Much can be learned about the quark-gluon plasma created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions by studying the particles produced. In addition to particles being created from the energy released, these collisions are expected to produce very strong magnetic fields. Although these fields only exist for a tiny fraction of a second, their existence may influence particle production. I will present a theoretical analysis of heavy quarkonia subjected to a very strong magnetic field and an experimental search for hypertriton, an exotic, unstable isotope of hydrogen. For the theoretical part of my dissertation, I model the interaction of a heavy quark-antiquark pair using a non-relativistic Hamiltonian. The Schrodinger equation is solved numerically using the model Hamiltonian including spin-spin, spin-orbit, and tensor interactions. I will present the energy eigenstates as a function of the external magnetic field for all 1s and 1p bottomonium and charmonium states. A very strong magnetic field is expected to modify the masses of quarkonia enough to be measured in modern collider experiments and may help to explain the suppression of J/¿ mesons observed in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The changes in mass are due to the interaction with the magnetic field as well as the mixing between spin states. For the experimental part of my dissertation, I look for evidence of a hypertriton decaying into a deuteron, proton and pion. Hypertritons are created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and the decay products are observed using the STAR detectors. The relativistic invariant mass of the hypertriton candidates is calculated using energy-momentum conservation of the decay products. The resulting invariant mass spectrum is then examined for an abundance of candidates near the known hypertriton mass. Although the combinatorial background for a three-body decay is much larger than for a two-body decay, the large amount of data acquired in recent years combined with the higher branching ratio for the three-body decay makes it reasonable to expect that a good signal can be extracted.

This book attempts to cover the fascinating field of physics of relativistic heavy ions, mainly from the experimentalist's point of view. After the introductory chapter on quantum chromodynamics, basic properties of atomic nuclei, sources of relativistic nuclei, and typical detector set-ups are described in three subsequent chapters. Experimental facts on collisions of relativistic heavy ions are systematically presented in 15 consecutive chapters, starting from the simplest features like cross sections, multiplicities, and spectra of secondary particles and going to more involved characteristics like correlations, various relatively rare processes, and newly discovered features: collective flow, high pT suppression and jet quenching. Some entirely new topics are included, such as the difference between neutron and proton radii in nuclei, heavy hypernuclei, and electromagnetic effects on secondary particle spectra.Phenomenological approaches and related simple models are discussed in parallel with the presentation of experimental data. Near the end of the book, recent ideas about the new state of matter created in collisions of ultrarelativistic nuclei are discussed. In the final chapter, some predictions are given for nuclear collisions in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), now in construction at the site of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva. Finally, the appendix gives us basic notions of relativistic kinematics, and lists the main international conferences related to this field. A concise reference book on physics of relativistic heavy ions, it shows the present status of this field.

This book gives an introduction to main ideas used in the physics of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The links between basic theoretical concepts (discussed gradually from the elementary to more advanced level) and the results of experiments are outlined, so that experimentalists may learn more about the foundations of the models used by them to fit and interpret the data, while theoreticians may learn more about how different theoretical ideas are used in practical applications. The main task of the book is to collect the available information and establish a uniform picture of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The properties of hot and dense matter implied by this picture are discussed comprehensively. In particular, the issues concerning the formation of the quark-gluon plasma in present and future heavy-ion experiments are addressed.

Written primarily for researchers and graduate students who are new in this emerging field, this book develops the necessary tools so that readers can follow the latest advances in this subject. Readers are first guided to examine the basic informations on nucleon-nucleon collisions and the use of the nucleus as an arena to study the interaction of one nucleon with another. A good survey of the relation between nucleon-nucleon and nucleus-nucleus collisions provides the proper comparison to study phenomena involving the more exotic quark-gluon plasma. Properties of the quark-gluon plasma and signatures for its detection are discussed to aid future searches and exploration for this exotic matter. Recent experimental findings are summarised.

Experimental work is reported on the following topics: transverse energy production in 10.7-GeV/c/u Au on Au collisions; first results on delta ray production and charged particle multiplicities with the Au beam at 10.7 GeV/c/A; preliminary studies on the feasibility of flow measurement with the E814 participant calorimeter; preliminary results from the E877 telescope; and low-p[sub t] baryon distribution in Si+Al, Pb collisions at the AGS. Then the status of the Hadronic Calorimeter project of AGS Experiment E864 (ECOS--Exotic Composite Object Spectrometer) is reviewed. Next, the same is done for work of the STAR RHIC collaboration (Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) project evolution and development in FY92, SVT software results from 1992, SVT instrumentation, FY93 SVT pion test beam). The instrumentation section deals with the design and installation of a target rapidity telescope for BNL experiment 814/877 and a repair scheme for the E814/E877 participant calorimeter. Finally, the theory part addresses bosonic kinetics: thermalization of mesons and the pion p[sub perpendicular] spectrum in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions and non-equilibrium properties of hadronic mixtures.

Introduction to Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions László P. Csernai University of Bergen, Norway Written for postgraduates and advanced undergraduates in physics, this clear and concise work covers a wide range of subjects from intermediate to ultra-relativistic energies, thus providing an introductory overview of heavy ion physics. The reader is introduced to essential principles in heavy ion physics through a variety of questions, with answers, of varying difficulty. This timely text is based on a series of well received lectures given by Professor L. Csernai at the University of Minnesota, and the University of Bergen, where the author is based.

This book gives an overview of relativistic heavy ion physics with particular emphasis on those theoretical approaches which seek an understanding and explanation of the measurements. These approaches try to build a bridge between more basic theories, such as lattice QCD or nucleon-nucleon interactions, and complicated experimental observables involving a large number of particles. Thus, mainly theoretical approaches are discussed here which are strongly and directly related to experiments, and in turn they are phenomenological to some extent. These models use the available information from more complete reaction model describing the whole collision and the observables.It is suitable as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students - both experimentalists and theorists - for studies in the field of relativistic heavy ion physics. It may also serve as a handbook where basic concepts of reaction models can be found and the most important references for further reading are provided.

Papers of the June 1989 meeting in Beijing by the China Center of Advanced Science and Technology. This small book covers nucleus- nucleus collisions, states of the vacuum, and highly relativistic heavy ions in the experimental realm. Theoretical papers deal with quark-gluon plasma, and relativistic heavy ion collisions. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Rafelski presents Special Relativity in a language deemed accessible to students without any topical preparation - avoiding the burden of geometry, tensor calculus, and space-time symmetries – and yet advancing in highly contemporary context all the way to research frontiers. Special Relativity is presented such that nothing remains a paradox or just apparent, but rather is explained. A text of similar character, content, and scope, has not been available before. This textbook describes Special Relativity when rigid material bodies are introduced describing the reality of body contraction; it shows the relevance of acceleration and the necessary evolution of the theoretical framework when acceleration is critical. This book also presents the evolving views of Einstein about the aether. In addition to a careful and elementary introduction to relativity complete with exercises, worked examples and many discussions, this volume connects to current research topics so that readers can explore Special Relativity from the foundation to the frontier.