The PHENIX Potential in the Search for the QCD Critical Point

Abstract

With the measurement of several observables at SPS energies that demonstrate non-monotonic behavior as a function of centrality and $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$, there is growing interest in pursuing a scan of relativistic heavy ion collisions at low energies at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The capabilities of the PHENIX experiment to take quality measurements at low RHIC energies is described and directly demonstrated with analyses of Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 19.6 GeV and Cu+Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 22.5 GeV. The contribution of upgrades to the PHENIX detector in the upcoming years will also be discussed in the context of a low energy RHIC run.