Thermodynamics of lattice QCD with two light quarks on a163×8lattice. II

We have extended our earlier simulations of the high-temperature behavior of lattice QCD with two light flavors of staggered quarks on a ${16}^3\times 8$ lattice to a lower quark mass ${(m}_q=0.00625)$. The transition from hadronic matter to a quark-gluon plasma is observed at ${6/g}^2=5.49\mathrm{}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}$ corresponding to a temperature of $T_c\approx 140$ MeV. We present measurements of observables which probe the nature of the quark-gluon plasma and serve to distinguish it from hadronic matter. Although the transition is quite abrupt, we have seen no indications that it is first order.