Monte Carlo study of three-dimensional QCD at finite temperature

Three-dimensional QCD at finite temperature is analyzed using Monte Carlo calculations. It is shown that confinement at low temperature is lost through a second-order phase transition. At high temperature, static quarks are liberated and screened and it is argued that timelike (A₀) gluons are liberated. Just above the critical temperature electric correlation functions seem to be dominated by a resonance of two timelike gluons, whose existence is suggested by perturbation theory. The influence of an external magnetic field close to the critical point is considered.