Fermi arcs in cuprate superconductors: Tracking the pseudogap below T c and above T *

Using an energy-momentum dispersion for ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}\mathrm{Ca}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ obtained from angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that the shrinking Fermi arc model of the pseudogap is inconsistent with the Raman scattering below ${T}_{c}$ and specific heat near ${T}^{*}$. By simulating the quasiparticle energy dispersion curves, we show that Fermi arcs are an artifact of a $T$-dependent scattering rate.