Relativistic Heavy Ion Physics

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9971845CebraThe goal of this project is the study of collisions between relativistic nuclei and ultimately the determination of the properties of nuclear matter over a wide range of temperatures and densities. Without the possibility of direct studies of nuclear matter in bulk (as in neutron stars, supernovae, or the Big Bang), one resorts to the challenging studies of finite and transient systems as provided by nucleus-nucleus collisions. This effort will be focused on participation in the construction effort for the STAR (Solenoidal Tracker At RHIC) experiment at RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) and analysis of the data which it generates. The STAR Collaboration was formed to search for signatures of the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), a phase of matter which dominated the early stages of the Big Bang. UCD has proposed tracking chambers which extend STAR's coverage into the forward regions close to the beam axis (high $\eta$), with momentum resolution and charge determination. Construction of these two small Forward tracking chambers (FTPCs), which will fit inside the central tracking chamber (TPC), is now underway at MPI (Munich). The FTPCs for STAR will be installed for the second running period in year 2000. UCD will use the STAR central TPC and the FTPCs to continue their studies of transverse, elliptic, radial, and longitudinal flow. These studies of the hydrodynamical behavior of nuclear matter allow one to study its compressibility, and hence the nuclear equation of state.