Effective lattice Polyakov loop theory for finite temperature Yang-Mills

TL;DR

This paper discusses an effective lattice Polyakov loop theory derived via strong coupling expansion to study finite temperature Yang-Mills, providing accurate predictions for phase transitions and additional measurable observables.

Contribution

It presents a systematic derivation of the effective action and new results for the free energy and equation of state in the context of finite temperature Yang-Mills theory.

Findings

Accurate predictions for the deconfinement phase transition.

Measurement of the free energy of static quark-antiquark pairs.

Calculation of the equation of state.

Abstract

Effective Polyakov loop theories are a useful tool for an investigation of pure Yang-Mills theory and full QCD. A systematic derivation of the effective action can be done in a spatial strong coupling expansion. Quite accurate predictions for the deconfinement phase transition of Yang-Mills theory have been obtained in this approach. Besides the critical couplings, further observables can be measured in the effective theory. These provide additional tests for the reliability of the strong coupling approach and the truncation of the effective action. In this contribution we will present recent results for the free energy of the static quark-antiquark pair and the equation of state.