Coexistence of different vacua in the effective quantum field theory and multiple point principle

According to the Multiple Point Principle, our Universe is on the coexistence curve of two or more phases of the quantum vacuum. The coexistence of different quantum vacua can be regulated by the exchange of the global fermionic charges between the vacua, such as baryonic, leptonic, or family charge. If the coexistence is regulated by the baryonic charge, all the coexisting vacua exhibit the baryonic asymmetry. Due to the exchange of the baryonic charge between the vacuum and matter, which occurs above the electroweak transition, the baryonic asymmetry of the vacuum induces the baryonic asymmetry of matter in our Standard Model phase of the quantum vacuum. The present baryonic asymmetry of the Universe indicates that the characteristic energy scale, which regulates the equilibrium coexistence of different phases of quantum vacua, is about 10⁶ GeV.     

Zero-Density Phase Transition to Quark-Gluon Plasma and the Relativistic Finite Baryon Volume Effect in Hadronic Matter

We examine the role of relativistic finite baryon volume effect in the phase transition between hadronic matter and quark-gluon plasma at vanishing baryon density. It is found that the appearance of abnormal state at high temperature may enhance the baryon-antibaryon excitation, which has large influence on the quark-gluon plasma formation. The numerical results show that the occurence of this phase transition depends on how to extrapolate the nucleon-scalar meson coupling constant to the baryonic resonance-scalar meson coupling.     

Phase structure of quark systems in models with four-fermion interaction

The features of a hot and dense gas of quarks that are considered as quasiparticles of a model Hamiltonian with four-fermion interaction are studied. Adapted to the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model, this approach allows us to accommodate a phase transition similar to the nuclear liquid-gas one. Arguments are given in favor of the statement that a plausible scenario of (partial) chiral-symmetry restoration (even at zero temperature) in such a system could be a mixed phase of the vacuum and normal baryonic matter. The properties of the transition layer separating the two media in question are also discussed.     

Effect of pre-existing baryon inhomogeneities on the dynamics of quark-hadron transition

Baryon number inhomogeneities may be generated during the epoch when the baryon asymmetry of the universe is produced, e.g. at the electroweak phase transition. These lumps will have a lower temperature than the background. Also the value ofT _c will be different in these regions. Since a first-order quark-hadron (Q–H) transition is susceptible to small changes in temperature, we investigate the effect of the presence of such baryonic lumps on the dynamics of the Q–H transition. We find that the phase transition is delayed in these lumps for significant overdensities. Consequently, we argue that baryon concentration in these regions grows by the end of the transition. We mention some models which may give rise to such high baryon overdensities before the Q–H transition.     

The excitation function of Au + Au in the framework of the (2+1)-fluid model

We present the excitation function of the reaction Au+Au in the frame work of the recently developed (2+1)-fluid model. In the (2+1)-fluid model, it is assumed that two baryonic fluids formed by the projectile and target nucleons produce a third hadronic fluid via inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions. For this third fluid we use the equation of state of an interacting hadron gas obtained within the relativistic mean field model, including a first order phase transition. The dependence of the pion mean transverse momentum is investigated to observe the predicted plateau in the region of the phase transition of the hadronic matter to the quark-gluon plasma.     

On the chiral phase transition in hadronic matter

A qualitative analysis of the chiral phase transition in QCD with two massless quarks and nonzero baryon density is performed. It is assumed that, at zero baryonic density, ρ=0, the temperature phase transition is of the second order. Due to a specific power dependence of baryon masses on the chiral condensate, the phase transition becomes of the first order at the temperature T=T_ph(ρ) for ρ>0. At temperatures T_cont(ρ)> _T>_Tph(ρ), there is a mixed phase consisting of the quark phase (stable) and the hadron phase (unstable). At the temperature T=T_cont(ρ), the system experiences a continuous transition to the pure chirally symmetric phase.     

Phase transitions in quark matter and behaviour of physical observables in the vicinity of the critical end point

We study the chiral phase transition at finite T and μ _B within the framework of the SU(3) Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. The QCD critical end point (CEP) and the critical line at finite temperature and baryonic chemical potential are investigated: the study of physical quantities, such as the baryon number susceptibility near the CEP, will provide complementary information concerning the order of the phase transition. We also analyze the information provided by the study of the critical exponents around the CEP.     

