Chemical properties of super-hadronic matter created in relativistic heavy ion collisions

TL;DR

This paper compares charge balance functions from RHIC data to a two-wave quark production model, revealing that the super-hadronic matter's chemistry closely aligns with lattice gauge theory predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a simple model for the chemistry of super-hadronic matter with two correlation lengths, matching experimental data.

Findings

Super-hadronic matter chemistry is within 20% of lattice gauge theory expectations.

The two-wave model effectively describes charge balance functions.

The model provides insights into quark production dynamics in heavy ion collisions.

Abstract

Preliminary charge balance functions from the STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are compared to a model where quarks are produced in two waves. If a chemically equilibrated quark-gluon plasma (QGP) is created the strength and diffusive spread of the first wave should be governed by the chemical composition of the QGP, while the second wave should be determined by the increased number of quarks required to make the observed final-state hadrons. A simple model parameterizes the chemistry of the super-hadronic matter and the two correlation lengths for the two waves. Calculations are compared to preliminary data from the STAR Collaboration. The chemistry of the super-hadronic matter appears to be within 20\% of expectations from lattice gauge theory.