Important experimental observables at RHIC

Abstract

In this talk I discuss the significance of the first RHIC measurements for establishing the properties of hot and dense QCD matter and for understanding the dynamics of the theory at the high parton density, strong color field frontier. Hopes and expectations for the future are discussed as well.

Comments: 10 pages, 10 figures, Invited talk given at the XVI International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions ``Quark Matter 2002'', Nantes, France, July 18-24, 2002