  We investigate strong-to-weak coupling transitions in D=2+1 SU(N->oo) gauge
theories, by simulating lattice theories with a Wilson plaquette action. We
find that there is a strong-to-weak coupling cross-over in the lattice theory
that appears to become a third-order phase transition at N=oo, in a manner that
is essentially identical to the Gross-Witten transition in the D=1+1 SU(oo)
lattice gauge theory. There is also evidence for a second order transition at
N=oo at approximately the same coupling, which is connected with centre
monopoles (instantons) and so analogues to the first order bulk transition that
occurs in D=3+1 lattice gauge theories for N>4. We show that as the lattice
spacing is reduced, the N=oo gauge theory on a finite 3-torus suffers a
sequence of (apparently) first-order ZN symmetry breaking transitions
associated with each of the tori (ordered by size). We discuss how these
transitions can be understood in terms of a sequence of deconfining transitions
on ever-more dimensionally reduced gauge theories.We investigate whether the
trace of the Wilson loop has a non-analyticity in the coupling at some critical
area, but find no evidence for this although, just as in D=1+1,the eigenvalue
density of a Wilson loop forms a gap at N=oo for a critical trace. The physical
implications of this are unclear.The gap formation is a special case of a
remarkable similarity between the eigenvalue spectra of Wilson loops in D=1+1
and D=2+1 (and indeed D=3+1): for the same value of the trace, the eigenvalue
spectra are nearly identical.This holds for finite as well as infinite N;
irrespective of the Wilson loop size in lattice units; and for Polyakov as well
as Wilson loops.
