ATLAS measurements of the production of muons from heavy flavor decays in √sNN = 2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions and √s = 2.76 TeV pp collisions at the LHC are presented. Integrated luminosities of 0.14 nb−1 and 570 nb−1 are used for the Pb+Pb and pp measurements, respectively. The measurements are performed over the transverse momentum range 4

Furthermore, the pT dependence of the relative muon yields in Pb+Pb collisions to p+p colli- sions with the same center of mass collision energy per nucleon is presented by the nuclear modification factor RAA, which is defined as the ratio of a spectrum from heavy ion collisions to the same but scaled spectrum from nucleon-nucleon collisions . The observed RAA has little dependence on pT within the uncertainties quoted here. The results for RAA indicate a factor of about 3 suppression in the yield of muons in the most central (0-10%) collisions compared to the p+p collisions.

This thesis presents the first measurements of jets in relativistic heavy ion collisions as reported by the ATLAS Collaboration. These include the first direct observation of jet quenching through the observation of a centrality-dependent dijet asymmetry. Also, a series of jet suppression measurements are presented, which provide quantitative constraints on theoretical models of jet quenching. These results follow a detailed introduction to heavy ion physics with emphasis on the phenomenon of jet quenching and a comprehensive description of the ATLAS detector and its capabilities with regard to performing these measurements.

Muons originating from background sources, primarily Charm hadrons, pion and kaon decays, have been removed from the analysis using template fits to the distribution of a quantity(p T^rel) capable of statistically distinguishing between signal and background. The measured nuclear modification factor R AA has been presented in different centrality bins as a function of the b-jet transverse momentum p T.The results of R AA indicate that the yield of the most central event (0-10%) experiences more suppression compared to the most peripheral event (60-80%) by a factor of approximate 2.

This report reviews the study of open heavy-flavour and quarkonium production in high-energy hadronic collisions, as tools to investigate fundamental aspects of Quantum Chromodynamics, from the proton and nucleus structure at high energy to deconfinement and the properties of the Quark-Gluon Plasma. Emphasis is given to the lessons learnt from LHC Run 1 results, which are reviewed in a global picture with the results from SPS and RHIC at lower energies, as well as to the questions to be addressed in the future. The report covers heavy flavour and quarkonium production in proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions. This includes discussion of the effects of hot and cold strongly interacting matter, quarkonium photo-production in nucleus-nucleus collisions and perspectives on the study of heavy flavour and quarkonium with upgrades of existing experiments and new experiments. The report results from the activity of the SaporeGravis network of the I3 Hadron Physics programme of the European Union 7th Framework Programme.

In August 2006, the CERN Theory Unit announced to restructure its visitor program and to create a 'CERN Theory Institute', where 1-3 month long specific programs can take place. The first such Institute was held from 14 May to 10 June 2007, focusing on 'Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC - Last Call for Predictions'. It brought together close to 100 scientists working on the theory of ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions. The aim of this workshop was to review and document the status of expectations and predictions for the heavy ion program at the Large Hadron Collider LHC before its start. LHC will explore heavy ion collisions at (almost equal to) 30 times higher center of mass energy than explored previously at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider RHIC. So, on the one hand, the charge of this workshop provided a natural forum for the exchange of the most recent ideas, and allowed to monitor how the understanding of heavy ion collisions has evolved in recent years with the data from RHIC, and with the preparation of the LHC experimental program. On the other hand, the workshop aimed at a documentation which helps to distinguish pre- from post-dictions. An analogous documentation of the 'Last Call for Predictions' [1] was prepared prior to the start of the heavy-ion program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider RHIC, and it proved useful in the subsequent discussion and interpretation of RHIC data. The present write-up is the documentation of predictions for the LHC heavy ion program, received or presented during the CERN TH Institute. The set-up of the CERN TH Institute allowed us to aim for the wide-most coverage of predictions. There were more than 100 presentations and discussions during the workshop. Moreover, those unable to attend could still participate by submitting predictions in written form during the workshop. This followed the spirit that everybody interested in making a prediction had the right to be heard. To arrive at a concise document, we required that each prediction should be summarized on at most two pages, and that predictions should be presented, whenever possible, in figures which display measurable quantities. Full model descriptions were not accepted--the authors were encouraged to indicate the relevant references for the interested reader. Participants had the possibility to submit multiple contributions on different topics, but it was part of the subsequent editing process to ensure that predictions on neighboring topics were merged wherever possible. The contributions summarized here are organized in several sections, --though some of them contain material related with more than one section--roughly by going from low transverse momentum to high transverse momentum and from abundant to rare measurements. In the low transverse momentum regime, we start with predictions on multiplicity distributions, azimuthal asymmetries in particle production and hadronic flavor observables, followed by correlation and fluctuation measurements. The contributions on hard probes at the LHC start with predictions for single inclusive high transverse momentum spectra, and jets, followed by heavy quark and quarkonium measurements, leptonic probes and photons. A final section 'Others' encompasses those predictions which do not fall naturally within one of the above-mentioned categories, or discuss the more speculative phenomena that may be explored at the LHC.

The study of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions aims at investigating a state of strongly-interacting matter at high energy density and temperature, the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are predominantly produced in initial hard scattering processes during the early stage of the collisions and experience the full evolution of the medium. Therefore, the measurement of open heavy flavours should provide essential information on the QGP properties. Similar measurements in small systems are also essential for a comprehensible understanding of the QGP properties. The study of open heavy flavours in proton-proton (pp) collisions provides the mandatory reference for measurements in heavy-ion collisions. This thesis presents measurements of the production of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity (2.5