Tracing the pressure of the gluon plasma

TL;DR

This paper re-examines lattice QCD results for the gluon plasma's thermodynamics, showing that bulk properties approach the free limit more slowly than previously believed and revising key expansion coefficients.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the approach to asymptotic freedom in gluon plasma and updates the non-perturbative coefficient in the weak-coupling expansion.

Findings

Pressure approaches the free limit more slowly than previously thought

Revised the first non-perturbative coefficient in the weak-coupling expansion

Validated the applicability of perturbative results over a large temperature range

Abstract

Being interested in how a strongly coupled system approaches asymptotic freedom, we re-examine existing precision lattice QCD results for thermodynamic properties of the gluon plasma in a large temperature range. We discuss and thoroughly test the applicability of perturbative results, on which grounds we then infer that the pressure and other bulk properties approach the free limit somewhat slower than previously thought. We also revise the value of the first non-perturbative coefficient in the weak-coupling expansion.