QGP fireball explosion

We identify the major physics milestones in the development of strange hadrons as an observable for both the formation of quark-gluon plasma, and of the ensuing explosive disintegration of deconfined matter fireball formed in relativistic heavy ion collisions at 160--20A GeV. We describe the physical properties of QGP phase and show agreement with the expectations based on an analysis of hadron abundances. We than also demonstrate that the m_t shape of hadron spectra is in qualitative agreement with the sudden breakup of a supercooled QGP fireball.Comment: 10 pages, incl. 4 figures J. Phys. G in press; presented at STRANGENESS2000 International Conference, Berkeley July 200

Dynamics and freeze-out of hadron resonances at RHIC

Yields, rapidity and transverse momentum spectra of $\Delta^{++}(1232)$, $\Lambda(1520)$, $\Sigma^\pm(1385)$ and the meson resonances $K^0(892)$, $\Phi$, $\rho^0$ and $f_0(980)$ are predicted. Hadronic rescattering leads to a suppression of reconstructable resonances, especially at low $p_\perp$. A mass shift of the $\rho$ of 10 MeV is obtained from the microscopic simulation, due to late stage $\rho$ formation in the cooling pion gas.Comment: Proceedings of the Strange Quark Matter 2003, eprint version differs from published versio

Strangeness Conservation in Hot Nuclear Fireballs

A constraint between thermal fireball parameters arises from the requirement that the balance of strangeness in a fireball is (nearly) zero. We study the impact of this constraint on (multi-)strange (anti-)baryon multiplicities and compare the hadron gas and quark-gluon plasma predictions. We explore the relation between the entropy content and particle multiplicities and show that the data are compatible with the quark-gluon plasma hypothesis, but appear to be inconsistent with the picture of an equilibrated hadron gas fireball. We consider the implications of the results on the dynamics of evolution and decay of the particle source.Comment: 35 pages, 11 postscript figures, report PAR/LPTHE/92--2

Viscosity of an ideal relativistic quantum fluid: A perturbative study

We show that a quantized ideal fluid will generally exhibit a small but non-zero viscosity due to the backreaction of quantum soundwaves on the background. We use an effective field theory expansion to estimate this viscosity to first order in perturbation theory. We discuss our results, and whether this estimate can be used to obtain a more model-independent estimate of the "quantum bound" on the viscosity of physical systemsComment: Accepted for publication, Phys.Rev.D. Discussion slightly clarified and extended, references added, error in calculation fixed. COnclusions unchange

Strangeness and Quark Gluon Plasma

A brief summary of strangeness mile stones is followed by a chemical non-equilibrium statistical hadronization analysis of strangeness results at SPS and RHIC. Strange particle production in AA interactions at \sqrt{s_{NN}}\ge 8.6 GeV can be understood consistently as originating from the deconfined quark--gluon plasma in a sudden hadronization process. Onset of QGP formation as function of energy is placed in the beam energy interval 10--30A GeV/c. Strangeness anomalies at LHC are described.Comment: 30 pages including numerouse figures, tables. Opening Lecture: Strangeness and Quark Gluon Plasma -- what has been learned so far and where do we go at SQM2003, North Carolina, March 2003, submitted to J. Phys.

Strangeness enhancement from strong color fields at RHIC

In ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions, early stage multiple scatterings may lead to an increase of the color electric field strength. Consequently, particle production - especially heavy quark (and di-quark) production - is greatly enhanced according to the Schwinger mechanism. We test this idea via the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics model (UrQMD) for Au+Au collisions at the full RHIC energy ($\sqrt{s} = 200$ AGeV). Relative to p+p collisions, a factor of 60, 20 and 7 enhancement respectively, for $\Omega$ ($sss$), $\Xi$ ($ss$), and $\Lambda$, $\Sigma$ ($s$) is predicted for a model with increased color electric field strength

Hadronic centrality dependence in nuclear collisions

The kaon number density in nucleus+nucleus and p+p reactions is investigated for the first time as a function of the initial energy density $\epsilon$ and is found to exhibit a discontinuity around $\epsilon$=1.3 GeV/fm$^3$. This suggests a higher degree of chemical equilibrium for $\epsilon >$ 1.3 GeV/fm$^3$. It can also be interpreted as reflection of the same discontinuity, appearing in the chemical freeze out temperature (T) as a function of $\epsilon$. The $N^{\alpha \sim 1}$ dependence of (u,d,s) hadrons, whith N the number of participating nucleons, also indicates a high degree of chemical equilibrium and T saturation, reached at $\epsilon >$1.3 GeV/fm$^3$. Assuming that the intermediate mass region (IMR) dimuon enhancement seen by NA50 is due to open charm ($D \bar{D}$), the following observation can be made: a) Charm is not equilibrated. b) $J/\Psi/D \bar{D}$ suppression -unlike $J/\Psi/DY$- appears also in S+A collisions, above $\epsilon$ $\sim$1 GeV/fm$^3$. c) Both charm and strangeness show a discontinuity near the same $\epsilon$. d) $J/\Psi$ could be formed mainly through $c \bar{c}$ coalescence. e) The enhancement factors of hadrons with u,d,s,c quarks may be connected in a simple way to the mass gain of these particles if they are produced out of a quark gluon plasma (QGP). We discuss these results as possible evidence for the QCD phase transition occuring near $\epsilon \sim$1.3 GeV/fm$^3$.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, proceedings of Vth International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter, 20-25 July 2000, Berkeley, California. To appear in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physic

Production Ratios of Strange Baryons from QGP with Diquarks

Assuming that vector and scalar diquarks exist in the Quark-Gluon Plasma near the critical temporature $T_c$, baryons can be produced through the processes of quarks and diquarks forming $({1/2})^+$ baryon states. Ratios of different baryons can be estimated through this method, if such kind of QGP with diquarks can exists.Comment: Correct some expressions of equation

Scattering of a Klein-Gordon particle by a Woods-Saxon potential

We solve the Klein-Gordon equation in the presence of a spatially one-dimensional Woods-Saxon potential. The scattering solutions are obtained in terms of hypergeometric functions and the condition for the existence of transmission resonances is derived. It is shown how the zero-reflection condition depends on the shape of the potential.Comment: 10 pages, Revtex. To appear in Phys. Rev.