Johann Rafelski, Homepage,
Professor of Physics, The University of Arizona Research profile
Communication: ++1 520 777 9519 (Skype call-in world-wide)
Local calls: 520 990 4213 (in US, no messaging)
E-mail:
rafelski at gmail.com OR johannr at arizona.edu
Current Matters
Why Special Relativity Matters
Curriculum Vitae
Publications by Categories
Books authored and edited
Strangeness (and charm, bottom) publication list
Student and Teaching information
List with pdf links of recent talks
Essay: How was QGP discovered?
Google Scholar list of publications
YouTube channel: "Creation of Matter"
Research profile
Dr. Johann Rafelski is a theoretical physicist working for 37 years at the University of Arizona (Tucson, USA). His research has focused on advancing the understanding of fundamental laws and principles in physics. He works in several disciplines of subatomic physics: He studies the behavior of matter under extreme temperature conditions and the effects of the strongest forces on matter and radiation. He studies how under such conditions the quantum vacuum is affected.
To put Rafelski's work into general perspective recall how the formulation of Special Relativity in the early 20th century marked the beginning of the current era of modern physics. Rapid development continued with the discovery of quantum theory, which united with relativity resulted in the prediction of antimatter. The realization that a transformation of energy into matter is possible allowed in recent decades to describe the physical processes governing the Big Bang, see A Short Survey of Matter-Antimatter Evolution in the Primordial Universe; Universe 2023, 9, 309, pp1-49. Our current understanding of quantum theory shows that the structure and properties of the relativistic invariant quantum vacuum (i.e., the physical properties of the matter-free space) determine the laws of physics. This understanding and the potential for gaining control of the mutual energy and matter conversion could affect the future of humanity as significantly as the discoveries of last 150 years have done.
With collisions of atomic nuclei at the highest available energies, one can lay the groundwork for such investigations. The temperatures reached in laboratory - 300 million times hotter than the surface of the Sun - can transform the nuclear matter into a new phase of hot quarks and gluons. The vacuum forces surrounding the quarks are dissolved upon reaching such high temperatures. Rafelski has in decisive manner contributed to the creation and the development of this research program which allow study of the the properties of the primordial quark-gluon plasma in the laboratory at CERN in Geneva and at BNL in New York. Future dedicated experimental facilities are being readied e.g the FAIR project in Darmstadt, Germany. To study the behavior of the new quark-gluon state of matter, Dr. Rafelski deals with transformation processes of energy into matter and antimatter, and in particular with the production of strange quarks - see Discovery of Quark-Gluon Plasma: Strangness Diaries (EPJ-ST Volume 229, number 1, pp1-140, January 2020).
In investigating the behavior of individual particles under extreme conditions, Dr. Rafelski is especially interested in the effect of radiation, a vacuum frictional force caused by acceleration: Every charged accelerated body emits radiation which can change the particle dynamics decisively. Under these conditions, the force-field energy content can be converted into matter and antimatter. These processes help in the search for the mechanisms causing the formation of quark-gluon plasma. A related field of Dr. Rafelski’s work is the radiation generated by laser pulses.
Other areas of research that interested Dr. Rafelski in the past decade include: the postulated cosmic neutrino microwave background; vacuum fluctuations caused by elemental forces and their relation to dark energy; dark matter in the form of massive compact ultra-dense objects (CUDOs); and the application of laser pulses of high intensity to nuclear fusion energy production.
These research programs have led to the publication of a large number of scientific publications, mentoring of many students, and presentation of research textbooks. Furthermore Dr. Rafelski is interested in teaching students the basics of special relativity theory, an area needing modern context leading on above new fields of research and connecting to the historical developments. His books, "Relativity Matters" (Spring 2017) and "Modern Special Relativity" (Spring 2022) introduce graduate and undergraduate students to special relativity and instructs them on that subject through their careers while also explaining the current research topics introduced above.
Dr. Johann Rafelski is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) since 2011; he has been elected member of Academia Europea in 2021. Dr. Rafelski has been a Fulbright Fellow Summers 2019, 2021, hosted by the Wigner Research Center for Physics in Budapest. In Spring 2022 he was elected foreign member of the Hungarian Academy of Science. Prof. Rafelski has been elected to the Senate of The University of Arizona for the periods 2018-2020-2022 representing the College of Science, and 2023-25 he is elected to represent all colleges. He was elected member of the University of Arizona Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee (SPBAC) 2022-2024.
As of June 2020 the YouTube channel: "Creation of Matter" provides both historic and educational insight into some of the research interests described.
Created August 21, 2017, updated 2019-2024