Quark Gluon Plasma Presented by: Rick Ueno Welcome to the presentation of:

Background Originated from Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) proposed by Murray Gell- Mann in 1963 QCD is a theory describing strong interactions Plays important roles in supporting Standard Model Murray Gell-Mann

General Information It is a different state of quarks and gluons as we know today It is thought to exist around ten microseconds after the Big Bang Quarks and gluons were at too large densities and temperature to be confined within nucleon.

ICE WATER STEAM HYDROGEN & OXYGEN PROTON & ELECTRON QUARKS & GLUONS QGP OXYGEN ELECTRON Energy (Heat) added

QGP and Big Bang Theory predicts the critical temperature T 0 to be 150 – 200 MeV, and Energy density E 0 to be approximately 1 GeV/fm 3. As the universe expands and cools, free quarks and gluons form stable particles as we know today

Why do we want this? This tests the Standard Model of strong interactions (QCD) We want to know what consisted in the early stage of the big bang

QGP Experiments Scientists believe that some QGP still exist in the centre of dense neutron stars –But we can’t get there and obtain samples –So we have to make our own in the laboratory –Promising experiments are RHIC and ALICE

ALICE Experiment “A Large Ion Collider Experiment” Its purpose is to detect and to study QGP Begins operation in 2007 The experiment benefits from experience gained from RHIC Uses lead, the heaviest ion to be accelerated in laboratory, to maximize the signal for detecting QGP

ALICE Detector

Detection of QGP Two lead particles collide They form into a short-lived fireball volume –This state is in QGP form After short period of time it expands and cools, and it emits hadrons such as J/Ψ, which we can detect

Problems Temperatures that we can achieve at this stage is barely enough for deconfinement Limitation of statistical analysis The quark gluon plasma is yet to be discovered unambiguously

Future of QGP The more we know about QGP, the more we know about our own universe Characterization of QGP by electromagnetic radiation has only begun The ongoing technology increases the collision energy, bringing the energy well above threshold of formation of QGP

References & Further Readings ALICE, (n.d.). When Time Began, Retrieved from: ml ml ALICE, (n.d.). What is Quark matter? Retrieved from: Jacak, B. (2001) Is the Quark Gluon Plasma in Hand? Nuclear Physics A680 pp Lahanas, M. (n.d.) Quark Gluon Plasma. Retrieved from: University of Cambridge. (n.d.). Hot Big Bang. Retrieved from: me.html me.html Wikipedia: