Quasi-particle perspective on critical end-point

TL;DR

This paper models the QCD critical point using a quasi-particle approach to understand its effects on the equation of state, quark number susceptibility, and isentropic trajectories in heavy-ion collisions.

Contribution

It introduces a phenomenological quasi-particle model incorporating the QCD critical point features to study its impact on strongly interacting matter.

Findings

Critical point influences quark number susceptibility patterns.

Isentropic trajectories are affected near the critical point.

The model provides insights into the phase transition behavior.

Abstract

Within a quasi-particle model for the equation of state of strongly interacting matter for two quark flavors we include phenomenologically features of the QCD critical point and discuss its impact on the equation of state. In particular, we investigate the influence on the quark number susceptibility and the pattern of isentropic trajectories which describe the evolutionary paths of matter during the hydrodynamical expansion of a heavy-ion collision.