Abstract
Lattice QCD predicts a phase transition to a hitherto unseen state of matter called quark-gluon plasma (QGP). A few microseconds after the big bang, our universe was most likely filled with QGP. Amazingly, attempts to produce QGP in the laboratory are currently going on in the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) in the USA. In the following, we introduce the concept of QGP and then move on to its description in terms of the underlying field theory, namely quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Lattice QCD has yielded the most reliable predictions for QGP. After introducing the basics, the elementary aspects of heavy ion physics is covered with some examples of signatures of QGP.
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Gavai, R.V. (2005). Quark-Gluon Plasma. In: Ghoshal, D. (eds) Current Perspectives in High Energy Physics. Texts and Readings in Physical Sciences. Hindustan Book Agency, Gurgaon. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-93-86279-26-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-93-86279-26-2_5
Publisher Name: Hindustan Book Agency, Gurgaon
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