A comprehensive picture of topological excitations in finite temperature lattice QCD

Abstract We study spectra, localization properties and local chirality of eigenvectors of the lattice Dirac operator. We analyze ensembles of quenched SU(3) configurations on both sides of the QCD phase transition. Our Dirac operator is a systematic expansion in path length of a solution of the Ginsparg–Wilson equation. Analyzing the finite volume behavior of our observables and their scaling with the gauge coupling we come up with a consistent picture of topological excitations on both sides of the QCD phase transition. Our results support the interpretation of the dominant gauge field excitations seen by the Dirac operator as a fluid of instanton-like objects.