Cross sections for photon production in hadronic scattering processes have been calculated according to an effective chiral field theory. For $π+ ρ\to π+ γ$ and $π+ π\to ρ+ γ$ processes, these cross sections have been implemented into a novel hadronic transport approach (SMASH), which is suitable for collisions at low and intermediate energies. The implementation is verified by systematically comparing the thermal photon rate to theoretical expectations. The photon rates we obtain are compared to previous works, where scattering processes mediated by $ω$ mesons are found to contribute significantly to the total photon production. Finally, the impact of considering the finite width of the $ρ$ meson is investigated, and a significant enhancement of photon production in the low-energy region is observed. This work is the first step towards a consistent treatment of photon emission in hybrid hydrodynamics+transport approaches. The quantification of the importance of the hadronic stage for the resolution of the direct photon flow puzzle is a next step and can be applied to identify equilibrium and non-equilibrium effects in the hadronic afterburner.
We give a short review about the hydrodynamic model and its application to the elliptic flow phenomena and the pion interferometry in relativistic heavy ion collisions.
The study of relativistic heavy-ion collisions is an important part of the LHC research programme at CERN. This emerging field of research focuses on the study of matter under extreme conditions of temperature, density, and pressure. Here we present an introduction to the general aspects of relativistic heavy-ion physics. Afterwards we give an overview of the accelerator facility at CERN and then a quick look at the ALICE project as a dedicated experiment for heavy-ion collisions.
Collective flow, its anisotropies and its event-to-event fluctuations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, and the extraction of the specific shear viscosity of quark-gluon plasma (QGP) from collective flow data collected in heavy-ion collision experiments at RHIC and LHC are reviewed. Specific emphasis is placed on the similarities between the Big Bang of our universe and the Little Bangs created in heavy-ion collisions.
We describe the current status of the heavy ion research program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The new suite of experiments and the collider energies have opened up new probes of the medium created in the collisions. Our review focuses on the experimental discoveries to date at RHIC and their interpretation in the light of our present theoretical understanding of the dynamics of relativistic heavy ion collisions and of the structure of strongly interacting matter at high energy density.
We review the progress achieved in extracting the properties of hot and dense matter from relativistic heavy ion collisions at the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the large hadron collider (LHC) at CERN. We focus on bulk properties of the medium, in particular the evidence for thermalization, aspects of the equation of state, transport properties, as well as fluctuations and correlations. We also discuss the in-medium properties of hadrons with light and heavy quarks, and measurements of dileptons and quarkonia. This review is dedicated to the memor…
The possibility of quantum entanglement leading to a seemingly thermal distribution of the initial partonic state that maps to the final hadronic state in the evolution of the deconfined phase generated in relativistic heavy ion collisions is discussed in the context of early thermalization and final state particle distributions obtained in experiments at RHIC and the LHC.
Theoretical studies of the production of real thermal photons in relativistic heavy ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are performed. The space-time evolution of the colliding system is modelled using MUSIC, a 3+1D relativistic hydrodynamic simulation, using both its ideal and viscous versions. The inclusive spectrum and its azimuthal angular anisotropy are studied separately, and the relative contributions of the different photon sources are highlighted. It is shown that the photon v2 coefficient is especially sensitive to the details of the microscopic dynamics like…
Several recent results are reported from work aiming to improve the quantitative precision of relativistic viscous fluid dynamics for relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The dense matter created in such collisions expands in a highly anisotropic manner. Due to viscous effects this also renders the local momentum distribution anisotropic. Optimized hydrodynamic approaches account for these anisotropies already at leading order in a gradient expansion. Recently discovered exact solutions of the relativistic Boltzmann equation in anisotropically expanding systems provide a powerful testbed for suc…
We propose a soluble model to incorporate the nonlinear effects in the transition probabilities of the multiphonon Giant Dipole Resonances based on the SU(1,1) algebra. Analytical expressions for the multi-phonon transition probabilities are derived. Enhancement of the Double Giant Resonance excitation probabilities in relativistic ion collisions scales as $(2 k +1)(2k)^{-1}$ for the degree of nonlinearity $(2k)^{-1}$ and is able to reach values $1.5-2$ compatible with experimental data. The enhancement factor is found to decrease with increasing bombarding energy. [KEYWORDS: Relativistic Heav…
This paper has been withdrawn by the authors. Some of the arguments developed in the paper are erroneous. They will be rectified in a later publication.
