QCD Pressure at Two Loops in the Temporal Gauge

Abstract

We apply the method of \underline{zeta} functions, together with the $n_{\mu }^{\ast }$-prescription for the temporal gauge, to evaluate the thermodynamic pressure in QCD at finite temperature $T$. Working in the imaginary-time formalism and employing a special version of the unified-gauge prescription, we show that the pure-gauge contribution to the pressure at two loops is given by $P_2^{\mbox{\scriptsize gauge}} = -(g^2/144)N_cN_gT^4$, where $N_c$ and $N_g$ denote the number of colours and gluons, respectively. This result agrees with the value in the Feynman gauge.

19 pages, 2 figures, list of 63 integrals