Theory and Phenomenology of Heavy Flavor at RHIC

TL;DR

This paper reviews heavy-quark diffusion in the Quark-Gluon Plasma at RHIC, discussing mechanisms behind observed suppression and flow, and highlights the need for accurate medium modeling to determine diffusion properties.

Contribution

It synthesizes different approaches to heavy-quark suppression and flow, emphasizing the importance of medium evolution modeling for extracting diffusion coefficients.

Findings

Heavy-quark diffusion significantly affects electron spectra in heavy-ion collisions.

Reconciling different models helps understand suppression and flow phenomena.

Quantitative medium evolution modeling is crucial for accurate diffusion coefficient extraction.

Abstract

We review the problem of heavy-quark diffusion in the Quark-Gluon Plasma and its ramifications for heavy-quark spectra in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC. In particular, we attempt to reconcile underlying mechanisms of several seemingly different approaches that have been put forward to explain the large suppression and elliptic flow of non-photonic electron spectra. We also emphasize the importance of a quantitative description of the bulk medium evolution to extract reliable values for the heavy-quark diffusion coefficient.