We investigate the form of the viscous correction to the equilibrium distribution function in the context of a Cooper-Frye freeze out prescription for viscous hydrodynamic simulations of relativistic heavy ion collisions. The standard quadratic ansatz used by all groups for the case of shear viscosity is found to be disfavored by experimental data for v4/(v2)^2 at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and is unlikely to be correct for the hadron resonance gas present at freeze out. Instead, data for v2(pt) along with v4/(v2)^2 favor a momentum dependence between linear and quadratic.
It was proposed that the electric fields may lead to chiral separation in QGP, which is called the chiral electric separation effect. The strong electromagnetic field and the QCD vacuum can both completely be produced in the off-central nuclear-nuclear collision. We used the Wood-Saxon nucleon distribution to calculate the electric field distributions of the off-central collisions. The chiral electro field spatial distribution at Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) and Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energy regions are systematically studied in this paper. Compared with magnetic field spatial d…
Kinetic and hydrodynamic models describing early stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions are discussed. We emphasise the role of the shear-bulk coupling for the correct determination of the time dependence of the bulk viscous pressure.
Some ideas/concepts in relativistic heavy ion collisions are discussed. To a large extent, the discussions are non-comprehensive and non-rigorous. It is intended for fresh graduate students of Homi Bhabha National Institute, Kolkata Centre, who are intending to pursue career in theoretical /experimental high energy nuclear physics. Comments and criticisms will be appreciated.
We outline the opportunities for ultra-relativistic heavy-ion physics which are offered by a next generation and multi-purpose fixed-target experiment exploiting the proton and ion LHC beams extracted by a bent crystal.
Shannon information entropy provides an effective tool to study the evolution process in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The time evolution process of thermodynamic entropy $S_{\rm thermal}$, multiple entropy $S_{\rm mul}$, and configuration entropy $S_{\rm conf}$ at RHIC is studied using the AMPT model to generate central Au-Au collisions. By superimposing the three kinds of information entropy, we can get a more complete information entropy of the system to describe the physical information of the relativistic heavy ion collision. The results show that the four stages of the time evolutio…
This article summarizes our present knowledge about nuclear matter at the highest energy densities and its formation in relativistic heavy ion collisions. We review what is known about the structure and properties of the quark-gluon plasma and survey the observables that are used to glean information about it from experimental data.
We study the spectrum of the bremsstrahlung photons coming from the electrons and positrons, which are produced in the strong electromagnetic fields present in peripheral relativistic heavy ion collisions. We compare different approaches, making use of the exact pair production cross section in heavy ion collisions as well as the double equivalent photon approximation.
We present a first calculation of the dilepton yield and elliptic flow done with 3+1D viscous hydrodynamical simulations of relativistic heavy ion collisions at the top RHIC energy. A comparison with recent experimental data from the STAR collaboration is made.
Various aspects of the current status of ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions are reviewed. Perspectives of heavy ion physics in the future are given as well.
In this article, we briefly review recent progress on hydrodynamic modeling and its implementations to relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and the LHC. The related topics include: 1) initial state fluctuations, final state correlations and event-by-event hydrodynamics, 2) extracting the QGP shear viscosity from flow data, 3) flow and hydrodynamics in 5.02 A TeV p+Pb collisions.
Simple geometrical considerations show that the collision zone in high energy nuclear collisions may be divided into a central part (``core''), with high energy densities, and a peripheral part (``corona''), with smaller energy densities, more like in pp or pA collisions. We present calculations which allow to separate these two contributions, and which show that the corona contribution is quite small (but not negligible) for central collisions, but gets increasingly important with decreasing centrality. We will discuss consequences concerning results obtained in heavy ion collisions at the Re…
A brief introduction to the statistical hadronization approach to particle production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions is given. In the context of fluid dynamics modeling various aspects of hadron emission at the freeze-out are discussed. Practical applications of the presented concepts are presented within the THERMINATOR Monte-Carlo hadron generator.
In this talk, I discuss some recent results obtained in Heavy Ion Collisions and what they tell us -- or what questions they raise -- about the physics of the system of quarks and gluons formed in these collisions.
