TOPOLOGICAL CHARGES AND FLUX TUBES IN LATTICE QCD

The evidence for flux tubes from lattice QCD simulations is briefly re viewed. Then I present results of a detailed study of topological prop erties of QCD vacuum configurations below and above the deconfinement phase transition, both without and with dynamical quarks. The topologi cal properties were probed by two local operators of topological-charg e density and the cooling method. Results obtained using both definiti ons are compared and lessons from cooling experiments are briefly summ arized. The Aux-tube formation is seen to be reflected in topological- charge distributions.