Physics at high baryon density at FAIR

Abstract

The exploration of the QCD phase diagram over an extended region of high baryon density will be performed in the compressed baryonic matter (CBM) experiment at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). The major goals of this high energy heavy-ion collision experimental program include determination of the nuclear equation of state at high baryon density, search for the existence of the first-order phase transition from hadronic to partonic matter and the location of the critical point in the phase diagram. The expected modifications of the properties of vector mesons due to the chiral restoration at high density will be an important observable. CBM will be a next-generation experiment equipped with fast, high resolution detectors. The experiment will perform measurements of both hadronic and leptonic channels. In leptonic channels both muon and electron detection systems are planned to be in place for better understanding of the systematics. The CBM physics programme, detector R&D and the results of feasibility studies are presented.