Thermodynamics of (2+1)-flavor QCD: Confronting Models with Lattice Studies

TL;DR

This paper introduces a Polyakov-quark-meson model for three light quark flavors, analyzing its thermodynamics and phase transitions, and compares its predictions with recent lattice QCD simulations to validate its accuracy.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive (2+1)-flavor PQM model incorporating different Polyakov loop potentials and compares its thermodynamic predictions with lattice QCD results.

Findings

Model agrees well with lattice data in the transition region

Different Polyakov loop potentials influence thermodynamic behavior

Heavy quark masses in lattice simulations are accounted for

Abstract

The Polyakov-quark-meson (PQM) model, which combines chiral as well as deconfinement aspects of strongly interacting matter is introduced for three light quark flavors. An analysis of the chiral and deconfinement phase transition of the model and its thermodynamics at finite temperatures is given. Three different forms of the effective Polyakov loop potential are considered. The findings of the (2+1)-flavor model investigations are confronted to corresponding recent QCD lattice simulations of the RBC-Bielefeld, HotQCD and Wuppertal-Budapest collaborations. The influence of the heavier quark masses, which are used in the lattice calculations, is taken into account. In the transition region the bulk thermodynamics of the PQM model agrees well with the lattice data.