Physics Aspects of the CERN Heavy-Ion Programme
Abstract
Description
Statistical calculations within the Standard Model indicate that at extremely high densities the quarks and gluons will become deconfined, leading to a new state of matter, the so-called Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Recently it was announced at CERN that compelling evidence has been obtained from experimental data that indeed the formation of a deconfined state has been achieved in very energetic collisions of heavy nuclei. In this presentation I will provide an overview of the main aspects of heavy-ion physics and will address the various observations which indicate the possible creation of a deconfined state. To enable a systematic study of the QGP state, a combined measurement of the various observables is needed. It will be shown how this can be realised within the ALICE experiment at the future LHC collider.
Invited talk presented at QFTHEP'2000, Tver, Russia
Invited talk presented at QFTHEP'2000, Tver, Russia