The extended quark sigma model at finite temperature and baryonic chemical potential

An extended quark sigma model which includes higher-order mesonic interactions is studied at the finite baryonic chemical potential u _B and temperature T. The field equations have been solved in the mean-field approximation by using the modified iteration method at finite baryonic chemical potential u _B and temperature T. The Goldstone theorem is satisfied below a critical temperature in the chiral limit for u _B = 0. As expected from general universality, the chiral phase transition is second-order. By including the higher-order mesonic interactions, the critical temperature is reduced compared to that found in recent works and is in good agreement with lattice QCD results. The nucleon mass is examined in the (u _B , T) plane, showing a strong dependence on u _B and T. We find that an increase in both the baryonic chemical potential u _B and the temperature T leads to an increase in the values of the nucleon mass. This is evidence for the quark-gluon deconfinement phase transition at higher values of temperature.     

Cosmological quark-hadron phase transition and formation of isothermal density fluctuations

The dynamical process of the cosmological quark-hadron phase transition is investigated under the assumption of a weakly first-order phase transition. In particular the characteristic mass of these nuggets is determined to be smaller than 10¹⁹ g, using a spatial correlation function of the trapped quark phase. Furthermore, the possibility of these nuggets being left as isothermal baryonic clouds with very high density (δϱ_b/ϱ_b ∼ 5.0×10¹²) after evaporation is pointed out, and its cosmological implications are discussed.     

Relativistic shocks in the systems containing domains with anomalous equation of state and quark baryonic matter hadronization

Theoretical basis for general stability criterion of relativistic shocks in baryonic matter is proposed. Different formulations of shock mechanical stability are considered and applied to the analysis of rarefaction shock hadronization transition.     

Relativistic shocks in the systems containing domains with anomalous equation of state and quark baryonic matter hadronization

Theoretical basis for general stability criterion of relativistic shocks in baryonic matter is proposed. Different formulations of shock mechanical stability are considered and applied to the analysis of rarefaction shock hadronization transition.     

Threshold Collision Energy of the QCD Phase Diagram Tricritical Endpoint

Using the most advanced formulation of the hadron resonance gas model we analyze the two sets of irregularities found at chemical freeze-out of central nuclear-nuclear collisions at the center of mass energies 3.8–4.9 GeV and 7.6–9.2 GeV. In addition to previously reported irregularities at the collision energies 4.9 and 9.2 GeV we found sharp peaks of baryonic charge density. Also we analyze the collision energy dependence of the modified Wroblewski factor and the strangeness suppression factor. Based on the thermostatic properties of the mixed phase of a 1st order phase transition and the ones of the Hagedorn mass spectrum we explain, respectively, the reason of observed chemical equilibration of strangeness at the collision energy 4.9 GeV and above 8.7 GeV. It is argued that the both sets of irregularities possibly evidence for two phase transitions, namely, the 1st order transition at lower energy range and the 2nd order transition at higher one. In combination with a recent analysis of the light nuclei number fluctuations we conclude that the center of mass collision energy range 8.8–9.2 GeV may be in the nearest vicinity of the QCD tricritical endpoint. The properties of the phase existing between two phase transitions are revealed and discussed.     

Physics around the QCD (tri)critical endpoint and new challenges for femtoscopy

On the basis of exactly solvable models with the tricritical and critical endpoints I discuss the physical mechanism of endpoints formation which is similar to the usual liquids. It is demonstrated that the necessary condition for the transformation of the 1-st order deconfinement phase transition into the 2-nd order phase transition at the (tri)critical endpoint is the vanishing of surface tension coefficient of large/heavy QGP bags. Using the novel model of the confinement phenomenon I argue that the physical reason for the cross-over appearance at low baryonic densities is the negative value of QGP bag surface tension coefficient. This implies the existence of highly non-spherical or, probably, even fractal surfaces of large and heavy bags at and above the cross-over, which, perhaps, can be observed via some correlations. The model with the tricritical endpoint predicts that at the deconfinement transition line the volume (mass) distribution of large (heavy) QGP bags acquires the power law form at the endpoint only, while in the model with the critical endpoint such a power law exists inside the mixed phase. The role of finite width of QGP bags is also discussed.     

Percolation transition in Yang-Mills matter at a finite number of colors

We examine baryonic matter at a quark chemical potential of the order of the confinement scale μ(q)～Λ(QCD). In this regime, quarks are supposed to be confined but baryons are close to the "tightly packed limit" where they nearly overlap in configuration space. We show that this system will exhibit a percolation phase transition when varied in the number of colors N(c): at high N(c), large distance correlations at the quark level are possible even if the quarks are essentially confined. At low N(c), this does not happen. We discuss the relevance of this for dense nuclear matter, and argue that our results suggest a new "phase transition," varying N(c) at constant μ(q).     

