Representations of Fermionic Correlators at Finite Temperatures

The symmetry group of the staggered Fermion transfer matrix in a spatial direction is constructed at finite temperature. Hadron-like operators carrying irreducible representations of this group are written down from the breaking of the zero temperature group. Analysis of the correlators in a free fermion theory suggests new measurements which can test current interpretations.Comment: Plain LaTeX, no figure

A short introduction to heavy-ion physics

Heavy-ion collisions provide the only laboratory tests of relativistic quantum field theory at finite temperature. Understanding these is a necessary step in understanding the origins of our universe. These lectures introduce the subject to experimental particle physicists, in the hope that they will be useful to others as well. The phase diagram of QCD is briefly touched upon. Kinematic variables which arise in the collisions of heavy-ions beyond those in the collisions of protons or electrons are introduced. Finally, a few of the signals studied in heavy-ion collisions, and the kind of physics questions which they open up are discussed.Comment: Lectures delivered at the Asia-Europe-Pacific School of High-Energy Physics, Puri, India, November 201

Finding the critical end point of QCD: lattice and experiment

The current status of the search for the critical end point on the lattice and in experiments is discussed. A naive extrapolation is given of lattice results on the location of the critical end point to the continuum limit with the correct pion mass. An interpretation of current results on fluctuations is provided. A new method of analysis of experimental data is discussed, which provides a check on the removal of backgrounds, comparisons with QCD, and signals an approach to the critical end point.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Talk given in CPOD 200