Signatures of charmonium modification in spatial correlation functions

TL;DR

This paper investigates how spatial correlation functions of charmonium in 2+1 flavor QCD change with temperature, revealing significant modifications above the transition temperature, which impact the spectral functions.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of spatial charmonium correlation functions and their temperature dependence in 2+1 flavor QCD using an improved staggered formulation.

Findings

Spatial correlation functions show strong temperature dependence above Tc.

Above Tc, spatial correlators are sensitive to boundary conditions.

Significant modifications of charmonium spectral functions are suggested.

Abstract

We study spatial correlation functions of charmonium in 2+1 flavor QCD using an improved staggered formulation. Contrary to the temporal correlation functions the spatial correlation functions exhibit a strong temperature dependence above the QCD transition temperature. Above this temperature they are sensitive to temporal boundary conditions. Both features become significant at a temperature close to 1.5 Tc and suggest corresponding modifications of charmonium spectral functions.