Lyapunov Exponent and Plasmon Damping Rate in Nonabelian Gauge Theories

Abstract

We explain why the maximal positive Lyapunov exponent of classical SU($N$) gauge theory coincides with (twice) the damping rate of a plasmon at rest in the leading order of thermal gauge theory. [This is a substantially revised and expanded version of the manuscript.]

Comments: 18 pages, one figure included as PostScript file, REVTeX, revised version, DUKE-TH-94-73