SU(2) adjoint thermal structure

We investigate the Wilson line and the susceptibility in the adjoint representation of SU(2) lattice gauge theory at finite temperature near to and above the deconfinement transition. Our simulations were performed on the lattices of sizes 6x83, 6x123, 6x183 and 6x243. In the region close to the deconfinement temperature we find that the critical properties of the adjoint Wilson line is consistent with the critical behavior of the (φ4)3 scalar field theory. However, we further note that well above this temperature region the adjoint Wilson line continues to rise. The adjoint susceptibility is shown to be smoothly increasing at and above the deconfinement temperature. Thus we may conclude that the adjoint susceptibility does not show the same type of critical fluctuations as is seen in the fundamental representation. (orig.)