LPC Physics Forum - Georgios Krintiras on Heavy-Ion Physics Without Heavy Ions

Thursday 20 Aug 2026, 13:00 → 14:00 US/Central

Sunrise (WH11NE) (FNAL/Zoom)

https://cern.zoom.us/j/96898909340
contact lpc-pf@fnal.gov for the passcode

lpc_physics_forum.pdf

13:00 → 14:00 Heavy-Ion Physics Without Heavy Ions

After a long experimental odyssey that began with the first proton-ion results, the recent light-ion collisions at RHIC and the LHC have opened a long-sought window between proton and heavy-ion collisions. The expanding body of measurements reveals unexpectedly rich behavior, including strong suppression of excited bottomonium states and significant modification of particle yields. These observations raise new questions about where and how the characteristic signatures of quark-gluon plasma formation emerge as the collision system is varied.

I will review selected recent CMS results and what they are beginning to reveal about QCD matter across this newly accessible range of system sizes. I will also discuss why the high-dimensional final states of nuclear collisions offer an exceptional proving ground for AI, challenging algorithms to infer multiscale QCD dynamics from the intricate particle patterns and correlations recorded in each event. Finally, I will look ahead to what measurements with a broader range of ion species could reveal and how a more flexible collision-system program could reshape the field in the coming years.

Speaker: Dr Georgios Krintiras

20Aug2026_LPCPhysicsForum_Georgios_Krintiras_Recording.mp4

Physics_Forum_Light_Ions_AI_Future.pptx.pdf

Slides