Hot QCD equations of state and relativistic heavy ion collisions

We study two recently proposed equations of state (EOS) which are obtained from high temperature QCD, and show how they can be adapted to use them for making predictions for relativistic heavy ion collisions. The method involves extracting equilibrium distribution functions for quarks and gluons from the EOS, which in turn will allow a determination of the transport and other bulk properties of the quark gluon plasma. Simultaneously, the method also yields a quasi particle description of interacting quarks and gluons. The first EOS is perturbative in the QCD coupling constant and has contributions of $O(g^5)$. The second EOS is an improvement over the first, with contributions upto $O(g^6 ln(\frac{1}{g}))$; it incorporates the nonperturbative hard thermal contributions. The interaction effects are shown to be captured entirely by the effective chemical potentials for the gluons and the quarks, in both the cases. The chemical potential is seen to be highly sensitive to the EOS. As an application, we determine the screening lengths which are, indeed the most important diagnostics for QGP. The screening lengths are seen to behave drastically differently depending on the EOS considered., and yield, therefore, a way to distinguish the two equations of state in heavy ion collisions.Comment: 11 pages, fifteen figures, two column, accepted for publication in PR

Coexistence of high electrical conductivity and weak ferromagnetism in Cr doped Y2_2Ir2_2O7_7 pyrochlore iridate

We report the structural, magnetic and electrical transport properties of Y$_2$Ir$_{2-x}$Cr$_x$O$_7$ pyrochlore iridates. The chemical doping leads to order of magnitude enhancement of electrical conductivity. The introduction of Cr3+ at Ir4+ site tends to distort the Ir-O6 octahedra and suppresses antiferromagnetic correlation. The X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements suggest the coexistence of Ir4+ and Ir5+ valence states in the Y$_2$Ir$_{2-x}$Cr$_x$O$_7$ compounds. The concentration of Ir5+ is enhanced with Cr doping, leading to weak ferromagnetism and enhanced electrical conductivity. A cluster-glass like transition is also observed at low temperature with Cr doping, possibly due to competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interaction

A Selective and Sensitive Chromogenic and Fluorogenic Detection of a Sulfur Mustard Simulant

A simple and highly selective chromogenic and fluorogenic detection of sulfur mustard (SM) simulants is reported. Dithiol 1, in the presence and absence of a mustard simulant behaves differently toward a squaraine dye (SQ), and thus provides a visual and spectroscopic signal for mustard gas. The sensor responds to the SM simulant, but not to the O-analog of mustard stimulant or nerve agent mimics and other electrophilic agents. The visual and fluorescent detection with less than 50 mu M of SM simulant shows good sensitivity. The utility of the sensor was demonstrated by analysis of SM simulant on surfaces, in soil, and in the gas phase.Office of Naval Research N00014-09-1-1087Welch Foundation F-1151Department of Science and Technology, IndiaDefense Research and Development Organization, IndiaChemistr