Consequences of covariant kaon dynamics in heavy ion collisions
arXiv:nucl-th/9801048 · doi:10.1016/S0370-2693(98)00792-8
Abstract
The influence of the chiral mean field on the kaon dynamics in heavy ion reactions is investigated. Inside the nuclear medium the kaons are described as dressed quasi-particles carrying effective masses and momenta. A momentum dependent part of the interaction which resembles a Lorentz force originates from spatial components of the vector field and provides an important contribution to the in-medium kaon dynamics. This contribution is found to counterbalance the influence of the vector potential on the $K^+$ in-plane flow to a strong extent. Thus it appears to be difficult to restrict the in-medium potential from the analysis of the corresponding transverse flow.
14 pages, RevTex, 3 PS figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B