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Physics Special Colloquium, April 4, 2005Quark Gluon Plasma Search -Recent Results from STAROlga BarannikovaPurdue UniversityQuantum ChromoDynamics (QCD) predicts a phase transition from normal nuclear matter to a deconfined state of quarks and gluons at sufficiently high energy densities (about 1 GeV/fm3). It is believed that such a state, Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), existed in the early universe after the Big Bang; and it may exist in the dense core of neutron stars. Creation of QGP is the main goal of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Investigation of QGP properties is expected to provide new insights into the strong interaction and QCD. RHIC has enjoyed 4 successful years of physics running. Results obtained by four RHIC experiments on properties of the bulk created matter and on interactions of penetrating probes with the bulk matter have revealed previously unobserved behavior: chemical composition of the system indicates attainment of local thermal equilibrium; anisotropic momentum distributions are consistent with an ideal fluid behavior, and the initially produced high energy parton jets have significantly attenuated and become partially equilibrated with the medium. In this talk I will present these results, especially those from the STAR experiment. I will discuss how those results point to the creation of hot and dense medium and the relevance of partonic degrees of freedom. I will conclude with discussion of future measurements needed to make a QGP discovery claim. 2:30 p.m., Physics Research Building, Room 4138Refreshments served in room 4138, Physics Research Building at 2:00 p.m. |
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