A state-of-the-art 3+1 dimensional cascade + viscous hydro + cascade model vHLLE+UrQMD has been applied to heavy ion collisions in RHIC Beam Energy Scan range $sqrt{s_{rm NN}}=7.7dots 200$ GeV. Based on comparison to available experimental data it was estimated that an effective value of shear viscosity over entropy density ratio $eta/s$ in hydrodynamic stage has to decrease from $eta/s=0.2$ to $0.08$ as collision energy increases from $sqrt{s_{rm NN}} = 7.7$ to $39$ GeV, and to stay at $eta/s=0.08$ for $39lesqrt{s_{rm NN}}le200$ GeV. In this work we show how an equation of state with first order phase transition affects the hydrodynamic evolution at those collision energies and changes the results of the model as compared to default scenario with a crossover type EoS from chiral model.
Following the experimental program at BNL RHIC, we perform a similar energy scan using 3+1D viscous hydrodynamics coupled to the UrQMD hadron cascade, and study the collision energy dependence of pion and kaon rapidity distributions and $m_T$-spectra, as well as charged hadron elliptic flow. To this aim the equation of state for finite baryon density from a Chiral model coupled to the Polyakov loop is employed for hydrodynamic stage. 3D initial conditions from UrQMD are used to study gradual deviation from boost-invariant scaling flow. We find that the inclusion of shear viscosity in the hydrodynamic stage of evolution consistently improves the description of the data for Pb-Pb collisions at CERN SPS, as well as of the elliptic flow measurements for Au-Au collisions in the Beam Energy Scan (BES) program at BNL RHIC. The suggested value of shear viscosity is $eta/sge0.2$ for $sqrt{s_{NN}}=6.3dots39$ GeV.
The goal of heavy ion reactions at low beam energies is to explore the QCD phase diagram at high net baryon chemical potential. To relate experimental observations with a first order phase transition or a critical endpoint, dynamical approaches for the theoretical description have to be developed. In this summary of the corresponding plenary talk, the status of the dynamical modeling including the most recent advances is presented. The remaining challenges are highlighted and promising experimental measurements are pointed out.
In 2017, STAR Collaboration reported the measurements of hyperon global polarization in heavy ion collisions, suggesting the subatomic fireball fluid created in these collisions as the most vortical fluid. There remains the interesting question: at which beam energy the truly most vortical fluid will be located. In this work we perform a systematic study on the beam energy dependence of hyperon global polarization phenomenon, especially in the interesting $hat{O}(1sim 10) rm GeV$ region. We find a non-monotonic trend, with the global polarization to first increase and then decrease when beam energy is lowered from $27~rm GeV$ down to $3~rm GeV$. The maximum polarization signal has been identified around $sqrt{s_{NN}} = 7.7~rm GeV$, where the heavy ion collisions presumably create the most vortical fluid. Detailed experimental measurements in the $hat{O}(1sim 10) rm GeV$ beam energy region are expected to test the prediction very soon.
Currently the RHIC Beam Energy Scan is exploring a new region of the Quantum Chromodynamic phase diagram at large baryon densities that approaches nuclear astrophysics regimes. This provides an opportunity to study relativistic hydrodynamics in a regime where the net conserved charges of baryon number, strangeness, and electric charge play a role, which will significantly change the theoretical approach to simulating the baryon-dense Quark-Gluon Plasma. Here we detail many of the important changes needed to adapt both initial conditions and the medium to baryon-rich matter. Then, we make baseline predictions for the elliptical flow and fluctuations based on extrapolating the physics at LHC and top RHIC energies to support future analyses of where and how the new baryon-dense physics causes these extrapolations to break down. First we compare eccentricities across beam energies, exploring their underlying assumptions; we find the the extrapolated initial state is predicted to be nearly identical to that at AuAu $sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. Then the final flow harmonic predictions are based on linear+cubic response. We discuss preliminary STAR results in order to determine the implications that they have for linear+cubic response coefficients at the lowest beam energy of AuAu $sqrt{s_{NN}}=7$ GeV.
These proceedings summarize my plenary talk at Quark Matter 2011 with a focus on the future perspectives of the low energy programs at RHIC, FAIR, NICA and CERN.