We are studying the effects of light dynamical quarks on the excitation energies of a flux tube between a static quark and antiquark. We report preliminary results of an analysis of the ground state potential and the $Sigma^{prime+}_g$ and $Pi_u$ potentials. We have measured these potentials on closely matched ensembles of gauge configurations, generated in the quenched approximation and with 2+1 flavors of Asqtad improved staggered quarks.
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