Heavy-ion physics studies for the Future Circular Collider

TL;DR

The paper discusses the potential of the Future Circular Collider to explore heavy-ion physics, including Quark-Gluon Plasma and gluon saturation, with energies far exceeding current colliders, and considers future electron-positron and electron-hadron options.

Contribution

It presents initial ideas on heavy-ion physics opportunities at the FCC, highlighting its unique capabilities for studying fundamental QCD phenomena at unprecedented energies.

Findings

Potential to study Quark-Gluon Plasma at higher energies

Insights into gluon saturation phenomena

Connections with ultra-high-energy cosmic rays

Abstract

The Future Circular Collider (FCC) design study is aimed at assessing the physics potential and the technical feasibility of a new collider with centre-of-mass energies, in the hadron-hadron collision mode including proton and nucleus beams, more than seven-times larger than the nominal LHC energies. An electron-positron collider in the same tunnel is also considered as an intermediate step, which would provide the electron-hadron option in the long term. First ideas on the physics opportunities with heavy ions at the FCC are presented, covering the physics of Quark-Gluon Plasma, gluon saturation, photon-induced collisions, as well as connections with ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.