The deconfining phase of SU(2) Yang-Mills thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the nonperturbative thermodynamics of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory in the deconfining phase, proposing a unique effective theory involving calorons and anticalorons, and discusses implications for photon propagation and cosmological phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a novel effective theory constrained by calorons and anticalorons, linking nonperturbative thermodynamics to observable phenomena like photon propagation modifications.

Findings

Modification of photon propagation at low temperatures.

Phenomenological implications for cosmic microwave background.

Predictions of magnetic dichroism and birefringence effects.

Abstract

We present an overview on nonperturbative thermodynamics in the deconfining phase of an SU(2) Yang-Mills theory. In a unique effective theory the maximal resolution of trivial-topology fluctuations is constrained by coarse-grained, interacting calorons and anticalorons. Loop expansions of thermodynamical quantities are discussed. Postulating that SU(2)$_{\tiny{CMB}}\stackrel{\tiny{today}}=U(1)_Y$, a modification of thermalized, low-momentum photon propagation is predicted for temperatures a few times that of the cosmic microwave background. We discuss phenomenological implications: magnetic-field induced dichroism and birefringence at a temperature of 4.2 K (PVLAS), stability of cold and dilute clouds of atomic hydrogen in our galaxy, and absence of low-$l$ correlations in the TT CMB power spectrum.