Nucleon clustering at kinetic freezeout of heavy-ion collisions via path-integral Monte Carlo

TL;DR

This paper investigates nucleon clustering at kinetic freezeout in heavy-ion collisions using path-integral Monte Carlo, providing improved estimates of decay probabilities, spatial correlations, and the effects of interaction modifications on clustering.

Contribution

It introduces a path-integral Monte Carlo approach to study nucleon clustering, surpassing previous semiclassical and few-body quantum methods, and explores the impact of interaction modifications near the QCD critical point.

Findings

Decay probabilities of 4N system into light nuclei channels estimated.

Spatial correlation strength characterized.

Clustering effects on nucleon multiplicity distributions analyzed.

Abstract

Clustering of the four-nucleon system at kinetic freezeout conditions is studied using path-integral Monte Carlo techniques. This method seeks to improve upon previous calculations which relied on approximate semiclassical methods or few-body quantum mechanics. Estimates are given for the decay probabilities of the 4N system into various light nuclei decay channels and the strength of spatial correlations is characterized. Additionally, a simple model is presented to describe the impact of this clustering on nucleon multiplicity distributions. The effects of a possible modification of the inter-nucleon interaction due to the close critical line (and hypothetical QCD critical point) on the clustering are also studied.