Landau-Ginsberg theory of quark confinement

We describe the SU(3) deconfinement transition using Landau-Ginsberg theory . Drawing on perturbation theory and symmetry principles, we construct the free energy as a function of temperature and the Polyakov loop. Once the tw o adjustable parameters of the model are fixed, the pressure p, energy epsi lon and Polyakov loop expectation value P-F are calculable functions of tem perature. An excellent fit to the continuum extrapolation of lattice thermo dynamics data can be achieved. In an extended form of the model, the glueba ll potential is responsible for breaking scale invariance at low temperatur es. Three parameters are required, but the glueball mass and the gluon cond ensate are calculable functions of temperature, along with p, epsilon and P -F.