Heavy ion collisions with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS detector is designed to study high-p T physics in proton-proton collisions at the LHC design luminosity. The detector capabilities for heavy-ion physics are now being evaluated. This paper reports on a preliminary assessment of the baseline ATLAS detector potential for heavy-ion physics. The ATLAS sensitivity to some of the expected signatures from the quark-gluon plasma (e.g. jet quenching, Υ suppression) is discussed. PACS: 25.70.Ef – 21.60.G