Center Vortex Model for the Infrared Sector of SU(3) Yang-Mills Theory - Confinement and Deconfinement

The center vortex model for the infrared sector of Yang-Mills theory, previously studied for the SU(2) gauge group, is extended to SU(3). This model is based on the assumption that vortex world-surfaces can be viewed as random surfaces in Euclidean space-time. The confining properties are investigated, with a particular emphasis on the finite-temperature deconfining phase transition. The model predicts a very weak first order transition, in agreement with SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills theory, and also reproduces a consistent behavior of the spatial string tension in the deconfined phase. The geometrical structure of the center vortices is studied, including vortex branchings, which are a new property of the SU(3) case.