Bursts of Electromagnetic Energy from Highly Excited Subatomic Matter

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Atoms and nuclei comprise ordinary matter---galaxies, mountains, people, DNA, etc. Inside the nuclei are protons and neutron, and, if we look still inward, we will encounter quarks in a frozen state. Physicists are trying to manipulate these quarks by aiming impressively high energy beams of atomic nuclei at one another. The kinetic energy is converted largely to heat in an attempt to melt the protons and neutrons and harvest the quarks, so to speak. Subnuclear particle properties make this difficult because they are so strongly interacting. However, during the production and persistence phases of this heated system, bursts of electromagnetic energy are emitted. Examining these bursts both theoretically and experimentally provides scientists with their best chances of ``seeing the inside of an impressively hot fireball''. This research proposal concerns models for computing the bursts of energy emitted electromagnetically from heavy ion reactions and also encompasses a research training effort through mentoring students for graduate school, science teaching, and industry. The students will be enriched through capstone experiences and will disseminate their scientific results and their impressions to the college of science and engineering, to the university and the regional community.