Quark-Gluon Plasma
Abstract
An elementary introduction to the physics of quark--gluon plasma is given. We start with a sketchy presentation of the Quantum Chromodynamics which is the fundamental theory of strong interactions. The structure of hadrons built up of quarks and gluons is briefly discussed with a special emphasis on the confinement hypothesis. Then, we explain what is the quark--gluon plasma and consider why and when the hadrons can dissolve liberating the quarks and gluons. The heavy-ion collisions at high-energies, which provide a unique opportunity to get a droplet of the quark--gluon plasma in the terrestrial conditions, are described. We also consider the most promising experimental signatures of the quark--gluon plasma produced in nucleus--nucleus collisions. At the end, the perspectives of the quark--gluon plasma studies at the future accelerators are mentioned.
- Publication:
-
Acta Physica Polonica B
- Pub Date:
- December 1998
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.nucl-th/9905005
- arXiv:
- arXiv:nucl-th/9905005
- Bibcode:
- 1998AcPPB..29.3711M
- Keywords:
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- Nuclear Theory
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 5 figures