The phase diagram of QCD in a BAG+HRG based equation of state: appearance of a pseudo-critical point

TL;DR

This paper investigates the QCD phase diagram using a Bag+HRG equation of state, demonstrating that the Bag model predicts a complete first order transition line without a critical endpoint.

Contribution

It shows that the Bag model yields a full first order phase transition line in the QCD phase diagram, challenging previous claims of a critical endpoint in this scenario.

Findings

Bag model predicts a continuous first order transition line.

No critical endpoint exists in the Bag model scenario.

Contrasts with other models suggesting a critical point.

Abstract

Mapping the QCD phase boundary and locating critical end point still remains as an open problem in strong interaction physics. Predictions about the co-ordinates of the critical point in the $(T, \mu_B)$ plane, from different QCD motivated models show a wide variation. Lattice QCD calculations are also available, that give an estimation of the critical point for chiral phase transition, where the transition changes its nature from rapid cross over to first order transition. Recently co-ordinates of the critical point for deconfinement phase transition are claimed to be found as an endpoint of the first order phase transition line, in Bag model scenario. In the present paper we have shown that Bag model gives a complete first order phase transition line in the $(T, \mu_B)$ plane, and one can not have any point where the transition changes its nature.