万亿摄氏度下烹煮夸克汤:核物质相结构和量子色动力学相变临界点的实验研究

Quark soup cooking at trillions of degrees:experimental study on the phase structure of nuclear matter and the quantum chromodynamics critical point

高温高密核物质相结构是核物理研究领域的热点和前沿。量子色动力学(QCD)相变临界点的实验确认将是探索核物质相结构的里程碑,具有重要科学意义。为了在这一具有潜在重大发现的研究方向上占据领先地位、取得突破,各国纷纷建造大型加速器以及粒子探测器,开展重离子碰撞实验,其主要目标就是从实验上探索高温高密核物质相结构、寻找QCD相变临界点。文章总结了近年来相对论重离子碰撞中核物质相结构及QCD临界点的实验研究进展,并对未来探索高重子密度区核物质相结构、寻找QCD临界点的重要实验装置做了展望。

The phase structure of hot and dense nuclear matter is a field of frontier research in nuclear physics.The experimental confirmation of the quantum chromodynamics(QCD)critical point will be a milestone in exploring the phase structure of nuclear matter,which has important scientific significance.In order to claim a leading position and make breakthroughs in this extremely promising research direction,many countries have built advanced accelerators and particle detectors one after another to conduct heavy-ion collision experiments.One of the main physical goals is to explore the phase structure of hot dense nuclear matter and search for the QCD critical point.This paper summarizes the recent experiments and future research on the QCD phase structure and critical point in relativistic heavy ion collisions.