Hard Thermal Loop—Theory and applications

Abstract

In this review, we present the key aspects of modern thermal perturbation theory based on the hard thermal loop (HTL) approximation, including its theoretical foundations and applications within quantum electrodynamics (QED) and quantum chromodynamics (QCD) plasmas. To maintain conciseness, we focus on scenarios in thermal equilibrium, examining a variety of physical quantities and settings. Specifically, we explore both bulk thermodynamic properties and real-time observables in high-temperature domains relevant to heavy-ion physics.