System size in relativistic heavy ion collisions

System size is more than a geometrical quantity in relativistic heavy ion collisions; it is closely related to evolution process, i.e. a different system size corresponds to a different evolution process, and whether QGP is produced depends on the system size. We propose that the system size should be under the same level when comparing the measurements from different colliding nuclei. The equivalence of the peripheral collisions of Au-Au and the central collisions of smaller nuclei is studied using the Monte Carlo method. Comparing the transverse overlapping area of the colliding nuclei, the number of participant nucleons and the number of nucleon-nucleon binary collisions in various colliding nuclei, we give an estimate of the correspondence in system size. This is helpful in the experimental comparison of the measurements from different colliding nuclei.     

Photon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions with equilibrium and non-equilibrium QGP

We consider the production sources of prompt and thermal photons which include the contribution of gluons in relativistic heavy ion collisions. Considering in our calculation the shadowing and iso-spin effects of the nucleus we can properly estimate the prompt photon production. We develop a new thermal jet-photon conversion mechanism which plays a vital role in the low transverse momentum region. The effect of the non-equilibrium quark-gluon plasma enhances the contribution of thermal photons.     

Photon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions with equilibrium and non-equilibrium QGP

We consider the production sources of prompt and thermal photons which include the contribution of gluons in relativistic heavy ion collisions. Considering in our calculation the shadowing and iso-spin effects of the nucleus we can properly estimate the prompt photon production. We develop a new thermal jet-photon conversion mechanism which plays a vital role in the low transverse momentum region. The effect of the non-equilibrium quark-gluon plasma enhances the contribution of thermal photons.     

Two-pion interferometry at small relative momentum for pion sources with transverse and longitudinal expansions in relativistic heavy ion collisions

A two-pion correlation function at small relative momentum for pion sources with transverse and longitudinal expansions in relativistic heavy ion collisions is obtained using two-pion interferometry at small relative momentum, and the relations between the real and apparent parameters of the pion source are given. The relations can be used to extract both the temperature and the transverse and longitudinal expansion velocities of pion sources and to verify the correctness of relativistic transformation T′=T\sqrt {1-v^2} of temperature in relativistic statistical mechanics and thermodynamics.     

Critical phenomena in a disc-percolation model and their application to relativistic heavy ion collisions

By studying the critical phenomena in continuum-percolation of discs, we find a new approach to locate the critical point, i.e.using the inflection point of P_∞ as an evaluation of the percolation threshold.The susceptibility, defined as the derivative of P_∞, possesses a finite-size scaling property, where the scaling exponent is the reciprocal of ν, the critical exponent of the correlation length.A possible application of this approach to the study of the critical phenomena in relativistic heavy ion collisions is discussed.The critical point for deconfinement can be extracted by the inflection point of P_(QGP)-the probability for the event with QGP formation.The finite-size scaling of its derivative can give the critical exponent ν, which is a rare case that can provide an experimental measure of a critical exponent in heavy ion collisions.     

High energy heavy ion collisions: Lessons from relativistic heavy ion collider

In this talk, I review the recent results from RHIC and discuss their significance.     

Critical phenomena in a disc-percolation model and their application to relativistic heavy ion collisions

By studying the critical phenomena in continuum-percolation of discs, we find a new approach to locate the critical point, i.e. using the inflection point of P∞ as an evaluation of the percolation threshold. The susceptibility, defined as the derivative of P∞, possesses a finite-size scaling property, where the scaling exponent is the reciprocal of v, the critical exponent of the correlation length. A possible application of this approach to the study of the critical phenomena in relativistic heavy ion collisions is discussed. The critical point for deconfinement can be extracted by the inflection point of PQGP -- the probability for the event with QGP formation. The finite-size scaling of its derivative can give the critical exponent v, which is a rare case that can provide an experimental measure of a critical exponent in heavy ion collisions.     

Large transverse momentum dilepton Production in heavy ion collisions with two-photon processes

The cold component of large transverse momentum dilepton production via semi-coherent two-photon interaction is calculated.The cold contribution is essential to the dilepton spectra in the soft region for different mass bins.The results are compared with the PHENIX experimental data at RHIC,and we find that the modification of semi-coherent two-photon processes is more evident with the rising dilepton mass bins.     

Large transverse momentum dilepton production in heavy ion collisions with two-photon processes

The cold component of large transverse momentum dilepton production via semi-coherent two-photon interaction is calculated. The cold contribution is essential to the dilepton spectra in the soft region for different mass bins. The results are compared with the PHENIX experimental data at RHIC, and we find that the modification of semi-coherent two-photon processes is more evident with the rising dilepton mass bins.     

