We test the quark mass dependence implemented in the quasiparticle dispersion relations of our quasiparticle model for the QCD equation of state by comparing with recently available lattice QCD data near $T_c$ employing almost physical quark masses.
In addition, we emphasize the capability of our model to successfully describe lattice QCD results for imaginary chemical potential and to analytically continue the latter to real chemical potential.
The Taylor coefficients of flavor diagonal and off-diagonal susceptibilities as well as baryon number, isovector and electric charge susceptibilities are considered within a phenomenological quasiparticle model of the quark-gluon plasma and successfu
lly compared with lattice QCD data for two degenerate quark flavors. These susceptibility coefficients represent sensible probes of baryon density effects in the equation of state. The baryon charge is carried, in our model, by quark-quasiparticle excitations for hard momenta.
A quasiparticle model of the quark-gluon plasma is compared with lattice QCD data for purely imaginary chemical potential. Net quark number density, susceptibility as well as the deconfinement border line in the phase diagram of strongly interacting
matter are investigated. In addition, the impact of baryo-chemical potential dependent quasiparticle masses is discussed. This accomplishes a direct test of the model for non-zero baryon density. The found results are compared with lattice QCD data for real chemical potential by means of analytic continuation and with a different (independent) set of lattice QCD data at zero chemical potential.
