Volker Koch (LBL Berkeley, USA)

Fluctuations and the QCD Phase diagram

We analyze the behavior of (net-)proton number cumulants in central collisions of heavy ions across a broad collision energy range by utilizing hydrodynamic simulations. The data from STAR and HADES Collaborations at lower collision energies indicate an excess of (multi-)proton correlations over the non-critical reference. This observation is discussed in the context of different mechanisms, including the possibility of a critical point in the baryon-rich region of the QCD phase diagram.