Restoration of a Lost Symmetry -- Mass Reduction of the \eta' Mesons in 10^-22 Sec

Abstract

A particle called \eta' meson is found to reduce its mass in less than 10^-22 second in high energy heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Apparently this is the fastest mass reduction ever observed. This indicates the restoration of a lost symmetry of strong interactions in a hot and dense, hadronic matter.

Comments: Published in the "Inside RHIC" online magazine, BNL, January 11, 2011. (2 pages, 1 figure)