String tension and monopoles in $T \neq 0$ SU(2) QCD

TL;DR

This study uses Monte-Carlo simulations to analyze monopole and photon contributions to abelian Wilson loops in finite-temperature SU(2) QCD, revealing the role of monopole loops in confinement and their behavior across phase transitions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that long monopole loops are responsible for the string tension in the confinement phase and shows a specific scaling behavior of string tensions in the deconfinement phase.

Findings

Long monopole loops determine the string tension in the confinement phase.

Short monopole loops and photons do not influence the string tension.

Abelian spatial string tension matches the full string tension even above the critical temperature.

Abstract

Monopole and photon contributions to abelian Wilson loops are calculated using Monte-Carlo simulations of finite-temperature $SU(2)$ QCD in the maximally abelian gauge. Long monopole loops alone are responsible for the behavior of the string tension in the confinement phase up to the critical $\beta_c$. Short monopole loops and photons do not contribute to the string tension. The abelian and the monopole spacial string tensions (both of which agree with the normal ones for $\beta < \beta_c$) show a $g^{4}(T) T^2$ scaling behavior in the deconfinement phase. The abelian spacial string tension is in agreement with the full one even in the deconfinement phase.