Research Projects

Lattice QCD predicts that at extremely high temperatures and densities, nuclear matter transitions into a deconfined state of quarks and gluons called the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Such conditions are recreated in heavy-ion collisions (HICs) at RHIC and LHC, making the study of QGP properties a forefront topic in contemporary nuclear physics. Immediately after the collision and before QGP formation, the system undergoes a pre-equilibrium phase characterized by very high energy density. This phase, often modeled as the Glasma with strong gluon fields, remains less explored despite its critical role in the evolution of the system. Heavy quarks (HQs), produced early due to their large mass and long thermalization time, serve as excellent probes of the entire collision history, including the pre-equilibrium stage. In this project, we will study HQ momentum evolution in the Glasma by solving Wong’s equations. The solutions will provide initial conditions for Langevin dynamics to model HQ evolution through the QGP phase, where quark, antiquark, and gluon momentum distributions incorporate realistic QCD equations of state, electromagnetic fields, and angular momentum effects. The simulation framework will span the pre-equilibrium, QGP, and hadronic phases, enabling direct comparison with experimental data to better characterize QGP properties. HICs also generate extremely strong magnetic fields—up to 1,000 times stronger than neutron stars—that influence HQ spin alignment. We will solve the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equation to study HQ spin dynamics under these fields and compare results with ALICE experiment data. Additionally, HQ radiation in magnetic fields and their transport in a strongly anisotropic medium during early collision stages will be investigated. This project focuses on four key aspects of early QCD matter dynamics: (i) pre-equilibrium phase, (ii) HQ spin alignment, (iii) HQ radiation in magnetic fields, and (iv) momentum-space anisotropy effects on HQ transport. Addressing these largely unexplored areas will deepen understanding of hot QCD matter’s early stages and improve the interpretation of experimental observations, advancing knowledge of strongly interacting matter.