Monopoles and Vortices in Yang–Mills Plasma

Maxim Chernodub (1) , V. I. Zakharov (2)

1 LMPT - Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique
2 ITEP - Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics [Moscow]

We discuss the role of magnetic degrees of freedom in Yang–Mills plasma at temperatures above and of order of the critical temperature Tc. While at zero temperature the magnetic degrees of freedom are condensed and electric degrees of freedom are confined, at the point of the phase transition both magnetic and electric degrees of freedom are released into the thermal vacuum. This phenomenon might explain the observed unusual properties of the plasma.

Mots clés: Quantum Chromodynamics Quark-gluon plasma; Abelian monopoles; Center vortices

Domaines: Physique des Hautes Energies - Phénoménologie [hep-ph]; Physique des Hautes Energies - Théorie [hep-th]

Maxim Chernodub, V. I. Zakharov. Monopoles and Vortices in Yang–Mills Plasma. Physics of Atomic Nuclei / Yadernaya Fizika, 2009, 72 (12), pp.2136. ⟨hal-00426473⟩