$\phi$-meson production at forward/backward rapidity in high-energy nuclear collisions from a multiphase transport model

TL;DR

This study uses the AMPT model to analyze $$-meson production in high-energy nuclear collisions, demonstrating the importance of parton cascade effects and initial state factors in reproducing experimental data across different collision systems and energies.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed AMPT model analysis of $$-meson production at various energies and collision systems, emphasizing the role of parton cascade and initial state effects.

Findings

AMPT with string melting describes data well

Pure hadronic AMPT underestimates production

Initial state effects plus parton cascade are essential

Abstract

Within the framework of a multiphase transport model (AMPT), the $\phi$-meson production is studied in d+Au collisions at \srt = {200} GeV in the forward (d-going, $1.2<y<2.2$) and backward (Au-going, $-2.2<y<-1.2$) direction. The AMPT model with string melting version (parton cascade turning-on) describes the experimental data well, while the pure hadronic transport scenario of the AMPT model underestimates the $\phi$-meson production rate in comparison with the data. Detailed investigations including the rapidity, transverse momentum and collision system size dependencies of $\phi$-meson nuclear modification factor indicate that a combination of the initial state effect and a follow-up parton cascade is required in the AMPT model to describe the data. Similar calculations are also present in p+Pb collisions at \srt = {5.02} TeV and p+p collisions at \srt = {2.76} TeV. The findings from a comparison of AMPT model study with the data are consistent with that at RHIC energy.