Observation of light nuclei formation as nuclear coalescence in CC-interactions at 4.2 AGeV/c

TL;DR

This study investigates light nuclei formation in high-energy nuclear interactions, highlighting discrepancies with models and suggesting nuclear coalescence as a key factor in central events.

Contribution

It provides experimental data on light nuclei multiplicity and explores the limitations of cascade models, proposing nuclear coalescence as a significant mechanism.

Findings

Cascade model agrees with pi-meson multiplicities

Model fails to fully describe light nuclei multiplicities in HeC interactions

Nuclear coalescence may explain deviations in central events

Abstract

The average multiplicity of light nuclei and pi-mesons, emitted in HeC and CC interactions at 4.2 A GeV/c were studied as a function of number of identified protons. In both interactions, the behavior of average multiplicity of pi- mesons are in agreement with results coming from the Cascade model. The model could not describe the behavior of average multiplicity of light nuclei produced in HeC interactions. In case of CC interactions the model could describe qualitatively the behavior of the average multiplicity of light nuclei. An essential deviation was observed in some of the most central events. We believe that nuclear coalescence effect may be a reason of this deviation.