Topological properties of the SU(3) random vortex world-surface model

The random vortex world-surface model is an infrared effective model of Yang-Mills dynamics based on center vortex degrees of freedom. These degrees of freedom carry topological charge through writhe and self-intersection of their world-surfaces. A practical implementation of the model realizes the vortex world-surfaces by composing them of elementary squares on a hypercubic lattice. The topological charge for specifically such configurations is constructed in the case of SU(3) color. This necessitates a proper treatment of vortex color structure at vortex branchings, a feature which is absent in the SU(2) color case investigated previously. On the basis of the construction, the topological susceptibility is evaluated in the random vortex world-surface ensemble, both in the confined low-temperature as well as in the deconfined high-temperature phase.