Universal properties of large N phase transitions in Wilson loops

Understand

Numerical studies support the conjecture that in continuum planar QCD the eigenvalue density of a Wilson loop operator undergoes a transition as the loop is dilated while keeping the loop shape fixed.

• A second part of the conjecture is that the transition obeys large N universality and that this universality class is the same in 2, 3 and 4 Euclidean space-time dimensions.
• The focus of the talk will be on clarifying precisely what the conjecture is claiming.