Formation time of hadrons and density of matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Density of matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions depends substantially on the spacetime evolution of the collision and on the formation time of hadrons produced. Interactions of hadrons younger than their formation time are attenuated with respect to their normal values (transparency of hadronic matter for newly formed hadrons). The system of secondary hadrons produced in a heavy-ion collision thus expands as a gas of almost non interacting particles before hadrons reach their formation time. Densities of interacting hadronic matter produced in oxygen-lead and sulphur-lead collisions at 200 GeV/nucleon are estimated as a function of the formation time of hadrons. Uncertainties in our knowledge of the critical temepratureT _c and of the formation time of hadrons τ₀ permit at present three scenarios: an optimistic one (QGP has already been produced in collisions of oxygen and sulphur with heavy ions and will be copiously produced in Lead collisions), a pessimistic one (QGP cannot be produced at 200 GeV/nucleon) and an intermediate one (QGP has not been produced in oxygen and sulphur interactions with heavy ions and will be at best produced only marginally in Pb-collisions). We find the last opinion as most probable.