Non-equilibrium hadronization and constituent quark number scaling

TL;DR

This paper investigates how constituent quark number scaling of elliptic flow can emerge during a rapid, non-equilibrium transition from quark-gluon plasma to hadrons, highlighting the role of non-equilibrium effects in this process.

Contribution

It introduces a non-equilibrium hadronization model that explains constituent quark number scaling through a rapid transition with differing baryon and meson temperatures and flow velocities.

Findings

Reproduces constituent quark number scaling in a non-equilibrium scenario

Shows different temperatures and flow velocities for baryons and mesons

Highlights the importance of non-equilibrium effects in hadronization

Abstract

The constituent quark number scaling of elliptic flow is studied in a non-equilibrium hadronization and freeze-out model with rapid dynamical transition from ideal, deconfined and chirally symmetric Quark Gluon Plasma, to final non-interacting hadrons. In this transition a Bag model of constituent quarks is considered, where the quarks gain constituent quark mass while the background Bag-field breaks up and vanishes. The constituent quarks then recombine into simplified hadron states, while chemical, thermal and flow equilibrium break down one after the other. In this scenario the resulting temperatures and flow velocities of baryons and mesons are different. Using a simplified few source model of the elliptic flow, we are able to reproduce the constituent quark number scaling, with assumptions on the details of the non-equilibrium processes.