Parallel presentationsVortices in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

We investigate some properties of thick vortices and thick monopoles in the SU(2) lattice gauge theory by inserting operators that create these excitations. We measure the derivative of the free energy of the vortex with respect to the coupling and we find that it falls exponentially with the cross sectional area of the vortex. We also study the monopole-monopole potential energy of thick and thin monopoles. Our results suggest that vortices and monopoles of increasing thickness will play an important role in the large β limit.