Nucleation of Quark--Gluon Plasma Droplets

Abstract

The energy densities achieved during central collisions of large nuclei at the AGS may be high enough to allow the formation of quark--gluon plasma. We propose that most collisions at AGS energies produce superheated hadronic matter, but in rare events a droplet of quark--gluon plasma is nucleated. We estimate the probability of this to occur based on homogeneous and inhomogeneous nucleation theory and discuss possible experimental signals.