Decomposition of jet fragmentation function in high-energy heavy-ion collisions

TL;DR

This paper decomposes the jet fragmentation function ratio in heavy-ion collisions into contributions from fragmentation and coalescence, revealing competition between these mechanisms across different conditions, using a multi-phase transport model.

Contribution

It introduces a method to separate fragmentation and coalescence contributions in jet fragmentation functions in heavy-ion collisions.

Findings

Distinct competition between hadronization mechanisms identified.

Jet fragmentation functions vary with centrality and hadron type.

Proposes hadron-specific fragmentation functions as probes.

Abstract

Based on a multi-phase transport model, the measured jet fragmentation function ratio of Pb+Pb collisions to p+p collisions in CERN Large Hadron Collider experiments is decomposed into two parts, corresponding to the two contributions of jet hadronization from fragmentation and coalescence. The results suggest an existence of distinct competitions between two jet hadronization mechanisms for different $\xi$=ln(1/$z$) ranges in different centrality bins. The jet fragmentation functions for different types of hadrons (mesons and baryons) are proposed as a good probe to study the competition between fragmentation and coalescence for the jet hardonization in high-energy heavy-ion collisions.