Dyson-Schwinger approach to baryon number fluctuations

TL;DR

This paper uses Dyson-Schwinger equations to study baryon number fluctuations in QCD at finite temperature and chemical potential, providing insights into the QCD phase diagram and the critical endpoint.

Contribution

It applies a Dyson-Schwinger approach to compute baryon fluctuations, offering a non-perturbative perspective on QCD phase transitions and the critical endpoint.

Findings

Results are compatible with a critical endpoint at large chemical potential.

The freeze-out line bends below the critical endpoint.

Findings align with preliminary STAR experimental data.

Abstract

We summarize our results on baryon number fluctuations at nonzero temperature and chemical potential. They are obtained from solutions of a coupled set of Dyson-Schwinger equations for the quark and gluon propagators of QCD in Landau gauge with $N_f=2+1$ quark flavors. In comparison with preliminary STAR data, our results are compatible with a critical endpoint at large chemical potential and a freeze-out line that bends below it.