NICA fixed target mode: soft jet studies in the relative 4-velocity space

TL;DR

This paper investigates soft jet properties in 4-velocity space at intermediate energies, providing evidence for the onset of quark degrees of freedom in pion jet production around 2.8 GeV, and suggests future research directions at NICA.

Contribution

It estimates the energy threshold (~2.8 GeV) where quark degrees of freedom start to manifest in soft pion jet production for the first time.

Findings

Changes in jet particle distributions with energy support quark involvement.

Estimated energy for quark manifestation is approximately 2.8 GeV.

Results are consistent with quark degrees of freedom influencing soft jet formation.

Abstract

Experimental results obtained by studying the properties of soft jets in the 4-velocity space at $\sqrt{s} \sim 2-20$ GeV are presented. The changes in the mean distance from the jet axis to the jet particles, the mean kinetic energy of these particles, and the cluster dimension in response to the growth of the collision energy are consistent with the assumption that quark degrees of freedom manifest themselves in processes of pion jet production at intermediate energies. The energy at which quark degrees of freedom begin to manifest themselves experimentally in the production of soft pion jets is estimated for the first time. The estimated value of this energy is $2.8 \pm 0.6$ GeV. The suggestions are made for future investigations on NICA.