Quarks in cosmos and in heavy ion collisions

宇宙学和粒子物理学之间存在着基本的联系，它们在所有尺度上都得到了很好的确立。特别是，早期宇宙的物理学、重生、宇宙学的核合成等都是基于我们对粒子物理学的现代理解。这一认识使早期宇宙成为研究基础物理，特别是理论真空结构的绝佳实验室。相反，基础物理在高温下的行为知识提供了关于大爆炸后不久发生的事情的信息。更值得注意的是，这些QCD尺度上的现象原则上可以在RHIC(相对论重离子对撞机)、布鲁克海文国家实验室和最近的LHC(瑞士日内瓦)的重离子碰撞中进行实验测试，在那里可以实现这种不寻常的环境。该项目的目标是：将QCD作为标准模型的一部分，在温度T、化学势和所谓的theta参数为非零的不寻常环境中进行研究。这一知识为140亿年前在温度T=170 MeV的大爆炸后不久发生了什么提供了可靠的信息。理解相应的相图(作为这些外部参数的函数)是QCD中最具挑战性的问题之一。尽管在大爆炸后不久的QCD相变过程中，theta参数很可能是非零的，但这个问题在以前的文献中从未被研究过。由于存在theta参数时夸克和反夸克相互作用的差异，可能会发生重子电荷的局域分离。这一现象可以在RHIC上得到检验。事实上，电荷分离现象已经在我们最近与D.Kharzeev的论文中进行了研究。更重要的是：这种效应已经在RHIC进行了实验测试。初步结果支持我们的发现。如果得到证实，这将是第一次在强相互作用中观察到P和CP破坏。项目的第二部分是上述想法的应用，以满足天体物理学和宇宙学的需要。

There are fundamental links between cosmology and particle physics, which have been well established at all scales. In particular, the physics of the early Universe, baryogenesis, cosmological nucleosynthesis, etc. is based on our modern understanding of particle physics. This realization has made the early Universe a marvelous laboratory for studying fundamental physics, in particular the vacuum structure of the theory. Conversely, knowledge of the behavior of fundamental physics at high temperature gives information about what happened shortly after the Big Bang. What is more remarkable is the fact that these phenomena at the QCD scale can be, in principle, experimentally tested in heavy ion collisions at RHIC (relativistic heavy ion collider), Brookhaven National Labaratory, and in the nearest future at LHC (Geneva, Switzerland) where such unusual environment can be achieved. The goal of the project is: the study of QCD as part of the standard model in an unusual environment when temperature T, chemical potential and the so-called theta- parameter are non-zero. This knowledge gives a reliable information about what have happened 14 billion years ago soon after the Big Bang at the temperature T = 170 MeV. The understanding of the corresponding phase diagram (as a function of these external parameters) is one of the most challenging problems in QCD. This problem with nonzero theta parameter has never been studied previously in the literature, though it is likely that theta parameter was non-zero during the QCD phase transition few moments after the Big Bang. Due to the differences in interactions between quarks and antiquarks in the presence of the theta parameter the local separation of baryon charges may take place. This phenomenon can be tested at RHIC. In fact, the phenomenon of charge separation has been studied in our recent paper with D. Kharzeev. What is more important: this effect has been experimentally tested at RHIC. Preliminary results support our findings. If confirmed, it would be the first ever observation of the P and CP violation in strong interactions. Second part of the project is the application of the ideas mentioned above for needs of astrophysics and cosmology.