Exploring the QCD phase diagram with low energy beams at RHIC: critRHIC

Recent developments have generated considerable interest in an experimental program using the RHIC accelerator in the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass region root s(NN) = 5-15 GeV. The systems formed in such heavy ion collisions are expected to result in hot and dense matter characterized by higher baryon chemical potential, mu(B), rather than that produced in collisions at the full RHIC energy. Numerous theoretical results, including attempts to expand lattice QCD calculations to incorporate nonzero values of mu(B), suggest that a critical point may exist in this region of the QCD phase diagram. Verification of this possibility would establish one of the most significant 'landmarks' in the phase diagram, certainly a major discovery. Early studies of Pb+Pb collisions in this energy range at the SPS at CERN revealed several observables which showed unexpectedly non-monotonic behavior as a function of beam energy. In order to explore this exciting region inmore detail, plans are being developed to study this lower energy range using the existing RHIC accelerator and experiments. This proceeding briefly summarizes the status of this project, with particular emphasis on recent developments in accessing the capabilities of the accelerator and experiments.