The QCD equation of state and quark star properties

Abstract

We review our quasiparticle model for the thermodynamics of strongly interacting matter at high temperature, and its extrapolation to non-zero chemical potential. Some implications of the resulting soft equation of state of quark matter at low temperatures are pointed out.

Comments: Invited talk given by A. Peshier at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Superdense QCD Matter and Compact Stars", 27 September - 4 October 2003, Yerivan, Armenia