In this unit we plan to cover material relevant for the study of strong interactions in extreme conditions of temperature and densities, with and without magnetic fields. One would learn how to define the theory at finite temperature and densities, and how to study the relevant phases, and phase transitions. A contemporary set of results will be presented as well.
Units: Essentials (in depth), Critical phenomena and RG (in depth) , numerical and statistical analysis (elements), renormalisation and improvement (elements).
Basics of Finite Temperature Field Theory. Mikko Laine, University of Bern
Symmetries and phases of massless QCD in the T, Nf space Owe Philipsen, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Phase diagram as function of quark masses for Nf = 0,1,2,3 (Columbia plot) Christian Schmidt, Universität Bielefeld
QCD equation of state and fluctuations Jana Günther, Bergische Universität, Wuppertal
Axial symmetry breaking and effective restoration TBD
Finite density QCD, and the search for the critical endpoint Szabolcs Borsanyi, Bergische Universität Wuppertal
A larger parameter space I: Imaginary baryochemical potential, isospin density, two color QCD Bastian Brandt, Universität Bielefeld
A larger parameter space II: Magnetic fields Gergely Endrödi, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
Topology from low to high temperature Massimo D'Elia, Università di Pisa
Transport and other quantities from analytical continuation, Guy Moore, TU Darmstadt
Heavy quark states and sequential melting, Alexander Rothkopf, Korea University
Classical-statistical Real-Time methods, Sören Schlichting, Universität Bielefeld
The Extreme QCD series of PhD Schools
Lectures and topical reviews
Guy Moore, Thermal Field Theory
Frithjof Karsch, Supercomputing the properties of strong interaction matter by Lattice QCD
Gergely Endrödi, Latest developments from lattice QCD under extreme conditions (April 2026)
Suggestions and contributions welcome!