Sphalerons, instantons, and standing waves on 3 ⊗ R Original Research Article

We consider pure SU(2) Yang-Mills theory when the space is compactified to a three-dimensional sphere with finite radius. The Euclidean classical self-dual solutions of the equations of motion (the instantons) and the static finite energy solutions (the sphalerons) which have been found earlier are rewritten in handy physical variables with the gauge condition A0 = 0. Stationary solutions to the equations of motion in the Minkowski space-time (the standing waves) are discussed. We briefly discuss also the theory defined in a flat finite spherical box with rigid boundary conditions and present the numerical solution describing the sphaleron.