Do Proton-Proton collisions at the LHC energies produce Droplets of Quark-Gluon Plasma?

TL;DR

This paper explores whether high-energy proton-proton collisions at the LHC produce droplets of quark-gluon plasma, challenging traditional views by examining heavy-ion-like signatures in these smaller systems.

Contribution

It reviews recent findings and concepts suggesting the possible formation of quark-gluon plasma droplets in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions at LHC energies.

Findings

Observation of heavy-ion-like signatures in high-multiplicity pp collisions

Emergence of new phenomena in particle production at TeV energies

Reevaluation of pp collisions as a potential QGP formation environment

Abstract

The proton-proton ($pp$) collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN, Switzerland has brought up new challenges and opportunities in understanding the experimental findings in contrast to the conventional lower energy $pp$ collisions. Usually $pp$ collisions are used as the baseline measurement at the GeV and TeV energies in order to understand a possible high density QCD medium formation in heavy-ion collisions. However, the TeV $pp$ collisions have created a new domain of research, where scientists have started observing heavy-ion-like features (signatures) in high-multiplicity $pp$ collisions. This warrants a relook into TeV $pp$ collisions, if at all QGP-droplets are produced in such collisions. In this presentation, I discuss some of the new findings and concepts emerging out in $pp$ collisions at the LHC energies along with some of the new emergent phenomena in particle production.