This article reviews several important results from RHIC experiments and discusses their implications. They were obtained in a unique environment for studying QCD matter at temperatures and densities that exceed the limits wherein hadrons can exist as individual entities and raises to prominence the quark-gluon degrees of freedom. These findings are supported by major experimental observations via measuring of the bulk properties of particle production, particle ratios and chemical freeze-out conditions, and elliptic ow; followed by hard probe measurements: high-pT hadron suppression, dijet fragment azimuthal correlations, and heavy favor probes. These measurements are presented for particles of different species as a function of system sizes, collision centrality, and energy carried out in RHIC experiments. The results reveal that a dense, strongly-interacting medium is created in central Au + Au collisions at p sNN = 200 GeV at RHIC. This revelation of a new state of nuclear matter has also been observed in measurements at the LHC. Further, the IP-Glasma model coupled with viscous hydrodynamic models, which assumes the formation of a QGP, reproduces well the experimental ow results from Au + Au at p sNN = 200 GeV. This implies that the fluctuations in the initial geometry state are important and the created medium behaves as a nearly perfect liquid of nuclear matter because it has an extraordinarily low ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density, =s 0.12. However, these discoveries are far from being fully understood. Furthermore, recent experimental results from RHIC and LHC in small p + A, d + Au and 3He+Au collision systems provide brand new insight into the role of initial and final state effects. These have proven to be interesting and more surprising than originally anticipated; and could conceivably shed new light in our understanding of collective behavior in heavy-ion physics. Accordingly, the focus of the experiments at both facilities RHIC and the LHC is on detailed exploration of the properties of this new state of nuclear matter, the QGP.

The International Symposium on “Exotic States of Nuclear Matter” was a unique opportunity to review and discuss the many aspects of nuclear matter under extreme conditions and the corresponding possible exotic states like hyperonic matter, kaon condensates, and quark matter, which can appear both in astrophysical compact objects like neutron stars and in heavy ion collision experiments. In this proceedings volume, leading experts from astrophysics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics have delivered reviews and specialized seminars, which highlight the links among the different fields and the role of the underlying fundamental processes. Prospects in future astrophysical observations, with present and planned apparata, and heavy ion experiments are strongly emphasized. Thus, this book will definitely be a valuable reference for all researchers working in this wide research area.

The International Symposium on 'Exotic States of Nuclear Matter' was a unique opportunity to review and discuss the many aspects of nuclear matter under extreme conditions and the corresponding possible exotic states like hyperonic matter, kaon condensates, and quark matter, which can appear both in astrophysical compact objects like neutron stars and in heavy ion collision experiments. In this proceedings volume, leading experts from astrophysics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics have delivered reviews and specialized seminars, which highlight the links among the different fields and the role of the underlying fundamental processes. Prospects in future astrophysical observations, with present and planned apparata, and heavy ion experiments are strongly emphasized. Thus, this book will definitely be a valuable reference for all researchers working in this wide research area.

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues, Welcome in Bodrum to the NASion Hot and Dense Nuclear Matter! Welcome also to Mrs. Governor Dr. Lale AYTAMAN. We are very honored, that you, Governor of the Mugla-State, came here to greet us. We are particularly grateful to you that you offered help and assured us to do everything that we can enjoy two safe weeks in Bodrum, in this wonderful area of your country. I have chosen Bodrum as the place for our NASI because I like this historic region where many cultures meet (e. g. , Oriental and European (Greek, Roman) culture) and where you find numerous places which played a role in ancient science and in early Christianity- I mention Milet (Thales) and Ephesus (Apostle Paulus), both of which are close by. Our NASI will exhibit the most recent developments in high energy heavy ion physics. The meeting is both a school and a conference: A school, because there are very many advanced students, who frequently are themselves already top researchers, attending the lectures of distinguished scientists and leading researchers. It is also a conference because new material, new results of this exciting and wonderful field - our field - high energy heavy ion physics will be presented. It is the topic of hot and dense nuclear matter, which we are focusing on.

Authored by two of the most respected experts in the field of nuclear matter, this book provides an up-to-date account of developments in nuclear matter theory and a critical comparison of the existing theoretical approaches in the field. It provides information needed for researchers working with applications in a variety of research fields, ranging from nuclear physics to astrophysics and gravitational physics, and the computational techniques discussed in the book are relevant for the broader condensed matter and quantum fluids community. The first book to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of nuclear matter theory Authored by two world-leading academics in this field Includes a description of the most advanced computational techniques and a discussion of state-of-the art applications, such as the study of gravitational-wave emission from neutron stars

The theoretical study of the nuclear equation of state (EOS) is a field of research which deals with most of the fundamental problems of nuclear physics. This book gives an overview of the present status of the microscopic theory of the nuclear EOS. Its aim is essentially twofold: first, to serve as a textbook for students entering the field, by covering the different subjects as exhaustively and didactically as possible; second, to be a reference book for all researchers active in the theory of nuclear matter, by providing a report on the latest developments. Special emphasis is given to the numerous open problems existing at present and the prospects for their possible solutions.The general framework of the different approaches presented in the book is the meson theory of nuclear forces — where no free parameter is introduced — and the many-body treatment of nucleon-nucleon correlations. The ultimate hope of this world-wide effort is the understanding of the structure of nuclear matter, both in the ground state and at finite temperature.The main audience addressed is the community of theoretical nuclear physicists, but nuclear experimentalists and astrophysicists will also find in the book an extensive amount of material of direct interest for their everyday work, particularly for those studying heavy-ion collisions, where the nuclear EOS is of special relevance. Finally, theoretical physicists working on elementary particle theory could find in the book some stimulating ideas and problems directly related to their field.

The NATO Advanced Study Institute on The Nuclear Equatioo of State was held at Peiiiscola Spain from May 22- June 3, 1989. The school was devoted to the advances, theoretical and experimental, made during the past fifteen years in the physics of nuclear matter under extreme conditions, such as high compression and high temperature. Moie than 300 people had applied for participatio- this demonstrates the tremendous interest in the various subjects presented at the school. Indeed, the topic of this school, namely the Nuclear Equatioo of State, • plays the central role in high energy heavy ion collisions; • contains the intriguing possibilities of various phase transitions (gas - vapor, meson condensation, quark - gluon plasma); • plays an important role in the static and dynamical behavior of stars, especially in supernova explosions and in neutron star stability. The investigation on the nuclear equation of state can only be accomplished in the laboratory by compressing and heating up nuclear matter and the only mechanism known to date to achieve this goal is through shock compression and -heating in violent high energy heavy ion collisions. This key mechanism has been proposed and highly disputed in of high energy heavy ion physics, the early 70's. It plays a central role in the whole field and particularly in our discussions during the two weeks at Peiiiscola.