Clocking hadronization in relativistic heavy ion collisions with balance functions
arXiv:nucl-th/0005044 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.2689
Abstract
A novel state of matter has been hypothesized to exist during the early stage of relativistic heavy ion collisions, with normal hadrons not appearing until several fm/c after the start of the reaction. To test this hypothesis, correlations between charges and their associated anticharges are evaluated with the use of balance functions. It is shown that late-stage hadronization is characterized by tightly correlated charge/anticharge pairs when measured as a function of relative rapidity.
5 pages, 3 figures