Confinement by monopoles in the positive plaquette model of SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Abstract

Confinement via 't Hooft-Mandelstam monopoles is studied for the positive plaquette model in SU(2) lattice gauge theory. Positive plaquette model configurations are projected into the maximum abelian gauge and the magnetic current extracted. The resulting magnetic current is used to compute monopole contributions to Wilson loops and extract a monopole contribution to the string tension. As was previously found for the Wilson action, the monopole contribution to the string tension agrees with the string tension calculated directly from the SU(2) links. The fact that the positive plaquette model suppresses Z 2 monopoles and vortices is discussed.