) Yang-Mills theory with Higgs matter. The phenomenological impact of the centre sector transitions for dense but confined matter is explained: centre dressed quarks acquire Bose statistics and form a so-called Fermi-Einstein condensate. This mechanism is further illustrated in the Schwinger model where it solves the Silver-Blaze problem.