SU(2) Quantum Yang-Mills Thermodynamics: Some Theory and Some Applications

TL;DR

This paper reviews the thermodynamics of SU(2) Quantum Yang-Mills theory and applies it to cosmology, particularly the Cosmic Microwave Background, proposing a modified temperature-redshift relation and analyzing its implications.

Contribution

It introduces a new thermodynamic framework for SU(2) Yang-Mills theory and applies it to cosmological models, linking it to CMB observations and dark sector modifications.

Findings

Modified temperature-redshift relation consistent with CMB data

Minimal changes in dark sector parameters fit observational spectra

Link between deconfining phase thermodynamics and cosmological phenomena

Abstract

In the first part of this talk we review some prerequisites for and essential arguments involved in the construction of the thermal-ground-state estimate for the deconfining phase in the thermodynamics of SU(2) Quantum Yang-Mills theory and how this structure supports its distinct excitations. The second part applies deconfining SU(2) Yang-Mills thermodynamics to the Cosmic Microwave Background in view of (i) a modified temperature-redshift relation with an interesting link to correlation-length criticality in the 3D Ising model, (ii) the implied minimal changes in the dark sector of the cosmological model, and (iii) best-fit parameter values of this model when confronted with the spectra of the angular two-point functions TT, TE, and EE, excluding the low-$l$ physics. The latter, which is treated in an incomplete way because of the omission of radiative effects, is addressed in passing towards future work.