Ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions: The physics of the Quark-Gluon Plasma

This module introduces the physics of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) and the current research aiming to measure the properties of this new state of hot and dense matter via the collisions of heavy ions at ultrarelativistic energies. The following topics will be discussed throughout the lecture:

1. Introduction with general motivation and brief historic overview
2. Discussion of frequently used kinematic variables
3. From Nucleon–Nucleon to Nucleus–Nucleus Collisions
4. Thermodynamics of the QGP
5. Evolution of the QGP
6. Statistical Hadronization
7. Accelerators & Experiments
8. Dileptons and Chiral Symmetry Restoration
9. Hard Probes and Thermal Photon Radiation
10. Jets and Jet Quenching
11. Open Heavy Flavour
12. Quarkonia

After the successful completion of the lecture, the students will be able to:

• Describe the structures of the QCD phase diagram
• Understand the thermodynamics that governs the QGP
• Summarize statistical models for particle production in heavy-ion collision
• Describe signatures of QGP formation
• Discriminate QGP signatures from ordinary cold nuclear ma?er effects
• Discuss key discoveries of heavy-ion experiments
• Outline the main detector technologies used by heavy-ion experiments
• Familiarize themselves with the latest research activities in heavy-ion physics
• Obtain an outlook for future research directions in heavy-ion physics

No preconditions in addition to the requirements for the Master’s program in Physics.

This module consists of a lecture that is presented in a 90 minutes block once per week. The slides are available online before the lecture and a printed copy is provided during the lecture so students can focus taking notes on important remarks beyond the slide content. Additional explanations and more detailed derivations are presented on the blackboard. Each lecture will cover, on average, one of the above-mentioned topics. After the intial introduction, theoretical concepts are presented before experimental results are discussed and confronted with these concepts. Links to all publications that are discussed in the lecture are provided on the course website and full references are provided within the slides.

PowerPoint presentation, black board and original research articles in peer-reviewed journals.

• C.-Y. Wong: Introduction to High-Energy Heavy-Ion Collisions, World Scientific, 1994
• S. Sarkar, H. Saj & B. Sinha: The physics of the quark-gluon plasma, Lecture Notes in Physics 785, Springer, 2010
• H. Saj: Extreme States of Matter in Strong Interaction Physics, Lecture Notes in Physics 841, Springer, 2012
• R. Vogt: Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions, Elsevier, 2007
• L. P. Cserna: Introduction to Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions, Wiley, 1994
• E. Shuryak: The QCD vacuum, hadrons, and superdense matter, World Scientific, 2004
• J. Rak & M. Tannenbaum: High-pT Physics in the Heavy-Ion Era, Cambridge University Press, 2013

The achievement of the competencies given in section learning outcome is tested exemplarily at least to the given cognition level using final projects independently prepared by the students. The exam of 30 minutes consists of the presentation of the project’s results and a subsequent discussion.

There will be voluntary graded mid-terms. If better than the grade of the module exam these will be included into the module grade with the given percentage. The offered mid-terms are: a voluntary seminar talk during the semester (50%).