Holonomy potential and confinement from a simple model of the gauge topology

Abstract: We discuss an ensemble of topological solitons -- instanton-dyons and antidyons - in SU(2) pure gauge theory at finite temperatures above and below the deconfinement phase transition temperature. The main focus is on the combined effect of this ensemble on the so called effective holonomy potential, which drives the confinement/deconfinement phase transition. Using a simple model with excluded volume and lattice data on caloron density we find that repulsive part of the potential is robust enough to induce the phase transition at the right temperature. Model's predictions -- the holonomy potential, electric and magnetic screening masses as a function of T -- are in qualitative agreement with the available lattice data. Further predictions are densities of various dyon types as a function of temperature: while some lattice measurements of them had been made, much more accurate data are needed to test these predictions.