Equation of State and Phase Fluctuations near the Chiral Critical Point

Abstract

The thermodynamics and critical exponents and amplitudes of high temperature and dense matter near the chiral critical point are studied. The parameterized equation of state matches on to that calculated with lattice QCD at zero chemical potential and to the known properties of nuclear matter at zero temperature. The extent to which finite size effects wash out the phase separation near the critical point is determined.

Comments: 32 pages, 8 figures