Finite size effects on pion spectra in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

We compute the pion inclusive transverse momentum distribution assuming thermal equilibrium together with transverse flow and accounting for finite size effects and energy loss at the time of decoupling. We compare to data on mid-rapidity pions produced in central collisions in RHIC at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV. We find that a finite size for the system of emitting particles results in a power-like fall-off of the spectra that follows the data up to larger p_t values, as compared to a simple thermal model.

6 figures, one new. References added. Expanded comments. Published version