Upgrading PHENIX for Deeper Investigation of Partonic Interactions

PHENIX has reported extensively on partonic interactions in heavy ion collisions, and the current suite of upgrades will greatly improve the ability of the experiment to use heavy flavor in those investigations. In its plan for the coming decade, PHENIX argues for an overhaul of the experiment to greatly increase its acceptance, its $p_T$ reach and discrimination for EM signals, and its capabilities for jet physics, while retaining its high performance data acquisition and triggering abilities. These transformations will enable PHENIX to study many further question regarding the nature of partonic interactions with the medium and the mechanisms of partonic energy loss.