We investigate the Taylor expansion of the baryon number susceptibility, and hence, pressure, in a series in the baryon chemical potential (${\mu }_B$) through a lattice simulation with two flavors of light dynamical staggered quarks at a finer lattice cutoff $a=1/6T$. We determine the QCD cross over coupling at ${\mu }_B=0$. We find the radius of convergence of the series at various temperatures, and bound the location of the QCD critical point to be $T^E/T_c\approx 0.94$ and ${\mu }_B^E/T<1.8$. We also investigate the extrapolation of various susceptibilities and linkages to finite chemical potential.

• Received 10 July 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.78.114503