Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider: Scientific Objectives
To create extraordinary states of nuclear matter in density and temperature (similar to matter a few µs after the Big Bang).
To deconfine the quarks and gluons and form a Quark-Gluon Plasma.
Experimental goals @ RHIC
- Verify the existence of the Quark-Gluon Plasma.
- Explore the properties of this new phase of matter.
- Study the transitions from quarks to nucleons (which will provide insight into the physics of the early universe).