Topology and chiral symmetry in finite temperature QCD

Abstract

We investigate the realization of chiral symmetry in the vicinity of the deconfinement transition in quenched QCD using overlap fermions. Via the index theorem obeyed by the overlap fermions, we gain insight into the behavior of topology at finite temperature. We find small eigenvalues, clearly separated from the bulk of the eigenvalues, and study the properties of their distribution. We compare the distribution with a model of a dilute gas of instantons and anti-instantons and find good agreement.