| dc.description |
We use high precision lattice simulations to calculate the plaquette expectation value in three-dimensional SU(N<sub>c</sub>) gauge theory for N<sub>c</sub> = 2,3,4,5,8. Using these results, we study the N<sub>c</sub>-dependence of the first non-perturbative coefficient in the weak-coupling expansion of hot QCD. We demonstrate that, in the limit of large N<sub>c</sub>, the functional form of the plaquette expectation value with ultraviolet divergences subtracted is 15.9(2)−44(2)/N<sub>c</sub><sup>2</sup>. |
