6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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Complexity in Matter Under Extreme Conditions

7 Jul 2026, 11:00
20m
Lecture Hall DL2 (University of the Western Cape)

Lecture Hall DL2

University of the Western Cape

Oral Presentation Track G - Theoretical and Computational Physics Theoretical and Computational Physics

Speaker

Prof. Azwinndini Muronga (Nelson Mandela University)

Description

Matter under extreme conditions, ranging from the quark–gluon plasma created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions to the dense interiors of collapsing stars and neutron stars, exhibits strongly interacting, non-linear dynamics far from equilibrium. Despite vast differences in scale, these systems share a common theoretical description rooted in relativistic fluid dynamics, where conservation laws, equations of state, and transport properties govern their evolution. In this contribution, we examine how macroscopic collective behaviour emerges from microscopic interactions within this shared framework. We highlight the roles of nonlinearity, multi-scale coupling, and sensitivity to microphysical inputs in shaping phenomena such as relativistic flow, instabilities, and structure formation. Drawing on theoretical and computational approaches, we show how similar mathematical structures underpin systems across high-energy nuclear physics and astrophysics, revealing deep connections between quark-scale interactions and cosmic-scale dynamics. This perspective positions matter under extreme conditions as a natural setting for understanding emergence in strongly interacting systems, where universal dynamical laws give rise to diverse behaviour across scales.

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Author

Prof. Azwinndini Muronga (Nelson Mandela University)

Presentation materials

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