Recent Progress in Lattice QCD Thermodynamics

Abstract

This review gives a critical assessment of the current state of lattice simulations of QCD thermodynamics and what it teaches us about hot hadronic matter. It outlines briefly lattice methods for studying QCD at nonzero temperature and zero baryon number density with particular emphasis on assessing and reducing cutoff effects. It discusses a variety of difficulties with methods for determining the transition temperature. It uses results reported recently in the literature and at this conference for illustration, especially those from a major study carried out by the HotQCD collaboration.