Jet-photon conversion with energy loss in heavy ion collisions

The rate of high energy photons produced from energetic jets during their propagation through the QGP at RHIC and LHC is studied by taking into account the contribution of jet quenching in the medium. It is shown that the jet quenching effect reduces the rate of jet-photon conversion at large transverse momemtum by about 40% at RHIC with √S＝ 200 AGeV, and by about 80% at LHC with √S = 5500 AGeV.     

Jet-photon conversion with energy loss in heavy ion collisions

The rate of high energy photons produced from energetic jets during their propagation through the QGP at RHIC and LHC is studied by taking into account the contribution of jet quenching in the medium. It is shown that the jet quenching effect reduces the rate of jet-photon conversion at large transverse momemtum by about 40% at RHIC with √8= 200 AGeV, and by about 80% at LHC with √8 = 5500 AGeV.     

Hadronic rapidity spectra in heavy ion collisions at SPS and AGS energies in a quark combination model

The quark combination mechanism of hadron production is applied to nucleus-nucleus collisions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and the BNL Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). The rapidity spectra of identified hadrons and their spectrum widths are studied. The data of π^-, K^±, φ, Λ, Λ, Ξ^- and Ξ⁺ at 80 and 40 A GeV, and in particular at 30 and 20 A GeV where the onset of deconfinement is suggested to happen, are consistently described by the quark combination model. However, at AGS 11.6 A GeV below the onset, the π^±, K^± and Λ spectra cannot be simultaneously explained, indicating the disappearance of the intrinsic correlation of their production in the constituent quark level. The collision-energy dependence of the rapidity spectrum widths of the constituent quarks, and the strangeness of the hot and dense quark matter produced in heavy ion collisions, are obtained and discussed.     

Hard thermal photon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions

The recent status of hard thermal photon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions is reviewed and the current rates are presented with emphasis on corrected bremsstrahlung processes in the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) and quark–hadron duality. Employing Bjorken hydrodynamics with an EOS supporting the phase transition from QGP to hot hadron gas (HHG), thermal photon spectra are computed. For SPS 158 GeV Pb + Pb collisions, comparison with other theoretical results and the WA98 direct photon data indicates significant contributions due to prompt photons. Extrapolating the presented approach to RHIC and LHC experiments, predictions of the thermal photon spectrum show a QGP outshining the HHG in the high-p_T-region.     

Quark-gluon plasma: Status of heavy ion physics

Lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD), defined on a discrete space-time lattice, leads to a spectacular non-perturbative prediction of a new state of matter, called quark-gluon plasma (QGP), at sufficiently high temperatures or equivalently large energy densities. The experimental programs of CERN, Geneva and BNL, New York of relativistic heavy ion collisions are expected to produce such energy densities, thereby providing us a chance to test the above prediction. After a brief introduction of the necessary theoretical concepts, I will present a critical review of the experimental results already obtained by the various experiments in order to examine whether QGP has already been observed by them.     

Effects of relativistic kinematics in heavy ion elastic scattering

Relativistic corrections to the reaction kinematic parameters were made for elastic scattering of ⁶Li, ¹²C and ⁴⁰Ar from ⁴⁰Ca, ⁹⁰Zr and ²⁰⁸Pb targets at incident energies between 20 and 100 MeV/nucleon. The results of optical model calculations show that the effects of such corrections are important when describing the angular distributions of elastic scattering cross sections for heavy ion scattering at incident energies as low as around 40 MeV/nucleon. The effects on the total reaction cross sections on the other hand, were found to be small within the energy range studied when the optical model potential is fixed.     

Azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions

A method for investigating the azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions is described. The transverse anisotropy of particle emission at AGS energies is investigated within the RQMD model. It is found that the azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow are sensitive to the incident energy and impact parameter. The fluctuations in the     

Azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions

A method for investigating the azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions is described.The transverse anisotropy of particle emission at AGS energies is investigated within the RQMD model.It is found that the azimuthal correlations between directed and elliptic flow are sensitive to the incident energy and impact parameter.The fluctuations in the initial stage and dynamical evolution of heavy ion collisions are not negligible.     

γ-radiation of excited nuclear discrete levels in peripheral heavy ion collisions

A new process of a nuclear excitation to discrete states in peripheral heavy ion collisions is studied. High-energy photons are emitted by the exited nuclei with energies up to a few tens of GeV at angles of a few hundred microradians with respect to the beam direction. We show that a two-stage process, where an electron-positron pair is produced by virtual photons emitted by nuclei and then the electron or positron excites the nucleus, has a large cross-section. It is equal to about 5 b for CaCa collisions. On the one hand, it produces a significant γ-rays background in the nuclear fragmentation region but, on the other hand, it could be used for monitoring the nuclear beam intensity at the LHC. These secondary nuclear photons could be a good signal for triggering peripheral nuclear collisions. Received: 14 December 2001 / Accepted: 22 January 2002