Nonlinear theory of electrostatic baryonic waves in ambiplasma

A collisionless nonmagnetized ambiplasma consisting of Maxwellian gases of protons, antiprotons, electrons, and positrons is considered. The dispersion relation for electrostatic baryonic waves is derived and analyzed and exact expressions for the linear wave phase velocities are obtained. Two types of such waves are shown to be possible in ambiplasma: acoustic and plasma ones. Analysis of the dispersion relation has allowed the ranges of parameters in which nonlinear solutions should be sought in the form of solitons to be found. A nonlinear theory of baryonic waves is developed and used to obtain and analyze the exact solution to the basic equations. The analysis is performed by the method of a fictitious potential. The ranges of phase velocities of periodic baryonic waves and soliton velocities (Mach numbers) are determined. It is shown that in the plasma under consideration, these ranges do not overlap and that the soliton velocity cannot be lower than the linear velocity of the corresponding wave. The profiles of physical quantities in a periodic wave and a soliton (wave scores) are plotted.     

Simulation of measurements of the Dimuon decay channel of vector mesons in the CBM experiment

The experiment on study of compressed baryonic matter (CBM) will be one of the main ones in the future Facility of Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt, Germany. The CBM experiment is aimed at investigating the phase diagram of quantum chromodynamics in the range of high baryonic densities, using high-energy nuclear collisions. One of the main experiments will be detection of the muon decay channel of vector mesons with the aim of studying their nuclear modifications. The results of simulation of possible measurements are reported here.     

Vector meson radiation in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

The (σ, ω) model in the mean-field approximation where the meson fields are treated classically, describes much of observed nuclear structure and has been employed to describe the nuclear equation of state up to the quark-gluon phase transition. The acceleration of the meson sources, for example, in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, should result in bremsstrahlung-like radiation of the meson fields. The many mesons emitted serve to justify the use of classical meson fields. The slowing of the nuclei during the collision is modeled here as a smooth transition from initial to final velocity. Under ultra-relativistic conditions, vector radiation dominates. The angular distribution of energy flux shows a characteristic shape. It appears that if the vector meson field couples to the conserved baryon current, independent of the baryonic degrees of freedom, this mechanism will contribute to the radiation seen in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The possible influence of the quark-gluon plasma is also considered.     

Relation between the Lee-Wick and Nambu-Jona-Lasinio models of chiral symmetry breaking

The connection between the sigma model of Lee and Wick and the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model is discussed. It is shown that the sigma field potential of the linear Lee-Wick model is identical in form with the variation of the vacuum energy of the NJL system with the baryonic scalar densityn _s. The sigma field is proportional ton _s. Furthermore, the coupling constant and mass of thisσ field are fully determined by the NJL model version of the Goldberger-Treiman relation. It is shown further that the restoration of chiral symmetry with increasing baryonic density always occurs via a second order transition in the NJL model, while it is necessarily of first order in the associated linear Lee-Wick model.     

The hadronisation of a quark-gluon plasma

We consider two scenarios for the expansion of a quark-gluon plasma. If the evolution is slow enough, the system can remain in equilibrium throughout its entire history up to the freeze-out of a hadron gas; for a very rapid expansion, it may break up into hadrons before or at the confinement transition, without ever going through an equilibrium hadron phase. We compare hadron production rates in the two approaches and show that for a hadronisation temperatureT?200 MeV and baryonic chemical potential μ _B ?500 MeV, their predictions essentially coincide. Present data on strange particle production lead to values in this range and hence cannot provide a distinction between the two scenarios. Pion, nucleon and non-strange meson production seem to require a considerably lower freeze-out temperature and baryonic chemical potential. In the hadron gas picture, this is in accord with the difference in mean free path of the different hadrons in the medium; it suggests a sequential freeze-out, in which strange hadrons stop interacting earlier than non-strange hadrons. In the quark-gluon plasma break-up, the hadronic final state fails to provide the high entropy per baryon observed in non-strange hadron production. The break-up moreover leads to a decrease of the entropy per baryon; hence it must be conceptually modified before it can be considered as a viable hadronisation mechanism.     

First extraction of the 3.42 A GeV 12C beam for studies of baryonic matter at Nuclotron

The results of the first extraction of the 3.42 A GeV ¹²C beam at Nuclotron and its transportation to the experimental area is presented. It is demonstrated that the beam parameters are sufficient for the first phase of the experiments on the studies of the dense baryonic matter at Nuclotron.