Charmonium physics with heavy ions: experimental results

TL;DR

This paper reviews thirty years of experimental research on charmonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions, highlighting key findings and recent results from LHC experiments related to Quark-Gluon Plasma formation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of experimental progress and theoretical developments in charmonium physics within heavy-ion collisions, emphasizing recent LHC findings.

Findings

Evidence of charmonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions

Development of theoretical models explaining suppression effects

Recent LHC results supporting Quark-Gluon Plasma formation

Abstract

Thirty years ago, the suppression of charmonium production in heavy-ion collisions was first proposed as an unambiguous signature for the formation of a Quark-Gluon Plasma. Since then, experiments at fixed-target accelerators (SPS) and hadronic colliders (RHIC, LHC) have investigated this observable and discovered a wide range of effects, that have been related to the original proposal but at the same time have also prompted a strong development in the underlying theory concepts. In this contribution, I will review the main achievements of this field, with emphasis on recent results obtained by LHC experiments.