Canonical Statistical Model and hadron production in $e^+e^-$ annihilations

TL;DR

This paper examines whether the statistical model accurately predicts hadron yields in electron-positron collisions at 91 GeV, considering quantum number conservation through a canonical approach, questioning the thermodynamical model's applicability.

Contribution

It introduces a canonical statistical model that explicitly conserves quantum numbers to analyze hadron production in $e^+e^-$ collisions at high energy.

Findings

Particle yields are tested against the model predictions.

The model incorporates exact quantum number conservation.

The validity of the thermodynamical approach is critically assessed.

Abstract

We discuss the production of hadrons in $e^+e^-$ collisions at $\sqrt s=91$ GeV. We address the question wether the particle yields measured in the final states are consistent with the statistical model predictions. In the model formulation we account for exact conservation of all relevant quantum numbers using the canonical description of the partition function. Within our model the validity of the thermodynamical approach to quantify particle production in $e^+e^-$ annihilations is not obvious.