Nuclear stopping and sideward-flow correlation from 0.35A to 200A GeV

TL;DR

This study investigates the correlation between nuclear stopping and sideward flow across a wide energy range using UrQMD, proposing that deviations from this correlation could signal phase transitions like QGP formation or critical points in the QCD phase diagram.

Contribution

It demonstrates a universal correlation between nuclear stopping and sideward flow and suggests its potential as a signal for phase transitions in nuclear matter.

Findings

Universal correlation observed across energies and systems

Correlation breakdown indicates possible QGP formation

Breakdown may signal the QCD critical point

Abstract

The correlation between the nuclear stopping and the scale invariant nucleon sideward flow at energies ranging from those available at the GSI heavy ion synchrotron (SIS) to those at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) is studied within ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD). The universal behavior of the two experimental observables for various colliding systems and scale impact parameters are found to be highly correlated with each other. As there is no phase transition mechanism involved in the UrQMD, the correlation may be broken down by the sudden change of the bulk properties of the nuclear matter, such as the formation of quark-gluon plasma (QGP), which can be employed as a QGP phase transition signal in high-energy heavy ion collisions. Furthermore, we also point out that the appearance of a breakdown of the correlation may be a powerful tool for searching for the critical point on the QCD phase diagram.