The deconfining phase transition and the glueball channels in pure gauge QCD

We study the exponential decay of the smeared plaquettes, at large distance from a cold source, close to the deconfining phase transition of N_t=4 lattice QCD. We compare different lattice size results, and by using finite size scaling arguments we find a critical behavior that is in agreement with a continuous transition.     

On the nature and the order of the deconfining transition in QCD

The determination of the parameters of the deconfining transition in N _f = 2 QCD and its relevance to the understanding of the mechanism of color confinement are discussed.     

The deconfining phase transition in lattice quantum chromodynamics

We present a large-scale Monte Carlo calculation of the deconfining phase transition temperature in lattice quantum chromodynamics without fermions. Using the Wilson action, the transition temperature as a function of the lattice couplingg is consistent with scaling behavior dictated by the perturbativeα function for 6/g²>6.15. Speaker at the conference; on leave from CRIP, Budapest.     

A flux tube model of the finite temperature deconfining transition in QCD

A flux tube model describing the finite temperature deconfining transition in QCD is constructed. The difference between SU(2) and SU(3) is pointed out. An explanation for the disappearance of the SU(3) transition for light quark masses is given.     

The deconfining phase transition in the finite temperature twisted Eguchi-Kawai model

We present the results obtained from a Monte Carlo study of a finite temperature twisted Eguchi-Kawai model as previously introduced by the authors. The deconfining temperature of the model is determined to be (206 ± 20) Λ_L.     

QCD phase transition in the inhomogeneous universe

We investigate a new mechanism for the cosmological QCD phase transition: inhomogeneous nucleation. The primordial temperature fluctuations, measured to be deltaT/T approximately 10(-5), are larger than the tiny temperature interval in which bubbles would form in the standard picture of homogeneous nucleation. Thus the bubbles nucleate at cold spots. We find the typical distance between bubble centers to be a few meters. This exceeds the estimates from homogeneous nucleation by 2 orders of magnitude. The resulting baryon inhomogeneities may affect primordial nucleosynthesis.     

The chiral phase transition in QCD

The Chiral Phase Transition in QCD is studied analytically by looking at truncations of the Schwinger-Dyson equation for the quark self-mass. We find that the usual implementation of the gluon propagator at non-zero temperature is far too simple. When the gluons are given the correct qualitative non-zero temperature behaviour, the calculation of the critical temperature changes significantly.     

Baryon fluctuations from the QCD phase transition

Extraordinary baryon fluctuations can signal a nearly first order phase transition at RHIC. We discuss how these fluctuations can be measured. Next, we apply a dissipative-hydrodynamic formulation used in condensed matter physics to simulate the formation_— though spinodal decomposition_— and subsequent evolution of these fluctuations.     

The deconfining phase transition - influence of hadron resonances and strangeness

A model is developed for the hadron gas to the quark-gluon plasma phase transition which includes finite light quark and strange quark chemical potentials. A new generalized phase diagram incorporating the effects of strange particles is introduced and shows the strange chemical potential to be discontinuous. The influence of strange particles on the critical thermodynamic variables is found to be small.     

First-order chiral phase transition in lattice QCD

The chiral phase transition in lattice QCD has been studied for light fermions of mass ma=0.025 on lattices of size 4⁴ and 8³×4 using the hybrid algorithm. We find evidence for a first-order chiral phase transition with a large latent heat. A comparison with 10³×6 data shows violations of asymptotic scaling for T_ch which are similar in magnitude to those observed in the pure gauge sector.