The Nuclear Equation of State

Abstract

In these two lectures we will study two regions of the nuclear equation of state (EOS): the energy and density region which is reachable in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions up to a few GeV/nucl. energy, and some aspects of the Quark — Gluon Plasma (QGP) phase transition. In the intermediate energy region we will pay particular attention to the compressibility of nuclear matter and to the liquid — gas phase transition. Some basic facts about the nuclear multifragmentation will also be mentioned. Since the formation and signatures of QGP are discussed in the lectures of Bernd Muller at this summer school [Mu88], we will discuss the features of the phase transition to QGP only from the EOS view point, and the sensitivity of the phase transition to the nuclear compressibility. We will concentrate on the connections between experimental data and the EOS rather than on theoretical derivation of a particular EOS in the framework of a particular theoretical model.