We show that non-conventional statistical effects (due to the presence of long range forces, memory effects, correlations and fluctuations) can be very relevant in the interpretation of the experimental observables in relativistic heavy-ions collisions. Transverse mass spectrum, transverse momentum fluctuations and rapidity spectra are analysed in the framework of the non-extensive statistical mechanics.
Using the Mott exact cross section for moderate relativistic energies, we calculated the corrections to the first-order Born higher moments of the energy-loss distribution of charged particles in a wide range of the particle charge numbers.
The search for specific signals in ultra-relativistic heavy-light ion collisions addressing intrinsic geometric features of nuclei may open a new window to low energy nuclear structure. We discuss specifically the phenomenon of α-clustering in $^{12}$C when colliding with $^{208}$Pb at almost the speed of light.
We discuss some open problems in hydrodynamical approach to the relativistic heavy ion collisions. In particular, we propose a new, very simple alternative approach to the relativistic dissipative hydrodynamics of Israel and Stewart.
We study the rotational collective motion of the quark-gluon plasma in relativistic heavy ion collisions using the widely-adopted AMPT (A Multi-Phase Transport) model. The global angular momentum, the average vorticity carried by the quark-gluon plasma, and the locally defined vorticity fields are computed for Au+Au collisions, with detailed information of their time evolution, spatial distribution, as well as the dependence on beam energy and collision centrality.
A QCD phase transition may reflect in a inhomogeneous decoupling surface of hadrons produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We show that due to the non-linear dependence of the particle densities on the temperature and baryon-chemical potential such inhomogeneities should be visible even in the integrated, inclusive abundances. We analyze experimental data from Pb+Pb collisions at CERN-SPS and Au+Au collisions at BNL-RHIC to determine the amplitude of inhomogeneities.
We study the structure of antiproton spectra at extreme subthreshold bombarding energies using a thermodynamic picture. Antiproton production processes and final state interactions are discussed in detail in order to find out what can be learned about these processes from the observed spectra.
The role of relativistic corrections in Coulomb scattering of heavy ions at intermediate energy collisions ($E_{lab}\gtrsim 50$ MeV/n) is investigated by numerically solving a full set of coupled equations. We compare two methods, (a) one involving an exact account of interaction retardation with (b) a method based on the expansion of effective Lagrangians in powers of the ion velocities, $v/c$.Our study makes it possible to infer the relevance of kinematic corrections, retardation, and magnetic interactions such as the Darwin force. We show that analytical formulas are able to describe all as…
The energy dependence of particle production sources in relativistic heavy-ion collisions is investigated from RHIC to LHC energies. Whereas charged-hadron production in the fragmentation sources follows a ln(s_NN/s_0) law, particle production in the mid-rapidity gluon-gluon source exhibits a much stronger dependence proportional to ln^3(s_NN/s_0), and becomes dominant between RHIC and LHC energies. The production of particles with pseudorapidities beyond the beam rapidity is also discussed.
We confront the hypothesis of chemical freeze-out in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions with the hypothesis of large modifications of hadron masses in nuclear medium. We find that the thermal-model predictions for the ratios of particle multiplicities are sensitive to the values of in-medium hadronic masses. In particular, the $π^+/p$ ratio decreases by 35% when the masses of all hadrons (except for pseudo-Goldstone bosons) are scaled down by 30%.
We review some of the recent progress in our understanding of the physics of ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions due to applications of AdS/CFT correspondence.
An introductory overview of electromagnetic probes in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions is provided. Experimental evidence supporting the production of thermal photons and dileptons in heavy-ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are reviewed. Thermal electromagnetic emission evaluated from hydrodynamical models of collisions is discussed.
The work distribution of an expanding extreme relativistic gas is shown to be a gamma distribution with a different shape parameter as compared with its non-relativistic counterpart. This implies that the shape of the transverse energy distribution in relativistic heavy ion collisions depends on the particle contents during the evolution of the hot and dense matter. Therefore, transverse energy fluctuations provide additional insights into the Quark-Gluon Plasma produced in these collisions.
Simulations of the viscous hydrodynamic model for relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies are presented. Results for spectra, femtoscopy radii, and transverse momentum fluctuations are favorably compared to the experimental data. Effects of the local charge conservation on correlation observables are also studied.
