{"schema":"pubphys.bundle/1","record":{"author":{"account_ref":null,"orcid":null},"builds_on":[],"content_schema":"pubphys.content.revision/1","content_sha256":"2809a061ce7dc1c0b759c77c7032a31da391af27a5c4c7c8002e362e8edf1844","created":"2026-10-03T07:18:07Z","files":[],"origin":{"assisted_by":[],"kind":"seed"},"parents":["5475cf5dc5b1a72283d26dc95dc6e00d7ea4e00096a7c6492e409a1816eeb011","59c70c58ebc1de8bff7fc3398a95a4795b7d421f35be6bf7283b56f00e4e3db6"],"salt":"489ef48f92b491962e85871e754878083de8adba2a715f7f0cd0c3374de85149","schema":"pubphys.record/2","site":"pubphys.com","target":null,"type":"revision"},"content":{"answer_type":"identification","assisted_by":[],"external_id":"nuc.qcd-phase-diagram.bes-fluctuation-signal","kind":"phenomenon","literature_status":"contested","n":"1","parents":[{"note":"","parent_revision":"59c70c58ebc1de8bff7fc3398a95a4795b7d421f35be6bf7283b56f00e4e3db6","relation":"special_case"}],"plain":"The STAR experiment counted how the number of protons minus antiprotons varies from collision to collision as it lowered the collision energy. In 2025 it reported a dip near one energy, and whether a critical point causes it is unclear.","posed_since":"2025","precise":"STAR Beam Energy Scan II (PRL 2025) measured the net-proton cumulant ratio $C4/C2$ in 0-5 percent central $\\mathrm{Au}+\\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at $\\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 7.7 \\text{ to } 27 \\mathrm{GeV}$ and found a minimum near 19.6 GeV deviating from non-critical baselines by 2 to 5 standard deviations. Determine whether this follows from a critical point, using dynamical models with baryon-number conservation, finite size and lifetime, and non-equilibrium evolution, or from non-critical effects. Answer: yes or no with quantified model uncertainty.","problem_ref":null,"references":"","settled_by":"Fixed-target data below $7.7\\,\\mathrm{GeV}$ (STAR FXT, HADES, CBM at FAIR) testing the predicted energy dependence of $C4/C2$, together with dynamical simulations reproducing the full excitation function.","status_note":"The significance depends on the choice of non-critical baseline, and no dynamical critical-point model had reproduced