Thermal Lepton Production in Heavy-Ion Collisions

Abstract

The current status of evaluating thermal production of lepton pairs in high-energy collisions of heavy nuclei is discussed. After a brief survey of emission rates from hot and dense matter, we address applications to (and interpretations of) recent SPS data including 40 AGeV CERES results, as well as prospects for NA60. Emphasis is put on predictions for RHIC. In particular, implications of hadronic observables and first single-electron measurements at $\sqrt{s}=130$ AGeV for upcoming pair spectra from PHENIX at $\sqrt{s}=200$ AGeV are assessed.