Statistical hadronization of charm at SPS, RHIC and LHC

We study the production of charmonia and charmed hadrons for nucleus-nucleus collisions at SPS, RHIC, and LHC energies within the framework of the statistical hadronization model. Results from this model are compared to the observed centrality dependence of J/psi production at SPS energy. We further provide predictions for the centrality dependence of the production of open and hidden charm mesons at RHIC and LHC.Comment: Contribution to Quark Matter 2002, 4 pages, 3 figures; revised version including charmed hyperons (omitted in v1

Physics of Ultra-Relativistic Nuclear Collisions with Heavy Beams at LHC Energy

We discuss current plans for experiments with ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions with heavy beams at LHC energy ($\sqrt{s} = 5.5$ TeV/nucleon pair). Emphasis will be placed on processes which are unique to the LHC program. They include event-by-event interferometry, complete spectroscopy of the $\Upsilon$ resonances, and open charm and open beauty measurements.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, Quark Matter 99 conference contribution, Nucl. Phys. A to be publishe

(Non)Thermal Aspects of Charmonium Production and a New Look at J/ψ\psi Suppression

To investigate a recent proposal that J/$\psi$ production in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions is of thermal origin we have reanalyzed the data from the NA38/50 collaboration within a thermal model including charm. Comparison of the calculated with measured yields demonstrates the non-thermal origin of hidden charm production at SPS energy. However, the ratio $\psi^{'}$/(J/$\psi)$ exhibits, in central nucleus-nucleus collisions, thermal features which lead us to a new interpretation of open charm and charmonium production at SPS energy. Implications for RHIC and LHC energy measurements will be discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 3 eps figures, final version with slight corrections, Phys. Lett. B (in print

Thermal description of hadron production in e+e- collisions revisited

We present a comprehensive analysis of hadron production in e+e- collisions at different center-of-mass energies in the framework of the statistical model of the hadron resonance gas. The model is formulated in the canonical ensemble with exact conservation of all relevant quantum numbers. The parameters of the underlying model were determined using a fit to the average multiplicities of the latest measurements at $\sqrt{s}$ = 10, 29-35, 91 and 130-200 GeV. The results demonstrate that, within the accuracy of the experiments, none of the data sets is satisfactorily described with this approach, calling into question the notion that particle production in e+e- collisions is thermal in origin.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures; v2: final version accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

Transverse energy per charged particle at relativistic energies from a statistical model with expansion

Transverse energy and charged particle pseudorapidity densities at midrapidity and their ratio, $dE_{T}/d\eta\mid_{mid} / dN_{ch}/d\eta|_{mid}$, are evaluated in a statistical model with longitudinal and transverse flows for the wide range of colliders, from AGS to RHIC at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. Evaluations are done at freeze-out parameters established independently from fits to observed particle yields and $p_{T}$ spectra. Decays of hadron resonances are treated thoroughly and are included in derivations of $dE_{T}/d\eta|_{mid}$ and $dN_{ch}/d\eta|_{mid}$. The predictions of the model agree well with the experimental data. However, some (explicable) overestimation of the ratio has been observed.Comment: Revtex, 11 pages, 1 figure (included), The revised version with the title changed and new conclusions added, to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Chemical Equilibration and the Hadron-QGP Phase Transition

We discuss recent experimental results on hadron multiplicities in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions. The data for central collisions are in quantitative agreement with predictions of a thermal model assuming full chemical equilibration. It is argued that this provides strong, albeit indirect, evidence for the formation of a partonic phase in the collision prior to hadron production.Comment: Contribution to CRIS2000 conference, to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Towards strangeness saturation in central heavy-ion collisions at high energies

Analyses of the centrality binned identified hadron multiplicities at SPS and RHIC within the statistical-thermal model point to strangeness saturation with increasing centrality and energy.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Presented at the 16th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Nantes, France, 18-24 July, 200

Towards the Quark Gluon Plasma

We discuss recent experimental results in the field of ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions. The emerging ``picture'' is a collectively expanding, initially hot and dense fireball in which strangeness- and low-mass di-lepton pair production are enhanced and J/$\Psi$ production is suppressed compared to expectations from nucleon-nucleon collisions. It is argued that, taken together, these data provide circumstantial evidence that a (at least partly) partonic phase was produced in such collisions.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, plenary paper, PANIC99 Conference, Uppsala, Sweden, Nucl. Phys. A (in print

Hadron production in Au-Au collisions at RHIC

We present an analysis of particle production yields measured in central Au-Au collisions at RHIC in the framework of the statistical thermal model. We demonstrate that the model extrapolated from previous analyses at SPS and AGS energy is in good agreement with the available experimental data at $\sqrt s=130$ GeV implying a high degree of chemical equilibration. Performing a $\chi^2$ fit to the data, the range of thermal parameters at chemical freezeout is determined. At present, the best agreement of the model and the data is obtained with the baryon chemical potential $\mu_B\simeq 46\pm 5$ MeV and temperature $T\simeq 174\pm 7$ MeV. More ratios, such as multistrange baryon to meson, would be required to further constrain the chemical freezeout conditions. Extrapolating thermal parameters to higher energy, the predictions of the model for particle production in Au-Au reactions at $\sqrt s=200$ GeV are also given.Comment: Final version, minor changes to text and figures. To appear in Phys. Lett.