We review the theoretical framework for the calculation of particle polarization in relativistic heavy ion collisions within the hydrodynamical model. The covariant decomposition of the mean spin vector is presented and open theoretical issues addressed.
Recent data on the production of $D$ mesons and $Λ_c^+$ baryons in heavy ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider exhibit a number of striking characteristics such as enhanced yield ratios $D_s^+/D^0$, $Λ_c^+/D^0$ and their transverse momentum dependences. In this paper, we derive the momentum dependence of open charm mesons and singly charmed baryons produced in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions via the equal-velocity quark combination. We present analytic expressions and numerical results of yield ratios and compare them with the experimental …
Relativistic hydrodynamics is essential to our current understanding of nucleus-nucleus collisions at ultrarelativistic energies (current experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, forthcoming experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider). This is an introduction to relativistic hydrodynamics for graduate students. It includes a detailed derivation of the equations, and a description of the hydrodynamical evolution of a heavy-ion collisions. Some knowledge of thermodynamics and special relativity is assumed.
There is experimental and theoretical evidence that the broad rapidity distribution of net proton yield in central heavy-ion collisions at SPS energies could be a signal of non-equilibrium properties of the system. We show that the broad rapidity shape can be well reproduced in the framework of a non-linear relativistic Fokker-Planck dynamics which incorporates non-extensive statistics and anomalous diffusion.
The method of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is developped appropriately for the study of relativistic heavy ion collision processes. In order to describe the flow of a high energy but low baryon number density fluid, the entropy is taken as the SPH base. We formulate the method in terms of the variational principle. Several examples show that the method is very promising for the study of hadronic flow in RHIC physics.
We show in detailed numerical solutions of the nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) which has been associated with nonextensive q-statistics that the available data on rapidity distributions for stopping in relativistic heavy-ion collisions cannot be reproduced with any permitted value of the nonextensivity parameter (1 < q < 1.5). This casts doubt on the nonextensivity concept that is widely used in relativistic heavy-ion physics.
Within a dynamical and statistical approach we study the main regularities in production of hypernuclei coming from projectile and target residues in relativistic ion collisions. We demonstrate that yields of hypernuclei increase considerably above the energy threshold for Lambda hyperons, and there is a saturation for yields of single hypernuclei with increasing the beam energy up to few TeV. Production of specific hypernuclei depend very much on the isotopic composition of the projectile, and this gives a chance to obtain exotic hypernuclei that may be difficult to reach in traditional hyper…
The inversion-asymmetry of the emission source in relativistic heavy ion collision under the Bertsch-Pratt convention is discussed and explicitly exhibited by a Monte Carlo model. The Gaussian source function popularly used in the HBT analysis of relativistic heavy ion collisions is invalid in this case. An inversion-asymmetric source function is suggested. A method for extracting the inversion-asymmetry degree of the source together with the source size from experimental data is proposed.
Heavy ions at high velocities provide very strong electromagnetic fields for a very short time. The main characteristics of ultraperipheral relativistic heavy ion collisions are reviewed, characteristic parameters are identified. The main interest in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions at relativistic ion colliders like the LHC is the interactions of very high energy (equivalent) photons with the countermoving (equivalent) photons and hadrons (protons/ions). The physics of these interactions is quite different from and complementary to the physics of the strong fields achieved with current an…
The current status of the application of hydrodynamics to ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions is reviewed. We elaborate on the arguments for strong transverse flow and rapid thermalization and discuss future applications and trends in hydrodynamics.
The possibilities of unlike particle correlations for a study of particle delays and spatial shifts in relativistic heavy ion collisions are demonstrated. This report represents the unpublished Ref. [4] in the paper by S. Voloshin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 79} (1977) 4766; the report abstract was submitted to the conference Quark Matter'97.
We calculate production of electron- and muon-pairs by the bremsstrahlung process in hadron collisions and compare it with the dominant two-photon process. Results for the total cross section are given for proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions at energies of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
It is shown that the processes of electron(positron) scattering and $e^+e^-$ pair production in the Coulomb fields of two relativistic ions, can be expressed through the amplitudes of lepton scattering off the ion Coulomb field via Watson expansion. We obtained the compact expressions for these amplitudes valid in the high energy limit and discuss the crossing symmetry relations among the considered processes.
