Prepared for its concluding collision, the renowned U.S. Particle Accelerator prepares for its final impact.
The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is set to conclude its 25-year operation in 2025, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in nuclear physics research[1]. After the final run, BNL will transform the RHIC facility into the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a groundbreaking collider of its kind[1].
During its final run, RHIC will focus on gold-on-gold collisions at energies of 200 billion electron volts[2], aiming to collect observations on 10 billion events[3]. The sPHENIX detector, a key component of RHIC, will strive to capture data from approximately 50 billion collision events to study quark-gluon plasma[4]. This plasma, a soup of particles that existed in the earliest days of the universe, behaves as the most perfect liquid known[5].
From RHIC to EIC, scientists will map the transition of nuclear matter from a hot, dense state to cold nuclear matter[1]. This transition is crucial in understanding the behaviour of quark-gluon plasma as its temperature changes[1]. The sPHENIX detector will analyse collisions in real time using 'triggers'-sensors that analyse characteristics from collisions[6].
Once the EIC comes online, it will specifically scrutinize the strong nuclear force, which binds quarks together[7]. The EIC will feature a cutting-edge detector system—referred to as ePIC—designed with advanced technologies to analyse collisions between polarized electrons and protons or ions[3][4]. This will enable novel nuclear physics research that builds upon RHIC’s legacy[3][4].
The EIC project is supported broadly, with significant international collaboration and in-kind contributions from countries including the UK, Italy, France, Korea, Canada, and Japan, with further potential contributions from India, Israel, and Taiwan[2]. Site preparation for the EIC construction is expected to start in fall 2025[1].
The properties of quark-gluon plasma, as studied by RHIC, have been found to be quite different from what was expected[8]. By combining RHIC measurements with high-energy experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, researchers hope to refine their understanding of quark-gluon plasma behaviour as its temperature changes[9]. This collaborative effort will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper understanding of the fundamental building blocks of matter.
[1] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). Electron-Ion Collider. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/
[2] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). EIC Partnerships. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/partnerships/
[3] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). ePIC Detector. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/epicdetector/
[4] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). EIC Science. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/science/
[5] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). Quark-Gluon Plasma. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/qgp/
[6] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). sPHENIX Detector. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/sphinxdetector/
[7] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). Strong Nuclear Force. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/strongforce/
[8] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). Quark-Gluon Plasma Properties. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/qgpproperties/
[9] Brookhaven National Laboratory. (n.d.). RHIC-EIC Science Program. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.bnl.gov/eic/rhicprogram/
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