Kaon femtoscopy with L\'evy-stable sources from $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}} = 200$ GeV $\mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at RHIC

TL;DR

This study uses femtoscopy of like-sign kaon pairs from 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC to explore non-Gaussian source distributions, suggesting possible anomalous diffusion and contributing to the search for the QCD critical point.

Contribution

It provides preliminary evidence for non-Gaussian, Lévystable sources in kaon femtoscopy, indicating potential anomalous diffusion in heavy-ion collisions.

Findings

Hints at non-Gaussian Lévystable sources

Signals possible anomalous diffusion process

Supports further studies at different energies

Abstract

Femtoscopy has the capacity to probe the space-time geometry of the particle-emitting source in heavy-ion collisions. In particular, femtoscopy of like-sign kaon-pairs may shed light on the origin of non-Gaussianity of the spatial emission probability density. The momentum-correlations between like-sign kaon-pairs are, hence, measured in data recorded by the STAR experiment, from $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}} = 200$ GeV $\mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at RHIC, BNL. Preliminary results hint at the, possible, existence of non-Gaussian, L\'evy-stable sources; and signal the, likely, presence of an anomalous diffusion process; for the identically-charged kaon-pairs so produced. More statistically significant studies, at lower centre-of-mass energies, may contribute to the search for the critical end point of QCD as well.