Dynamics of hot and dense nuclear and partonic matter

The dynamics of hot and dense nuclear matter is discussed from the microscopic transport point of view. The basic concepts of the Hadron-String-Dynamical transport model (HSD)-derived from Kadanoff-Baym equations in phase phase-are presented as well as highlights of HSD results for different observables in heavy-ion collisions from 100 A MeV (SIS) to 21 A TeV(RHIC) energies. Furthermore, a novel extension of the HSD model for the description of the partonic phase-the Parton-Hadron-String-Dynamics (PHSD) approach-is introduced. PHSD includes a nontrivial partonic equation of state-in line with lattice QCD-as well as covariant transition rates from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom. The sensitivity of hadronic observables to the partonic phase is demonstrated for relativistic heavy-ion collisions from the FAIR/NICA up to the RHIC energy regime