LAUSR

Abstract Three-quark potentials are studied in great details in the three-dimensional S U ( 3 ) pure gauge theory at finite temperature, for the cases of static sources in the fundamental and adjoint representations. For this purpose, the corresponding Polyakov loop model in its simplest version is adopted. The potentials in question, as well as the conventional quark–anti-quark potentials, are calculated numerically both in the confinement and deconfinement phases. Results are compared to available analytical predictions at strong coupling and in the limit of large number of colours N. The three-quark potential is tested against the expected Δ and Y laws and the 3q string tension entering these laws is compared to the conventional q q ¯ string tension. As a byproduct of this investigation, essential features of the critical behaviour across the deconfinement transition are elucidated.