Proceedings of RIKEN BNL Resarch Center Workshop: Fluctuations, Correlations and RHIC Low Energy Runs
Most of our visible universe is made up of hadronic matter. Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is the theory of strong interaction that describes the hadronic matter. However, QCD predicts that at high enough temperatures and/or densities ordinary hadronic matter ceases to exist and a new form of matter is created, the so-called Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Non-perturbative lattice QCD simulations shows that for high temperature and small densities the transition from the hadronic to the QCD matter is not an actual phase transition, rather it takes place via a rapid crossover. On the other hand, it is generally believed that at zero temperature and high densities such a transition is an actual first order phase transition. Thus, in the temperature-density phase diagram of QCD, the first order phase transition line emanating from the zero temperature high density region ends at some higher temperature where the transition becomes a crossover. The point at which the first order transition line turns into a crossover is a second order phase transition point belonging to three dimensional Ising universality class. This point is known as the QCD Critical End Point (CEP). For the last couple of years the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory has been performing experiments at lower energies in search of the elusive QCD CEP. In general critical behaviors are manifested through appearance of long range correlations and increasing fluctuations associated with the presence of mass-less modes in the vicinity of a second order phase transition. Experimental signatures of the CEP are likely to be found in observables related to fluctuations and correlations. Thus, one of the major focuses of the RHIC low energy scan program is to measure various experimental observables connected to fluctuations and correlations. On the other hand, with the start of the RHIC low energy scan program, a flurry of activities are taking place to provide solid theoretical background for the search of the CEP using observables related to fluctuations and correlations. While new data are pouring in from the RHIC low energy scan program, many recent advances have also been made in the phenomenological and lattice gauge theory sides in order to have a better theoretical understanding of the wealth of new data. This workshop tried to create a synergy between the experimental, phenomenological and lattice QCD aspects of the fluctuation and correlation related studies of the RHIC low energy scan program. The workshop brought together all the leading experts from related fields under the same forum to share new ideas among themselves in order to streamline the continuing search of CEP in the RHIC low energy scan program.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). RIKEN Research Center
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE SC OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 1034724
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-96514-2011; KD0201; TRN: US1200934
- Resource Relation:
- Related Information: Fluctuations, Correlations and RHIC Low Energy Runs ; Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973; 20111003 through 20111005
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
FUTURE SCIENCE AT THE RELATIVISTIC HEAVY ION COLLIDER.
The experimental study of the phase structure of strongly interacting matter
Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
BNL
FLUCTUATIONS
HEAVY IONS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHYSICS
QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS
QUARK MATTER
STRONG INTERACTIONS
UNIVERSE
riken bnl research center