Topical issue on Exploring Strongly Interacting Matter at High Densities - NICA White Paper

The aim of the present Topical Issue is to identify the challenges and the discovery potential of heavy-ion collision experiments as those being prepared at the accelerator complex NICA, which will provide the highest baryon densities ever created in terrestrial laboratories. Concerted efforts are required to understand the matter that constitutes the interiors of neutron stars and governs spectacular astrophysical phenomena like supernova explosions and neutron star mergers, which are the most plausible sites for the production of heavy elements in nature. In order to support the construction or modification of heavy-ion collider facilities for experimental studies of QCD phase transformations at high baryon densities, D. Blaschke, A. Sorin and V. Toneev opened in 2009 the “NICA White Paper” forum (theor0.jinr.ru/twiki-cgi/view/NICA/WebHome) devoted