Freeze-out parameters: Lattice meets experiment

Abstract

We present our results for ratios of higher order fluctuations of electric charge as functions of the temperature. These results are obtained in a system of 2+1 quark flavors at physical quark masses and continuum extrapolated. We compare them to preliminary data on higher order moments of the net electric charge distribution from the STAR collaboration. This allows us to determine the freeze-out temperature and chemical potential from first principles. We also show continuum-extrapolated results for ratios of higher order fluctuations of baryon number. These will allow us to test the consistency of the approach, by comparing them to the corresponding experimental data (once they become available) and thus, extracting the freeze-out parameters in an independent way. © 2013 American Physical Society.