Effective Polyakov line action from the relative weights method

Abstract

We apply the relative weights method (arXiv:1209.5697) to determine the effective Polyakov line action for SU(2) lattice gauge theory in the confined phase, at lattice coupling beta=2.2 and N_t=4 lattice spacings in the time direction. The effective action turns out to be bilinear in the fundamental representation Polyakov line variables, with a rather simple expression for the finite range kernel. The validity of this action is tested by computing Polyakov line correlators, via Monte Carlo simulation, in both the effective action and the underlying lattice theory. It is found that the correlators in each theory are in very close agreement.