Glueball Spectra of SU(2) Gauge Theories in 3 and 4 Dimensions: A Comparison with the Isgur-Paton Flux Tube Model

We use the results of recent lattice calculations to obtain (part of) the mass spectrum of continuum SU(2) gauge theory in both 2+1 and 3+1 dimensions. We compare these spectra to the predictions of the Isgur-Paton flux tube model for glueballs. We use this comparison to test the reliability of different aspects of the model and also to learn which aspects of the lattice calculations it is important to improve upon.