the full energy dependence as of 2026.","title":"Is the STAR net-proton fluctuation dip a critical-point signal?","topic_ref":"8cebfc31c6dfbbabf0b4214c4b9557e92e9b9f0d637fcd43a3fcc8c806d62935"},"content_withheld":"false","files":[],"attested":{"attestation":{"batch":null,"client_id":null,"id_token_sha256":null,"kind":"platform"},"record_hash":"1861e29d082f19222e4187ebd2a98c97d7eccf3a4cd5520788e1d3ee513b7171","schema":"pubphys.attested/1"},"id_token":null,"id_token_withheld":"false","envelope":{"attested_hash":"b8af46dfdcf8ae9a98be497a777ef1bedf48879077e06577fb2cefd108c98585","platform_signature":{"key_id":"c6afc19b31429869751f06879c75cd64ea92654423d15b44be775bf1310a60da","sig":"RPzzPo42TWdaMtiWVzYi8ichxem_f0LJ5jTRGzntyVuMMBbuZ-5lMf71c72k8feG4vq6q4ji7CQeMWO82I8FDw"},"schema":"pubphys.envelope/1"},"ots":{"attested":["AE9wZW5UaW1lc3RhbXBzAABQcm9vZgC_ieLohOiSlAEIuK9G39z4rpqYvkl6d37xvt9Ih5B34GV3-yzv0QjJhYXxILii9h-OCD0LdpWkJh97xFTtcSb4HCI_6uSxxEUcYMYRCPEg68DQlD6t_sEJRLwKpJ4hdT_V5Zvoz-ANtmp5g39qET4I8SD7K4ENhO_GUffy2EiVkjc_mdiy_5I0sMjVPZGBotE62wjwILYBe85soA8516wcPlIczeFQbusNvQJtVcgACcPkfh1MCPAg22ADzB0Z1E8mUwPB3qaodCIBrvVu5yOD_sPj3jt1W5kI8SDz5nxP_e5RWo_jbZtNqjKllz6zeDD-DgXqCHq2LBEW_AjxIIm3kyeVtjvVU64SFRlHutTKiUSGdRqsE75jst9R4-HcCPEg4rqGLBuUkm_3jUcKp88ZZh3m3UlQLzvNY7ka68qj80wI8SCDmR0G6GV1bT7GyRXBqEjvzcE3qRopJxP_SHiWmwBlpQjxIFf8EhaVa-ubjpYx3wEAcKGxkzfUQq6B-8jimpRd8IqnCPAgy6DmLQtIuWm-zrDRmaSy95vcFWsjvWyppQO7wIWrfC4I8SAQuuTPkAGyvS_wKMy9BtKvnki2puESdY2vXem8hT1uIQjwIBGYo5Vxy-d7U5zKv5vp3Ii7hJPH_BDLCzA13c47p9q7CP_wCHbghVgOFMuNCPAQPZK2lHbTMqcCYUotzOQcmQjwIJ7ruRIs6HnufKxCpmLUgeUl0aUu0ov4_3PqcppS-bddCPEgI530vHzdwz_3o9jYQ3WablSaV64Wfn7Pmby5WLyI-A0I8QRqwKw78AhITF7Tr3a1xP8Ag9_jDS75DI4sK2h0dHBzOi8vYm9iLmJ0Yy5jYWxlbmRhci5vcGVudGltZXN0YW1wcy5vcmcI8CBXWeNiWFWltfHE0nkDXsVKIykUUwuObhsnN-2fvBt98gjwIM5Vf7j68sOFgVysYMc5S09Hho-fqxYW3oQ4oKUX7JpPCPAgaKHHQB3sdd9w1hu4NMh7vmb-p0X2r4uyVKKCj1G7S28I8SAW2Mg6Bzi9ygjrrjIYB7w90fwMcxH24SsqLmzPyAMGfwjwIMQ863zlveYIpNKWVrZaDOa4vowwoOg2CcTW8gXtxK3dCPEgrZxGGAf-t8jhz_eLMUyBN1IhNrdYDRcNHWvQcwNG9woI8CCVOUHG1YXudbaFIgUYvrCIevRWvb2ubhQAo-z0duD0rQjxIDBeKerVGkO3J2eXDwdraSioXbIWsdIPEN1s8pIwJIS2CPAgV2kB3n3JZ5HwBQjpRL1CWKnqvdCjZk3RcALk6N2wHigI8CB-wbljNlfqElD25uZkNg6taS81YDRU2vfMqGVQ420