Lattice QCD Thermodynamics with Physical Quark Masses

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in lattice QCD thermodynamics achieved with physical quark masses, highlighting improved results on the crossover temperature, equation of state, and quark number fluctuations relevant to heavy ion collision experiments.

Contribution

It summarizes recent progress in lattice QCD thermodynamics using physical quark masses, emphasizing results applicable to heavy ion collision studies.

Findings

Determination of the QCD crossover temperature.

Updated equation of state for QCD matter.

Analysis of quark number susceptibility fluctuations.

Abstract

Over the past few years new physics methods and algorithms as well as the latest supercomputers have enabled the study of the QCD thermodynamic phase transition using lattice gauge theory numerical simulations with unprecedented control over systematic errors. This is largely a consequence of the ability to perform continuum extrapolations with physical quark masses. Here we review recent progress in lattice QCD thermodynamics, focussing mainly on results that benefit from the use of physical quark masses: the crossover temperature, the equation of state, and fluctuations of the quark number susceptibilities. In addition, we place a special emphasis on calculations that are directly relevant to the study of relativistic heavy ion collisions at RHIC and the LHC.