Z(2) vortices and the SU(2) string tension

Abstract

Topologically determined Z(2) variables in pure SU(2) lattice gauge theory are discussed. They count the number of “vortex souls”. The high temperature expansion for the corresponding Z(2) loops is examined. They obey an area law. The coefficient of the area is shown to be equal to the string tension to all orders of the high temperature expansion. This shows that the string tension is determined by the probability distribution of the vortex souls, at least in the high temperature region. The dependence of the string tension α(β, h) on an external field h that is coupled to the Z(2) field strength is calculated to lowest order of the high temperature expansion. In this approximation, α(β, h) is determined by the free energy of a 2-dimensional Ising model in an external magnetic field 1 2 log(β/4 tanh h) at an inverse temperature 1 2 log 3 4 π = 0.429 .