4,143 research outputs found
Photon production in relativistic nuclear collisions at SPS and RHIC energies
Chiral Lagrangians are used to compute the production rate of photons from
the hadronic phase of relativistic nuclear collisions. Special attention is
paid to the role of the pseudovector a_1 meson. Calculations that include
reactions with strange mesons, hadronic form factors and vector spectral
densities consistent with dilepton production, as well as the emission from a
quark-gluon plasma and primordial nucleon-nucleon collisions, reproduce the
photon spectra measured at the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). Predictions for
the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are made.Comment: Work presented at the 26th annual Montreal-Rochester-Syracuse-Toronto
conference (MRST 2004) on high energy physics, Montreal, QC, Canada, 12-14
May 2004. 8 pages, 3 figure
Interpretation of Recent SPS Dilepton Data
We summarize our current theoretical understanding of in-medium properties of
the electromagnetic current correlator in view of recent dimuon data from the
NA60 experiment in In(158 AGeV)-In collisions at the CERN-SPS. We discuss the
sensitivity of the results to space-time evolution models for the hot and dense
partonic and hadronic medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and
the contributions from different sources to the dilepton-excess spectra.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on
Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2006) v2:
references added, minor typos correcte
The Conditions of Primary Infection Define the Load of Latent Viral Genome in Organs and the Risk of Recurrent Cytomegalovirus Disease
Recurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from latency is a frequent cause of disease in immunocompromised
patients. To date, there is no explanation for the diversity in the clinical manifestations.
Primary infection can occur perinatally or later in life, and inevitably results in latent infection.
Seropositivity for antibodies against CMV is indicative of latent infection, but is insufficient
as a predictor for the risk of recurrence. As a model for this important medical problem, we
compared the risks of murine CMV recurrence from latency established after neonatal primary
infection and after infection at adult age. The risk of CMV recurrence was high only after neonatal
infection. The copy number of latent viral genome in tissues was identified as the key parameter
that determines the overall and organ-specific risks of recurrence. Latent CMV burden and risk
of recurrence were related to the extent of virus multiplication during primary infection. The
presence of latent CMV in multiple organs provides the molecular basis for stochastic events
of recurrence in single organs or in any combination thereof. These findings are discussed as
a concept of multifocal CMV latency and recurrence. It provides a rationale for the diversity
in the clinical outcome of CMV disease
The Vector Probe in Heavy-Ion Reactions
We review essential elements in using the channel as a probe for
hot and dense matter as produced in (ultra-) relativistic collisions of heavy
nuclei. The uniqueness of the vector channel resides in the fact that it
directly couples to photons, both real and virtual (dileptons), enabling the
study of thermal radiation and in-medium effects on both light () and heavy () vector mesons. We emphasize the importance
of interrelations between photons and dileptons, and characterize relevant
energy/mass regimes through connections to Quark-Gluon-Plasma emission and
chiral symmetry restoration. Based on critical analysis of our current
understanding of data from fixed-target energies, we identify open key
questions to be addressed.Comment: Invited Talk at the Hot Quarks 2004 Workshop, July 18-24, 2004 (Taos
Valley, NM, USA), 15 pages latex incl 14 figs and iop style files, to appear
in the proceeding
Isospin Fluctuations in QCD and Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions
We address the role of fluctuations in strongly interacting matter during the
dense stages of a heavy-ion collision through its electromagnetic emission.
Fluctuations of isospin charge are considered in a thermal system at rest as
well as in a moving hadronic fluid at fixed proper time within a finite bin of
pseudo-rapidity. In the former case, we use general thermodynamic relations to
establish a connection between fluctuations and the space-like screening limit
of the retarded photon self-energy, which directly relates to the emissivities
of dileptons and photons. Effects of hadronic interactions are highlighted
through two illustrative calculations. In the latter case, we show that a
finite time scale inherent in the evolution of a heavy-ion collision
implies that equilibrium fluctuations involve both space-like and time-like
components of the photon self-energy in the system. Our study of non-thermal
effects, explored here through a stochastic treatment, shows that an early and
large fluctuation in isospin survives only if it is accompanied by a large
temperature fluctuation at freeze-out, an unlikely scenario in hadronic phases
with large heat capacity. We point out prospects for the future which include:
(1) A determination of the Debye mass of the system at the dilute freeze-out
stage of a heavy-ion collision, and (2) A delineation of the role of charge
fluctuations during the dense stages of the collision through a study of
electromagnetic emissivities.Comment: 12 pages ReVTeX incl. 4 ps-fig
Thermal Dileptons from a Nonperturbative Quark-Gluon Phase
Assuming that gluon condensates are important even above the deconfining
phase transition, we develop a model for the dilepton yield from a quark gluon
plasma. Using a simple fire ball description of a heavy ion collision, and
various estimates of the strengths of the gluon condensates, we compare our
predicted dilepton yields with those observed in the CERES and HELIOS
experiments at CERN. The simple model gives an adequate description of the
data, and in particular it explains the observed considerable enhancement of
the yield in the low mass region.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, reference adde
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