Yang-Mills Theory and Random Surfaces

In this lecture from the CMSA/Tsinghua Math-Science Literature series, MIT professor Scott Sheffield explores the connections between Yang-Mills theory and random surfaces. Discover how the "Wilson loop expectations" in lattice Yang-Mills models—central to the Clay Institute's million-dollar problem—can be reinterpreted as "insertion costs" of loops in random-closed-surface-ensemble models. Learn how this transformation converts one challenging mathematical problem into another that relates to more familiar concepts like domino tilings, random planar maps, Young tableaux, symmetric group representation theory, and Weingarten calculus. Gain insights into why certain phenomena such as the "area law" and "exponential correlation decay" (known in physics as "quark confinement" or "mass gap") should theoretically exist, even if complete proofs remain elusive. This hour-long presentation offers a fascinating glimpse into cutting-edge mathematical physics research that underpins the standard model of physics.