Computation of the properties of the quark-gluon plasma at nonzero temperature and baryonic density using the holographic correspondence

Abstract

In this project we will develop an effective holographic model, based on the Anti-de Sitter/Conformal Field Theory (AdS/CFT) duality, which will be used to describe the equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium properties of the strongly coupled Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) in the case where nonzero baryon density effects are not negligible. More especifically, we will construct a gravity dual model in 5 dimensions to investigate the equation of state of QCD, the transport properties of the quark-gluon plasma as well as its opacity with respect to jets in the limit where the baryon chemical potential, $\mu_B$, is comparable to the temperature, i.e., $\mu_B/T \sim 1$. At such baryon densities, lattice QCD calculations are not yet possible due to the fermion sign problem and the holographic duality constitutes one of the few truly non-perturbative tools that can be used to understand the strongly coupled QGP in this regime. We will also investigate the effects of strong magnetic fields on the strongly-coupled quark-gluon plasma. The results obtained using this model will be used as a guide towards understanding the new experimental data obtained at RHIC (and, possibly, at the FAIR facility to be constructed in Germany in the next years) and can also be used to develop new observables to investigate the properties of QCD at nonzero temperature and baryon density in the strongly coupled regime. (AU)