Coherent center domains in SU(3) gluodynamics and their percolation at T_c

Abstract

For SU(3) lattice gauge theory we study properties of static quark sources represented by local Polyakov loops. We find that for temperatures both below and above T_c coherent domains exist where the phases of the local loops have similar values in the vicinity of the center values 0, +/- 2 pi/3. The cluster properties of these domains are studied numerically. We demonstrate that the deconfinement transition of SU(3) may be characterized by the percolation of suitably defined clusters.

Comments: Comments and a reference added. Final version to appear in Physics Letters B.