Overview of Charm Physics at RHIC

Abstract

Heavy-quark production provides a sensitive probe of the gluon structure of nucleons and its modication in nuclei. It is also a key probe of the hot-dense matter created in heavy-ion collisions. We will discuss the physics issues involved, as seen in quarkonia and open heavy-quark production, starting with those observed in proton-proton collisions. Then cold nuclear matter effects on heavy-quark production including shadowing, gluon saturation, energy loss and absorption will be reviewed in the context of recent proton-nucleus and deuteron-nucleus measurements. Next we survey the most recent measurements of open-charm and J/Psi's in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and their interpretation. We discuss the high-pT suppression and flow of open charm in terms of energy loss and thermalization and, for J/Psi, contrast explanations in terms of screening in a deconfined medium vs. recombination models.