# On a first order transition in QCD with up, down and strange quarks

## TL;DR

This paper predicts a first order phase transition in QCD as the strange quark mass increases, based on lattice data and chiral SU(3) analysis, suggesting a novel stable baryonic matter composition.

## Contribution

It introduces a prediction of a first order transition in QCD with varying strange quark mass using lattice data and chiral perturbation theory at N$^3$LO.

## Key findings

- QCD predicts a first order transition with increasing strange quark mass.
- Anomalous QCD sector with lambda baryons as stable matter.
- Quantitative analysis based on lattice data and chiral SU(3) Lagrangian.

## Abstract

We consider the quark-mass dependence of the baryon octet and decuplet ground state masses. It is predicted that QCD dynamics implies a first order transition when increasing the strange quark mass from its chiral limit towards its physical value. Our claim relies on a global fit to the available QCD lattice data on such baryon masses. Quantitative results based on an application of the chiral SU(3) Lagrangian at N$^3$LO are discussed. We predict an anomalous sector of QCD where stable baryonic matter would be composed of lambda or anti-lambda particles rather than nucleons and anti-nucleons.