Imprints of a critical point on photon emission

The linear sigma model with linearized fluctuations of all involved fields facilitates the onset of a sequence of first-order phase transitions at a critical point. This phase structure has distinctive imprints on the photon emission rates. We argue that analogously a critical point in the QCD phase diagram manifests itself by peculiarities of the photon spectra, in particular when the dynamical expansion path of matter crosses the phase transition curve in the vicinity of the critical point. (orig.)