Diffusion of $\Lambda_c$ in hot hadronic medium and its impact on $\Lambda_c/D$ ratio

TL;DR

This study evaluates the drag and diffusion coefficients of Lambda_c baryons in hot hadronic matter, revealing significant interactions that influence the Lambda_c/D ratio in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of Lambda_c transport coefficients in a hadronic medium using effective Lagrangian and chiral perturbation theory, highlighting their impact on heavy ion collision observables.

Findings

Transport coefficients are significant, indicating strong Lambda_c interactions.

Transport coefficients differ between the two theoretical approaches.

Hadronic medium substantially affects the Lambda_c/D ratio.

Abstract

The drag and diffusion coefficients of the $\Lambda_c(2286$ MeV) have been evaluated in the hadronic medium which is expected to be formed in the later stages of the evolving fire ball produced in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies. The interactions between the $\Lambda_c$ and the hadrons in the medium have been derived from an effective hadronic Lagrangian as well as from the scattering lengths, obtained in the framework of heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory (HB$\chi$PT). In both the approaches, the magnitude of the transport coefficients are turn out to be significant. A larger value is obtained in the former approach with respect to the latter. Significant values of the coefficients indicate substantial amount of interaction of the $\Lambda_c$ with the hadronic thermal bath. Furthermore, the transport coefficients of the $\Lambda_c$ is found to be different from the transport coefficients of $D$ meson. Present study indicates that the hadronic medium has a significant impact on the $\Lambda_c/D$ ratio in heavy ion collisions.