In-medium hadronization in the deconfined matter at RHIC and LHC

TL;DR

This paper investigates how hadrons form within the quark-gluon plasma in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC, focusing on the formation probability and potential experimental signatures of early-stage hadronization.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of in-medium hadronization mechanisms and proposes specific measurements to detect early degrees of freedom in the deconfined medium.

Findings

Color-neutral objects can form inside the partonic fireball

These objects may escape with less energy loss

Predictions for experimental signatures at RHIC and LHC

Abstract

We study the mechanism and probability of in-medium hadronization in the deconfined medium produced in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC. We show the likelihood of color-neutral objects to be formed inside the partonic fireball and the probability of these states to escape the medium with reduced interaction strength and energy loss. We will suggest specific measurements that are sensitive to the early degrees of freedom and show predictions for these measurements at RHIC and the LHC