O9AjxWQEAAAABJM43UU6MLMRrPlCUqossvu1q_knons5yylyWTgxZzWUAAAAAAP7___8CLgABAAAAAAAWABQrYt3E7OllKRCEmL3FL589l78_5wAAAAAAAAAAImog8ATiyw4ACAjxILmbcIO7ixv3pCtwUMZ1VQGKus54F9lZ8-w5ECD5ZuiICAjwIG6ynCyFTLPE7Rgk-0ZGCtBDyqNQx8YvaSZNHy8D8p8jCAjwIMX8zoD2Be1YWvcx_bexVPRmBX0hK-do8b8t9SarimQVCAjxIG6XtpqIEclLlhzcK1LVjqoPGrjjmLnyno8tcETMzECECAjwIF6mlfXOFY51JhrK4eze8zQlKV75OYZYqbtyi8BWxmAsCAjwIKKUcJmVoz-u-geiRV_-ZHdF0VEPXaEPFWf_JX_0e7G2CAjxIGMeD0Z5QWNKBcAEpHht007FFIILW6aSJ8f3CMkKNsneCAjwIBFr6Je8rkB7kwhPGbq0yRgFwZsvW9JhY5sXDRtrq0QwCAjwIAHAwXaus-yUgKICJB5mVvx8VZuJgjwnpb0qWPg1pi6DCAjxIAJhb8cefkVHTAMymdsxa-_i-tUua62LcpALQnPG7R9_CAjwIDvsFqBhPfAL6TCtXZd7gBWmMpx6iiZ-Ug0Jf_LlcstgCAjwIDJRBX6Q0Vge-ra-k1_g76yJWTEp6WWF13I3JpTnsZPJCAjwILykZCbkC9VQgl5gytPKKir6T9nTvKR6y05iWSHBTQgzCAgABYiWDXPXGQED45c78Ah-sGbmQAwfZwjwEAYqxtHnZiPZnJEGPx_JvKsI8SDXkqDg17YsZIrEz5acRx7mBXCKW5mKNgRYnw_-U2cpDgjxBGrArDrwCEfK6Mono428_wCD3-MNLvkMji4taHR0cHM6Ly9hbGljZS5idGMuY2FsZW5kYXIub3BlbnRpbWVzdGFtcHMub3JnCPAg10nyJ6Jn4kshQQQCKE0Lvj3hBC6nLRBVIzaPV4eh8VwI8CCQaAqWlxEbac_XOq1MOlf9iOKHEsxXspzbjK0vLpy8BwjwII3iRbRXUcDxrhAdkZmFlI15nySCSEZ7g922tF1Xln5DCPEgYYvZ1L4v4rPu_UqLfcHPtwSb2OH2GhPgVcVhhH6DpkQI8CDZCIoR20sC-uchP40oAmcLm9EJFV7xzwplj54AeVadXQjxILvLBjPFpCoz29m9Yf2qRnV7PI9GqxE8ozVQfk9QwCqrCPEgZXcMudvEoB_MJ8tqOW2PLTKAIeQBnE-1bfzptRc2gR8I8VkBAAAAAfXq-bmxWqOz7B5wKkwjzHGv2R4s7Y0Z76LqXWYNhmz0AAAAAAD-____Av0cAAAAAAAAFgAUl-skmdZDtn7Hnub6mF4HP2uVn7oAAAAAAAAAACJqIPAE4MsOAAgI8CBDmQsbEXc46Hu8DivhCBM1LGExa4TTM-wo7HpoCVjBTQgI8CCty5vkQtPHzzs8xqArOYhVSjgaDoG1ou3cojv5_P7wQQgI8SDQWB0kdXCTwbk-TqTt0QfRMyzDNLOtU1XXFgvGSRlW8wgI8CC2PKa_QCIBZtrXodq1GdEzppISMsMRDOnzr2gFjLKOAAgI8CCwQ_QF67bcFk_uJ2s0VCZmf5PGIjTmTCpt_qnVY5p_8AgI8SAbzyx7z-oxPMju6PvtQhzrJIQyH2ZAc9oyLuYemzbmZQgI8CC5bh7J74uUk91r8LwybHQFCNBC3PWeuwtMCCNFKWj19AgI8SAf4R2TUNPjaX_PWDUImpoITK0JoW89zaMKnD1wlEEi8AgI8SC2vNmdm7eyP5Ytl1yTzT0njliMdALl1ViKG-s3bG2zswgI8CCpbIVNz1GFVXdJk2zd82hBUoNFFemUPBt7IJdWEOciPwgI8CBtYdRQcrtX1FtCm1SxF7sx-5cO04U8KzbJh8fqBkyReAgI8CBHs2LGmX6gI-lV7yp1RrV7_tGfdiBAwnEFF6B6yXHzAQgI8CATotVmbXBMAixhZ-QKy5Q4lR0FusdA_wcIC1TbB7GmxAgIAAWIlg1z1xkBA-KXOw"],"envelope":["AE9wZW5UaW1lc3RhbXBzAABQcm9vZgC_ieLohOiSlAEIDpDDTzTN5iUt7D6i5UBB3KQ1y4QMnBuTvGNgyB2pGJ_wIA6Uio59UwY1f55NRvLk_VQGAxShg_GEEu0dFWh4JP4_CPAgNVBfmnFDyNsMUsXnK5Zy9yWLHm4VlZPn8PjZrI-QWzcI8SByMbZBmK-NfakhxQU69uLkkPbW469XKB6YDWlEqHIbxwjxIMZTTZirh7EJBRmAVTyfA1GeBn8RtlEz8R14f4CFHX51CPEgoP3EgvSBso3EZLIOIU4CowLPrWkt9G2UIeerPxWxsGsI8SBdoK6aZzKVlKhSra2wrzOGdhkQ1ReNy8kFQWH11rSLFQjxIBButcXheltB9r5q_SiVaYiPmqtX1_20ZNerwgnGiSE_CPEgoIuFmZyvZNn9xG6qppiK_mJT40FHqHfjKvxdbYaYwQAI8CDTURm5psgkpndkZlRIia_PxrzHEbIi4fWR0w8YEe9YLAjwIMIc4xq7iJ2YP27EtWYUvEm4-TQD7cayDq2XvZh74n3BCPAg3v2QXfNkDO6Xzu9061umH0rhjRfHBKza3uG2nPQbpd8I8CCtNZgmApuKULvPC9nsMCaM05arV-F3o5FTlnJCnRvdMgjwIBGYo5Vxy-d7U5zKv5vp3Ii7hJPH_BDLCzA13c47p9q7CP_wCHbghVgOFMuNCPAQPZK2lHbTMqcCYUotzOQcmQjwIJ7ruRIs6HnufKxCpmLUgeUl0aUu0ov4_3PqcppS-bddCPEgI530vHzdwz_3o9jYQ3WablSaV64Wfn7Pmby5WLyI-A0I8QRqwKw78AhITF7Tr3a1xP8Ag9_jDS75DI4sK2h0dHBzOi8vYm9iLmJ0Yy5jYWxlbmRhci5vcGVudGltZXN0YW1wcy5vcmcI8CBXWeNiWFWltfHE0nkDXsVKIykUUwuObhsnN-2fvBt98gjwIM5Vf7j68sOFgVysYMc5S09Hho-fqxYW3oQ4oKUX7JpPCPAgaKHHQB3sdd9w1hu4NMh7vmb-p0X2r4uyVKKCj1G7S28I8SAW2Mg6Bzi9ygjrrjIYB7w90fwMcxH24SsqLmzPyAMGfwjwIMQ863zlveYIpNKWVrZaDOa4vowwoOg2CcTW8gXtxK3dCPEgrZxGGAf-t8jhz_eLMUyBN1IhNrdYDRcNHWvQcwNG9woI8CCVOUHG1YXudbaFIgUYvrCIevRWvb2ubhQAo-z0duD0rQjxIDBeKerVGkO3J2eXDwdraSioXbIWsdIPEN1s8pIwJIS2CPAgV2kB3n3JZ5HwBQjpRL1CWKnqvdCjZk3RcALk6N2wHigI8CB-wbljNlfqElD25uZkNg6taS81YDRU2vfMqGVQ420O9AjxWQEAAAABJM43UU6MLMRrPlCUqossvu1q_knons5yylyWTgxZzWUAAAAAAP7___8CLgABAAAAAAAWABQrYt3E7OllKRCEmL3FL589l78_5wAAAAAAAAAAImog8ATiyw4ACAjxILmbcIO7ixv3pCtwUMZ1VQGKus54F9lZ8-w5ECD5ZuiICAjwIG6ynCyFTLPE7Rgk-0ZGCtBDyqNQx8YvaSZNHy8D8p8jCAjwIMX8zoD2Be1YWvcx_bexVPRmBX0hK-do8b8t9SarimQVCAjxIG6XtpqIEclLlhzcK1LVjqoPGrjjmLnyno8tcETMzECECAjwIF6mlfXOFY51JhrK4eze8zQlKV75OYZYqbtyi8BWxmAsCAjwIKKUcJmVoz-u-geiRV_-ZHdF0VEPXaEPFWf_JX_0e7G2CAjxIGMeD0Z5QWNKBcAEpHht007FFIILW6aSJ8f3CMkKNsneCAjwIBFr6Je8rkB7kwhPGbq0yRgFwZsvW9JhY5sXDRtrq0QwCAjwIAHAwXaus-yUgKICJB5mVvx8VZuJgjwnpb0qWPg1pi6DCAjxIAJhb8cefkVHTAMymdsxa-_i-tUua62LcpALQnPG7R9_CAjwIDvsFqBhPfAL6TCtXZd7gBWmMpx6iiZ-Ug0Jf_LlcstgCAjwIDJRBX6Q0Vge-ra-k1_g76yJWTEp6WWF13I3JpTnsZPJCAjwILykZCbkC9VQgl5gytPKKir6T9nTvKR6y05iWSHBTQgzCAgABYiWDXPXGQED45c78Ah-sGbmQAwfZwjwEAYqxtHnZiPZnJEGPx_JvKsI8SDXkqDg17YsZIrEz5acRx7mBXCKW5mKNgRYnw_-U2cpDgjxBGrArDrwCEfK6Mono428_wCD3-MNLvkMji4taHR0cHM6Ly9hbGljZS5idGMuY2FsZW5kYXIub3BlbnRpbWVzdGFtcHMub3JnCPAg10nyJ6