Phase transitions and critical behavior in hadronic transport with a relativistic density functional equation of state

TL;DR

This paper introduces a relativistically covariant equation of state for dense nuclear matter, enabling hadronic transport simulations to explore phase transitions and critical phenomena in nuclear physics.

Contribution

It presents a new parameterization of the nuclear matter equation of state integrated into the SMASH transport code, allowing dynamic study of critical behavior in dense nuclear matter.

Findings

Bulk thermodynamic effects are reproduced in simulations.

Two-particle correlations match theoretical expectations.

Signatures of phase diagram crossing are identified.

Abstract

We develop a flexible, relativistically covariant parameterization of dense nuclear matter equation of state suited for inclusion in computationally demanding hadronic transport simulations. Within an implementation in the hadronic transport code SMASH, we show that effects due to bulk thermodynamic behavior are reproduced in dynamic hadronic systems, demonstrating that hadronic transport can be used to study critical behavior in dense nuclear matter, both at and away from equilibrium. We also show that two-particle correlations calculated from hadronic transport simulation data follow theoretical expectations based on the second order cumulant ratio, and constitute a clear signature of crossing the phase diagram above the critical point.