Correlated fluctuations near the QCD critical point

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a freeze-out scheme for the dynamical models near the QCD critical point through coupling the decoupled classical particles with the order parameter field. With a modified distribution function that satisfies specific static fluctuations, we calculate the correlated fluctuations of net protons on the hydrodynamic freeze-out surface. A comparison with recent STAR data shows that our model calculations could roughly reproduce energy dependent cumulant $C_4$ and $\kappa {\sigma }^2$ of net protons through tuning the related parameters. However, the calculated $C_2$ and $C_3$ with both Poisson and Binomial baselines are always above the experimental data due to the positive contributions from the static critical fluctuations. In order to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the experimental data, the dynamical critical fluctuations and more realistic non-critical fluctuation baselines should be investigated in the near future.

Comments: 9 pages, 7 figures; with Appendix C added to discuss the acceptance dependence of critical fluctuations