Bayesian location of the QCD critical point from a holographic perspective

TL;DR

This paper predicts the existence and location of a QCD critical point using a Bayesian approach constrained by first principles, employing holographic duality to map QCD onto black hole theories.

Contribution

It provides the first Bayesian prediction of the QCD critical point from holographic models constrained by zero doping data.

Findings

High confidence in the existence of a QCD critical point.

Predicted CP location is consistent across different model realizations.

Nearly 100% posterior samples indicate a strong preference for a CP.

Abstract

A fundamental question in QCD is the existence of a phase transition at large doping of quarks over antiquarks. We present the first prediction of a QCD critical point (CP) from a Bayesian analysis constrained by first principle results at zero doping. We employ the gauge/gravity duality to map QCD onto a theory of dual black holes. Predictions for the CP location in different realizations of the model overlap at one sigma. Even if many prior samples do not include a CP, one is found in nearly 100\% of posterior samples, indicating a strong preference for a CP.