Chern-Simons Theory and the Quark-Gluon Plasma

TL;DR

This paper explores the relationship between the generating functional for hard thermal loops in QCD and Chern-Simons gauge theory, providing insights into gauge invariance and plasma phenomena in the quark-gluon plasma.

Contribution

It establishes a detailed connection between the thermal loop functional in QCD and Chern-Simons theory, extending previous results and offering a new perspective on plasma physics.

Findings

Relation between thermal loop functional and Chern-Simons eikonal clarified

Gauge invariance of Debye screening and plasma waves demonstrated

Generalizations of the functional relationship presented

Abstract

The generating functional for hard thermal loops in QCD is important in setting up a resummed perturbation theory, so that all terms of a given order in the coupling constant can be consistently taken into account. It is also the functional which leads to a gauge invariant description of Debye screening and plasma waves in the quark-gluon plasma. We have recently shown that this functional is closely related to the eikonal for a Chern-Simons gauge theory. In this paper, this relationship is explored and explained in more detail, along with some generalizations.