Casimir scaling from center vortices: Towards an understanding of the adjoint string tension

We argue that the approximate "Casimir scaling" of the string tensions of higher-representation Wilson loops is an effect due to the finite thickness of center vortex configurations. It is shown, in the context of a simple model of the Z(2) vortex core, how vortex condensation in Yang-Mills theory can account for both Casimir scaling in intermediate size loops and color-screening in larger loops. An implication of our model is that the deviations from exact Casimir scaling, which tend to grow with loop size, become much more pronounced as the dimensionality of the group representation increases. [S0556-2821(98)03206-8].