A model for net-baryon rapidity distribution

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple, consistent model for net-baryon production in high-energy collisions, capturing key features of data and elucidating fundamental mechanisms involved.

Contribution

It presents a novel model combining valence string formation and Schwinger mechanism for net-baryon production, validated against experimental data.

Findings

Good agreement with experimental net-baryon data across energies and centralities

Model clarifies the fundamental production mechanisms involved

Comparison with existing models shows competitive performance

Abstract

In nuclear collisions, a sizable fraction of the available energy is carried away by baryons. As the baryon number is conserved, the net-baryon $B-\bar{B}$ retains information on the energy-momentum carried by the incoming nuclei. A simple and consistent model for net-baryon production in high energy proton-proton and nucleus-nucleus collisions is presented. The basic ingredients of the model are valence string formation based on standard PDFs with QCD evolution and string fragmentation via the Schwinger mechanism. The results of the model are presented and compared with data at different centre-of-mass energies and centralities, as well as with existing models. These results show that a good description of the main features of net-baryon data is possible in the framework of a simplistic model, with the advantage of making the fundamental production mechanisms manifest.