Jn4kshQQQCKE0Lvj3hBC6nLRBVIzaPV4eh8VwI8CCQaAqWlxEbac_XOq1MOlf9iOKHEsxXspzbjK0vLpy8BwjwII3iRbRXUcDxrhAdkZmFlI15nySCSEZ7g922tF1Xln5DCPEgYYvZ1L4v4rPu_UqLfcHPtwSb2OH2GhPgVcVhhH6DpkQI8CDZCIoR20sC-uchP40oAmcLm9EJFV7xzwplj54AeVadXQjxILvLBjPFpCoz29m9Yf2qRnV7PI9GqxE8ozVQfk9QwCqrCPEgZXcMudvEoB_MJ8tqOW2PLTKAIeQBnE-1bfzptRc2gR8I8VkBAAAAAfXq-bmxWqOz7B5wKkwjzHGv2R4s7Y0Z76LqXWYNhmz0AAAAAAD-____Av0cAAAAAAAAFgAUl-skmdZDtn7Hnub6mF4HP2uVn7oAAAAAAAAAACJqIPAE4MsOAAgI8CBDmQsbEXc46Hu8DivhCBM1LGExa4TTM-wo7HpoCVjBTQgI8CCty5vkQtPHzzs8xqArOYhVSjgaDoG1ou3cojv5_P7wQQgI8SDQWB0kdXCTwbk-TqTt0QfRMyzDNLOtU1XXFgvGSRlW8wgI8CC2PKa_QCIBZtrXodq1GdEzppISMsMRDOnzr2gFjLKOAAgI8CCwQ_QF67bcFk_uJ2s0VCZmf5PGIjTmTCpt_qnVY5p_8AgI8SAbzyx7z-oxPMju6PvtQhzrJIQyH2ZAc9oyLuYemzbmZQgI8CC5bh7J74uUk91r8LwybHQFCNBC3PWeuwtMCCNFKWj19AgI8SAf4R2TUNPjaX_PWDUImpoITK0JoW89zaMKnD1wlEEi8AgI8SC2vNmdm7eyP5Ytl1yTzT0njliMdALl1ViKG-s3bG2zswgI8CCpbIVNz1GFVXdJk2zd82hBUoNFFemUPBt7IJdWEOciPwgI8CBtYdRQcrtX1FtCm1SxF7sx-5cO04U8KzbJh8fqBkyReAgI8CBHs2LGmX6gI-lV7yp1RrV7_tGfdiBAwnEFF6B6yXHzAQgI8CATotVmbXBMAixhZ-QKy5Q4lR0FusdA_wcIC1TbB7GmxAgIAAWIlg1z1xkBA-KXOw"]},"log":{"leaf_index":"1800","tree_size":"2123","proof":["3153bb7007781b27621920d45108fbefcb9d9f3a7bd9417a62d77f57d85197fe","0181f2e2a64941e48ab2483988742d10996367f52d4e395148d688beef643b9c","a8eb5b0df36e506f7c32782f98ff91617d85e58306ef0d222f9dd8ab94f5a86d","439440828e3e1935c9f099df582be9e31707f5140fac25a1ff4ebb93a1f99bb8","24be6d63e90821c49f1e7e168b0f0efba0431e107993386f148e0f41c336b538","be2d5561c917c225facdcbcf50d0889e828229616665b5c9dc32ab54bac21787","b73402096879b4fe9cefd6400a0af7275456693eb436b0ec30da9a5e8b5c5f74","14dd2e4d4f3bd929d86d1750195d13ee9ec70c54f432e6d8f0e58a81711d074d","89c88540ca484f1a3c3976a552c40aeb6520d68a5a5ecc248a08fd399e828af4","35f1d0a5e69da98f9992a5251e4e3df1933c2f26543c7a40b2681ecfa194443a","2b97406e15e4d451a5450b3b53b677749fe0fa759579146dbfa1544c1e61a0ed","addcf2e0ff7974e4aa99af5e30d409f90d9f4311a4d85f5baf3e125eeb45b4c1"],"checkpoint":"pubphys.com/log/v1\n2123\npXVcluz7BF4vgChQs6lShuU0386gCH0RxrC1sxyE3rI=\n\n— pubphys.com/log/v1 JFPwIOLzsUD22XoTVyTfk/FMVj/u3f3DxZk4V/Ws10KVSS+8WQSwhunQ//EAhyS9Td5CyM0E++85GMezmKd8240j9Q8=\n","promise":null},"orcid_key_evidence":[],"attesting":null}