Discoveries at the Frontiers of Science From Nuclear Astrophysics to Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

With contributions by leading theoreticians, this book presents the discoveries of hitherto hidden connections between seemingly unrelated fields of fundamental physics. The topics range from cosmology and astrophysics to nuclear-, particle- and heavy-ion science. A current example concerns the sensitivity of gravitational wave spectra to the phase structure of dense nuclear and quark matter in binary neutron star collisions. The contributions by Hanauske and Stoecker as well as Banik and Bandyopadhyay relate the consequent insights to hot dense nuclear matter created in supernova explosions and in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Studies of the equation of state for neutron stars are also presented, as are those for nuclear matter in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Other reviews focus on QCD-thermodynamics, charmed mesons in the quark-gluon plasma, nuclear theory, extensions to the standard general theory of relativity, new experimental developments in heavy ion collisions and renewable energy networks. The book will appeal to advanced students and researchers seeking a broad view of current challenges in theoretical physics and their interconnections. 

What the azimuthal distribution of heavy mesons tells us about the Quark Gluon Plasma? (J. Aichelin , P.B. Gossiaux, M. Nahrgang, K. Werner).- Limiting temperature, phase transition(s), crossover, etc. (M. I. Gorenstein).- The charming beauty of the strong interaction (L. Tolos).- Novel physics opportunities at the HESR-Collider with PANDA at FAIR (L. Frankfurt, M.Strikman, A. Larionov, A. Lehrach, R. Maier, H. van Hees, Ch. Spieles, V. Vovchenko, H. Stoecker).- Regge Trajectories of Radial Meson Excitations: Exploring the Dyson-Schwinger–Bethe-Salpeter Approach (R. Greifenhagen, B. Kämpfer, L. P. Kaptari).- The Physics Case for the FAIR/NICA Energy Region (J. Cleymans).- Structure and Width of the d*(2380) Dibaryon (A. Gal).- Dense Matter in Neutron Star: Lessons from GW170817 (S. Banik, D. Bandyopadhyay).- Quark Matter in Neutron Stars (W. M.Spinella, F. Weber, G.A.Contrera, M.G. Orsaria).- Binary Compact Star Mergers and the Phase Diagram of Quantum Cromodynamics (M.Hanauske, L.Bovard, H.Stoecker).- Simulations of accretions disks at the frequency used of the Event Horizon Telescope (P.O. Hess).- Generic Theory of Geometrodynamics from Noether‘s theorem for the Diff(M) symmetry group (J. Struckmeier, D. Vasak, J.Kirsch).- High-resolution Experiments with Exotic Nuclei and Mesic Atoms (H. Geissel, G. Münzenberg, C. Scheidenberger).- Walter Greiner, a Pioneer in Super Heavy Element Research Historical Remarks and New Experimental Developments (G. Münzenberg, H. Geissel, C. Scheidenberger).- Collective Motion and the Asymmetric-Matter Equation-of-State (W. Trautmann).- Photon absorption and electron scattering by endohedrals (M.Ya. Amusia).- Power flows in complex renewable energy networks (M. Schäfer, B. Tranberg, M. Greiner).- On configuration space, Born's rule and ontological states (H.T. Elze).- Photon Scattering off Nuclei (H. Arenhövel).- A Confluence of Ideas and Experiments – a Tribute to Professor Walter Greiner (J.W. Harris).- Pions in matter matter (Ch. Hartnack).- Die erste Stunde (The First Hour) (J. Rafelski).- In Memoriam Walter Greiner 1935 - 2016. Was bleibt? (A. Faessler).

Johannes Kirsch studied physics, mathematics, and economics at the Goethe Universität in Frankfurt. He graduated with diplomas in physics and business administration and completed his PhD thesis at the Institut für Theoretische Physik in Frankfurt supervised by Walter Greiner. After a career in industry where he was responsible for hardware and software development in a large German industrial company he went to the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) now working on the theory of gravitation and related cosmological topics.

Stefan Schramm studied physics at Goethe Universitaet, where he earned his PhD at Walter Greiners group on strong fields. He went as a postdoc to GSI and Caltech and then as a staff scientist to Argonne National Lab, Chicago. He came to Frankfurt as founding director of the center for scientific computing at Goethe Universitaet and professor for theoretical nuclear- and astrophysics, with a sizable impact in theory of green power networks and artificial intelligence.

Jan Steinheimer-Froschauer graduated in 2008 with a diploma in physics from Goethe Universität Frankfurt where, after three more years, he did his PhD with Stefan Schramm and Horst Stöcker at the Institute for Theoretical Physics. After a year as a Feodor-Lynen Fellow of the Humboldt Foundation at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA he moved back to FIAS where he was appointed a Research Fellow in 2017.