A Comparison between a Minijet Model and a Glasma Flux Tube Model for Central Au-Au Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV

TL;DR

This paper compares the minijet and glasma flux tube models for central Au-Au collisions at 200 GeV, analyzing their ability to reproduce angular correlations, particle ratios, and collective effects.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of two competing models for heavy-ion collisions, highlighting their similarities and differences in explaining experimental observables.

Findings

Both models reproduce two-particle angular correlations.

The models differ in their explanation of the ridge and mach cone effects.

The glasma flux tube model predicts fewer surface flux tubes and different particle escape fractions.

Abstract

In is paper we compare two models with central Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV. The first model is a minijet model which assumes that around $\sim$50 minijets are produced in back-to-back pairs and have an altered fragmentation functions. It is also assumed that the fragments are transparent and escape the collision zone and are detected. The second model is a glasma flux tube model which leads to flux tubes on the surface of a radial expanding fireball driven by interacting flux tubes near the center of the fireball through plasma instabilities. This internal fireball becomes an opaque hydro fluid which pushes the surface flux tubes outward. Around $\sim$12 surface flux tubes remain and fragment with $\sim$1/2 the produced particles escaping the collision zone and are detected. Both models can reproduce two particle angular correlations in the different $p_{t1}$ $p_{t2}$ bins. We also compare the two models for three additional effects: meson baryon ratios; the long range nearside correlation called the ridge; and the so-called mach cone effect when applied to three particle angular correlations.