Phase Fluctuations near the Chiral Critical Point

Abstract: The Helmholtz free energy density is parametrized as a function of temperature and baryon density near the chiral critical point of QCD. The parametrization incorporates the expected critical exponents and amplitudes. An expansion away from equilibrium states is achieved with Landau theory. This is used to calculate the probability that the system is found at a density other than the equilibrium one. Such fluctuations are predicted to be very large in heavy ion collisions.