Highlights from PHENIX-I: Initial State and Early Times

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent PHENIX experiment results on initial state effects and early-time phenomena in heavy-ion collisions, focusing on cold nuclear matter, direct photons, quarkonia, and vector mesons.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the initial conditions and earliest stages of heavy-ion collisions through recent experimental measurements.

Findings

Evidence of cold nuclear matter effects in p + p and d + Au collisions

Observations of direct photons and quarkonia in A+A collisions

Insights into the initial state characteristics of heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

We will review the latest physics developments from PHENIX concentrating on cold nuclear matter effects, the initial state for heavy-ion collisions, and probes of the earliest stages of the hot-dense medium created in those collisions. Recent physics results from p + p and d + Au collisions; and from direct photons, quarkonia and low-mass vector mesons in A+A collisions will be highlighted. Insights from these measurements into the characteristics of the initial state and about the earliest times in heavy-ion collisions will be discussed.