Transverse momentum spectra and elliptic flow: Hydrodynamics with QCD-based equations of state

We present a family of equations of state within a quasiparticle model adjusted to lattice QCD and study the impact on azimuthal flow anisotropies and transverse momentum spectra within hydrodynamic simulations for heavy-ion collisions at energies relevant for LHC.Comment: Aug. 2007. 3 pp. Talk given at the Focus Week of the workshop Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC - Last Call for Predictions, Genf, Switzerland, 29 May - 2 June 200

Nietzsche\u27s Final View of Luther and the Reformation

Nietzsche began as an admirer of Luther and the German Reformation. The age of Luther ranked as high in his early opinion as the age of Goethe and Beethoven. From Menschliches, Allzumenschliches on, this favorable attitude toward Luther underwent a strong transformation. In the five years from 1878 to 1883, Nietzsche’s second creative period, Luther emerged as a highly questionable figure, even as a most regrettable event in the history of German and European thought and civilization. But all these severe pronouncements on Luther were only a prelude to the scathing denunciations to come in Nietzsche\u27s post-Zarathustra writings

QCD matter within a quasi-particle model and the critical end point

We compare our quasi-particle model with recent lattice QCD results for the equation of state at finite temperature and baryo-chemical potential. The inclusion of the QCD critical end point into models is discussed. We propose a family of equations of state to be employed in hydrodynamical calculations of particle spectra at RHIC energies and compare with the differential azimuthal anisotropy of strange and charm hadrons.Comment: talk at Quark Matter 2005, August 4 - 9, 2005, Budapest, Hungar

A Family of Equations of State Based on Lattice QCD: Impact on Flow in Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

We construct a family of equations of state within a quasiparticle model by relating pressure, energy density, baryon density and susceptibilities adjusted to first-principles lattice QCD calculations. The relation between pressure and energy density from lattice QCD is surprisingly insensitive to details of the simulations. Effects from different lattice actions, quark masses and lattice spacings used in the simulations show up mostly in the quark-hadron phase transition region which we bridge over by a set of interpolations to a hadron resonance gas equation of state. Within our optimized quasiparticle model we then examine the equation of state along isentropic expansion trajectories at small net baryon densities, as relevant for experiments and hydrodynamic simulations at RHIC and LHC energies. We illustrate its impact on azimuthal flow anisotropies and transverse momentum spectra of various hadron species

Water-Gated Charge Doping of Graphene Induced by Mica Substrates

We report on the existence of water-gated charge doping of graphene deposited on atomically flat mica substrates. Molecular films of water in units of ~0.4 nm-thick bilayers were found to be present in regions of the interface of graphene/mica hetero-stacks prepared by micromechanical exfoliation of kish graphite. The spectral variation of the G and 2D bands, as visualized by Raman mapping, shows that mica substrates induce strong p-type doping in graphene, with hole densities of $(9 \pm 2) \times 1012 cm${-2}$. The ultrathin water films, however, effectively block interfacial charge transfer, rendering graphene significantly less hole-doped. Scanning Kelvin probe microscopy independently confirmed a water-gated modulation of the Fermi level by 0.35 eV, in agreement with the optically determined hole density. The manipulation of the electronic properties of graphene demonstrated in this study should serve as a useful tool in realizing future graphene applications.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures; Nano Letters, accepted (2012

Thermal Dileptons at LHC

We predict dilepton invariant-mass spectra for central 5.5 ATeV Pb-Pb collisions at LHC. Hadronic emission in the low-mass region is calculated using in-medium spectral functions of light vector mesons within hadronic many-body theory. In the intermediate-mass region thermal radiation from the Quark-Gluon Plasma, evaluated perturbatively with hard-thermal loop corrections, takes over. An important source over the entire mass range are decays of correlated open-charm hadrons, rendering the nuclear modification of charm and bottom spectra a critical ingredient.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, contributed to Workshop on Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC: Last Call for Predictions, Geneva, Switzerland, 14 May - 8 Jun 2007 v2: acknowledgment include

Physics with the KLOE-2 experiment at the upgraded DAϕ\phiNE

Investigation at a $\phi$--factory can shed light on several debated issues in particle physics. We discuss: i) recent theoretical development and experimental progress in kaon physics relevant for the Standard Model tests in the flavor sector, ii) the sensitivity we can reach in probing CPT and Quantum Mechanics from time evolution of entangled kaon states, iii) the interest for improving on the present measurements of non-leptonic and radiative decays of kaons and eta/eta$^\prime$ mesons, iv) the contribution to understand the nature of light scalar mesons, and v) the opportunity to search for narrow di-lepton resonances suggested by recent models proposing a hidden dark-matter sector. We also report on the $e^+ e^-$ physics in the continuum with the measurements of (multi)hadronic cross sections and the study of gamma gamma processes.Comment: 60 pages, 41 figures; added affiliation for one of the authors; added reference to section

Martin Luther and the Idea of Monasticism

Monasticism was still a major issue in the first half of the 16th century in Europe. It played a definite role in the life of many men and women. Among the famous, Desiderius Erasmus and Ulrich von Hutten left the monastery easily, even eagerly; Martin Luther on the other hand only after immense inner difficulties. Inevitable as the final break was for Luther, it caused him great anguish of soul both before and after. Hence it is hardly surprising that throughout his numerous writings there are frequent references to what was surely one of the most stirring experiences in his exciting spiritual and intellectual history, the doffing-both literally and figuratively-of the monk\u27s cowl