Universal properties of large N phase transitions in Wilson loops

Abstract

Numerical studies support the conjecture that in continuum planar QCD the eigenvalue density of a Wilson loop operator undergoes a transition as the loop is dilated while keeping the loop shape fixed. A second part of the conjecture is that the transition obeys large N universality and that this universality class is the same in 2, 3 and 4 Euclidean space-time dimensions. The focus of the talk will be on clarifying precisely what the conjecture is claiming.

Comments: 7 pages, Contribution to Lattice 2007