From RHIC to LHC: a relativistic diffusion approach

We investigate the energy dependence of stopping and hadron production in high‐energy heavy‐ion collisions based on a three‐sources Relativistic Diffusion Model. The transport coefficients are extrapolated from Au + Au and Cu + Cu at RHIC energies ( = 19.6–200 GeV) to Pb + Pb at LHC energies = 5.52 TeV. Rapidity distributions for net protons, and pseudorapidity spectra for produced charged particles in central collisions are compared to data at RHIC energies, and discussed for several extrapolations to LHC energies.     

Simulation of energy scan of pion interferometry in central Au+Au collisions at relativistic energies

We present a systematic analysis of two-pion interferometry for the central Au+Au collisions at √s_NN=3, 5, 7, 11, 17, 27, 39, 62, 130 and 200 GeV/c with the help of a multiphase transport (AMPT) model. Emission source-size radius parameters R_long, R_out, R_side and the chaotic parameter λ are extracted and compared with the experimental data. Transverse momentum and azimuthal angle dependencies of the HBT radii are also discussed for central Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV/c. The results show that the HBT radii in central collisions do not change much above 7 GeV/c. For central collisions at 200 GeV/c, the radii decrease with the increasing of transverse momentum p_T but are not sensitive to the azimuthal angle. These results provide a theoretical reference for the energy scan program of the RHIC-STAR experiment.     

Charged particle density distributions in Au + Au collisions at relativistic heavy-ion collider energies

Charged particle pseudorapidity distributions have been measured in Au+ Au collisions using the BRAHMS detector at RHIC. The results are presented as a function of the collision centrality and the center of mass energy. They are compared to the predictions of different parton scattering models and the important role of hard scattering processes at RHIC energies is discussed. Keywords. Relativistic heavy-ion collisions; charged hadron production; pseudorapidity distributions; centrality dependence; hard scattering processes.     

Rapidity dependence of hadron PT spectra in central Au+Au collisions at = 200 GeV

The transverse momentum spectra for identified hadrons at different rapidities in central Au+Au collisions at = 200 GeV are studied in a quark combination model. The results for PT spectra of π±,K±, p(p-) and for the p/π ratios in a broader PT range at midrapidity agree well with the data. The transverse momentum spectra of pions, protons and antiprotons at various rapidities y 1, η= 2.2 and y≈3.2 are calculated and compared with the data.     

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.     

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.     

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     

Re-hardening of hadron transverse mass spectra in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We analyze the spectra of pions and protons in heavy-ion collisions at relativistic energies from 2 A GeV to 65+65 A GeV by using a jet-implemented hadron-string cascade model. In this energy region, hadron transverse mass spectra first show softening until SPS energies, and re-hardening may emerge at RHIC energies. Since hadronic matter is expected to show only softening at higher energy densities, this re-hardening of spectra can be interpreted as a good signature of the quark-gluon plasma formation     

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.     

Interactions between heavy quarks and tilted QGP fireballs in 200 A GeV Au+Au collisions

Heavy quark observables are applied to probe the initial energy density distribution with violation of longitudinal boost invariance produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Using an improved Langevin model coupled to a (3+1)-dimensional viscous hydrodynamic model, we study the nuclear modification factor (begin{document}$R_{AA}$end{document}) and directed flow (begin{document}$ v_1 $end{document}) and elliptic flow (begin{document}$ v_2 $end{document}) coefficients of heavy mesons and their decayed electrons at an RHIC energy. We find that the counter-clockwise tilt of nuclear matter in the reaction plane results in a positive (negative) heavy flavor begin{document}$ v_1 $end{document} in the backward (forward) rapidity region, whose magnitude increases with the heavy quark transverse momentum. The difference in the heavy flavor begin{document}$R_{AA}$end{document} between different angular regions is also proposed as a complementary tool to characterize the asymmetry of the medium profile. Our model results are consistent with currently available data at the RHIC and provide predictions that can be tested by future measurements.     

Particle production and nonlinear diffusion in relativistic systems

The short parton production phase in high‐energy heavy‐ion collisions is treated analytically as a nonlinear diffusion process. The initial buildup of the rapidity density distributions of produced charged hadrons within τ_p? 0.25 fm/c occurs in three sources during the colored partonic phase. In a two‐step approach, the subsequent diffusion in pseudorapidity space during the interaction time of τ_int? 7‐10 fm/c (mean duration of the collision) is essentially linear as expressed in the Relativistic Diffusion Model (RDM) which yields excellent agreement with the data at RHIC energies, and allows for predictions at LHC energies. Results for d+Au are discussed in detail.     

Calculation of energy density in the colour tube model of relativistic heavy ion collisions

The energy density produced in a relativistic heavy ion collision is calculated within the framework of the colour tube model. The chromoelectric field generated in the collision produces quark-antiquark pairs. The motion of these particles is described by Boltzmann equation. The interaction between the quarks and antiquarks is approximated by introducing a relaxation time.     

Rapidity equilibration in d + Au and Au + Au systems

In a Relativistic Diffusion Model (RDM), the evolution of net-proton rapidity spectra with in heavy systems is proposed as an indicator for local equilibration and longitudinal expansion. The broad midrapidity valley recently discovered at RHIC in central Au + Au collisions at = 200 GeV suggests rapid local equilibration which is most likely due to deconfinement, and fast longitudinal expansion. Rapidity spectra of produced charged hadrons in d + Au and Au + Au systems at RHIC energies and their centrality dependence are well described in a three-sources RDM. In central collisions, about 19% of the produced particles are in the equilibrated midrapidity region for d + Au.     

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.     

RHIC能区Au+Au非对心碰撞中的事件形状

利用相对论量子分子动力学模型RQMD,结合2π干涉学分析,对RHIC能区s=200AGeV Au+Au非对心碰撞的事件形状进行了研究.研究表明,HBT参数可以反映事件在坐标空间的非对称性,而不能直接给出事件在动量空间的压力梯度.另外,HBT参数对横动量的依赖关系对系统的空间–动量关联较为敏感.     

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.     

Production of light nuclei,hypernuclei and their antiparticles in relativistic nuclear collisions

We present, using the statistical model, an analysis of the production of light nuclei, hypernuclei and their antiparticles in central collisions of heavy nuclei. Based on these studies we provide predictions for the production yields of multiply-strange light nuclei.     

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.     

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.