# Quark Matter 2014 - XXIV International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

19-24 May 2014
Europe/Zurich timezone

## sPHENIX Detector and Physics Program

20 May 2014, 16:30
2h

### spectrum

Board: M-17
Poster Future Experimental Facilities, Upgrades, and Instrumentation

### Speaker

Near the transition temperature, $T_C$, the strongly coupled QGP exhibits nearly inviscid flow. How the quantum-bounded low viscosity of QGP arises from the interactions of pointlike partons is not known in detail. Addressing this fundamental question experimentally requires measurements provided by scale-sensitive probes over a range of temperatures in the vicinity of $T_C$. Fully reconstructed jets, photons, and heavy flavor provide insight into the dynamics that underlie these properties of the QGP. The PHENIX collaboration is pursuing a major upgrade, sPHENIX, consisting of the BaBar superconducting solenoid, large acceptance hadronic and electromagnetic calorimetry and tracking. Coupled with fast data acquisition, sPHENIX will be able to make use of the full enhanced luminosity and species flexibility available at RHIC. The detector design also leverages modern developments in sensors and electronics---such as SiPMs and fast waveform digitization---and a novel calorimeter geometry to provide the needed capabilities in a cost-effective way. The measurements made possible by sPHENIX will complement those currently being made at the LHC, and will enable a comprehensive and exciting program of QGP measurements near $T_C$ in the region of strongest coupling.