Future Physics Perspectives on the Equation of State from Heavy Ion Collisions to Neutron Stars

TL;DR

This paper reviews current methods and future prospects for constraining the equation of state of strongly interacting matter through heavy-ion collisions and neutron star observations, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of theoretical and experimental approaches and discusses future strategies to map the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter.

Findings

Heavy-ion collision experiments constrain the equation of state.

Neutron star observations provide complementary data.

Overlap regions in the phase diagram are identified for combined studies.

Abstract

With the computational power and algorithmic improvements available today, the ongoing STAR/RHIC and HADES/GSI experiments, the future FAIR and NICA facilities becoming operational, and the new precise measurements from NICER and LIGO/VIRGO, the high-energy nuclear physics and astrophysics communities are in the unique position to set very stringent constraints on the equation of state of strongly interacting matter. We review the state-of-the-art of different approaches used in the description of hot and ultradense baryonic matter in and out of equilibrium, and discuss the regions in the phase diagram where heavy-ion collisions and neutron star mergers can overlap. Future perspectives are discussed to help define a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary strategy to map out the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter from heavy ion collisions to neutron stars.