Quasi-Particle Description of Strongly Interacting Matter: Towards a Foundation

Abstract

We confront our quasi-particle model for the equation of state of strongly interacting matter with recent first-principle QCD calculations. In particular, we test its applicability at finite baryon densities by comparing with Taylor expansion coefficients of the pressure for two quark flavours. We outline a chain of approximations starting from the Phi-functional approach to QCD which motivates the quasi-particle picture.

Comments: Aug 2006. 6 pp. Invited Talk given at Hot Quarks 2006, Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy, 15-20 May 2006