Strong coupling series for QCD at finite temperature and density

We discuss the use of strong coupling expansions for Yang-Mills theory and QCD at finite temperature and density. In particular we consider the onset of temperature effects for the free energy and screening masses, derive the hadron resonance gas model from first principles and compute the weakening of the deconfinement transition with chemical potential.Comment: 4 pages; invited talk presented at 'New Frontiers in QCD 2010' at the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto, Japan, March 1-1

Strong coupling expansion for finite temperature Yang-Mills theory in the confined phase

We perform euclidean strong coupling expansions for Yang Mills theory on the lattice at finite temperature. After setting up the formalism for general SU(N), we compute the first few terms of the series for the free energy density and the lowest screening mass in the case of SU(2). To next-to-leading order the free energy series agrees with that of an ideal gas of glueballs. This demonstrates that in the confined phase the quasi-particles indeed correspond to the T=0 hadron excitations, as commonly assumed in hadron resonance gas models. Our result also fixes the lower integration constant for Monte Carlo calculations of the thermodynamic pressure via the integral method. In accord with Monte Carlo results, we find screening masses to be nearly temperature independent in the confined phase. This and the exponential smallness of the pressure can be understood as genuine strong coupling effects. Finally, we analyse Pade approximants to estimate the critical couplings of the phase transition, which for our short series are only ~25% accurate. However, up to these couplings the equation of state agrees quantitatively with numerical results on N_t=1-4 lattices.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, Nt=1 results added, references added, version published in JHE

Effective lattice Polyakov loop theory vs. full SU(3) Yang-Mills at finite temperature

A three-dimensional effective theory of Polyakov loops has recently been derived from Wilson's Yang-Mills lattice action by means of a strong coupling expansion. It is valid in the confined phase up to the deconfinement phase transition, for which it predicts the correct order and gives quantitative estimates for the critical coupling. In this work we study its predictive power for further observables like correlation functions and the equation of state. We find that the effective theory correctly reproduces qualitative features and symmetries of the full theory as the continuum is approached. Regarding quantitative predictions, we identify two classes of observables by numerical comparison as well as analytic calculations: correlation functions and their associated mass scales cannot be described accurately from a truncated effective theory, due to its inherently non-local nature involving long-range couplings. On the other hand, phase transitions and bulk thermodynamic quantities are accurately reproduced by the leading local part of the effective theory. In particular, the effective theory description is numerically superior when computing the equation of state at low temperatures or the properties of the phase transition.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Numerical corrections to the strong coupling effective Polyakov-line action for finite T Yang-Mills theory

We consider a three-dimensional effective theory of Polyakov lines derived previously from lattice Yang-Mills theory and QCD by means of a resummed strong coupling expansion. The effective theory is useful for investigations of the phase structure, with a sign problem mild enough to allow simulations also at finite density. In this work we present a numerical method to determine improved values for the effective couplings directly from correlators of the 4d Yang-Mills theory. For values of the gauge coupling up to the vicinity of the phase transition, the dominant short range effective coupling are well described by their corresponding strong coupling series. We provide numerical results also for the longer range interactions, Polyakov lines in higher representations as well as four-point interactions, and discuss the growing significance of non-local contributions as the lattice gets finer. Within this approach the critical Yang-Mills coupling $\beta_c$ is reproduced to better than one percent from a one-coupling effective theory on $N_\tau=4$ lattices while up to five couplings are needed on $N_\tau=8$ for the same accuracy.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure

Effective Polyakov-loop theory for pure Yang-Mills from strong coupling expansion

Lattice Yang-Mills theories at finite temperature can be mapped onto effective 3d spin systems, thus facilitating their numerical investigation. Using strong-coupling expansions we derive effective actions for Polyakov loops in the $SU(2)$ and $SU(3)$ cases and investigate the effect of higher order corrections. Once a formulation is obtained which allows for Monte Carlo analysis, the nature of the phase transition in both classes of models is investigated numerically, and the results are then used to predict -- with an accuracy within a few percent -- the deconfinement point in the original 4d Yang-Mills pure gauge theories, for a series of values of $N_\tau$ at once.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Proceedings for The XXVIII International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, Lattice2010, Villasimius, Ital

Strong coupling expansion for Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature

Euclidean strong coupling expansion of the partition function is applied to lattice Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature, i.e. for lattices with a compactified temporal direction. The expansions have a finite radius of convergence and thus are valid only for b <bc, where bc denotes the nearest singularity of the free energy on the real axis. The accessible temperature range is thus the confined regime up to the deconfinement transition. We have calculated the first few orders of these expansions of the free energy density as well as the screening masses for the gauge groups SU(2) and SU(3). The resulting free energy series can be summed up and corresponds to a glueball gas of the lowest mass glueballs up to the calculated order. Our result can be used to fix the lower integration constant for Monte Carlo calculations of the thermodynamic pressure via the integral method, and shows from first principles that in the confined phase this constant is indeed exponentially small. Similarly, our results also explain the weak temperature dependence of glueball screening masses below Tc, as observed in Monte Carlo simulations. Possibilities and difficulties in extracting bc from the series are discussed

Heavy dense QCD and nuclear matter from an effective lattice theory

A three-dimensional effective lattice theory of Polyakov loops is derived from QCD by expansions in the fundamental character of the gauge action, u, and the hopping parameter, \kappa, whose action is correct to \kappa^n u^m with n+m=4. At finite baryon density, the effective theory has a sign problem which meets all criteria to be simulated by complex Langevin as well as by Monte Carlo on small volumes. The theory is valid for the thermodynamics of heavy quarks, where its predictions agree with simulations of full QCD at zero and imaginary chemical potential. In its region of convergence, it is moreover amenable to perturbative calculations in the small effective couplings. In this work we study the challenging cold and dense regime. We find unambiguous evidence for the nuclear liquid gas transition once the baryon chemical potential approaches the baryon mass, and calculate the nuclear equation of state. In particular, we find a negative binding energy per nucleon causing the condensation, whose absolute value decreases exponentially as mesons get heavier. For decreasing meson mass, we observe a first order liquid gas transition with an endpoint at some finite temperature, as well as gap between the onset of isospin and baryon condensation.Comment: 34 pages, 13 figure

The Phase Diagram of Strong Coupling QCD including Gauge Corrections

The strong coupling limit of lattice QCD with staggered fermions has been studied for decades, both via Monte Carlo and via mean field theory. In this model, the finite density sign problem can be made mild and the full phase diagram can be obtained, even in the chiral limit. It is however desirable to understand the effect of a finite lattice gauge coupling $\beta$ on the phase diagram in the $\mu-T$ plane in order to understand how it evolves into the phase diagram of continuum QCD. Here we discuss how to construct a partition function for non-zero lattice coupling, exact to $\mathcal{O}(\beta)$, and present corresponding Monte Carlo results, in particular for corrections to the chiral susceptibility and to the phase diagram.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Proceedings of the 31st International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2013), 29 July - 3 August 2013, Mainz, Germany - Figure showing phase diagram dependence on beta correcte

Strong coupling effective theory with heavy fermions

We extend the recently developed strong coupling, dimensionally reduced Polyakov-loop effective theory from finite-temperature pure Yang-Mills to include heavy fermions and nonzero chemical potential by means of a hopping parameter expansion. Numerical simulation is employed to investigate the weakening of the deconfinement transition as a function of the quark mass. The tractability of the sign problem in this model is exploited to locate the critical surface in the (M/T, mu/T, T) space over the whole range of chemical potentials from zero up to infinity.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Proceeding for the XXIX International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2011), Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, California, July 10-16, 201