Finite-temperature deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoration at strong coupling

Abstract

We derive from a d-dimensional lattice gauge theory at finite temperature a (d-1)-dimensional effective action in which the dynamical variables are Wilson lines and meson and baryon fields. Analysis of this model shows a first-order deconfinement transition for all values of the bare quark mass, and a second-order chiral transition at a higher temperature for zero bare quark mass. Reasonable values for the two transitions and the hadronic mass spectrum are obtained.