Flux Tube Model Signals for Baryon Correlations in Heavy Ion Collisions

TL;DR

This paper proposes that baryon correlations observed in heavy ion collisions can serve as signals of the deconfinement phase transition in QCD, based on the flux tube model's description of the hadronization process.

Contribution

It introduces a novel connection between flux tube vertices and baryon correlations, providing a new observable signature of the QCD phase transition.

Findings

Baryon correlations reflect flux tube vertex patterns.

Signal should be observable at RHIC and LHC.

Provides a new method to probe deconfinement transition.

Abstract

The flux tube model offers a pictorial description of what happens during the deconfinement phase transition in QCD. The 3-point vertices of a flux tube network lead to formation of baryons upon hadronisation. Therefore, correlations in the baryon number distribution at the last scattering surface are related to the preceding pattern of the flux tube vertices, and provide a signature of the nearby deconfinement phase transition. I discuss the nature of the expected signal, which should be observable in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC.