Strange Hadron Resonances and QGP Freeze-out.pdf

a r X i v : h e p - p h / 0 1 1 2 1 9 5 v 2 1 3 F e b 2 0 0 2 Strange Hadron Resonances and QGP Freeze-out G. Torrieri? and J. Rafelski? ? ? Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, ? CERN-Theory Division, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland Abstract. We describe how the abundance and distribution of hyperon resonances can be used to probe freeze-out conditions. We demonstrate that resonance yields allow us to measure the time scales of chemical and thermal freeze-outs. This should permit a direct differentiation between the explosive sudden, and staged adiabatic freeze-out scenarios. Submitted to: J. Phys. G: Nucl. Phys. Proceedings of Strange Quark Matter 2001, Frankfurt CERN-TH/2001-367 1. Possible hadronization scenarios An important aspect in the study of heavy ion collisions is to determine the time scale governing hadron production and the duration of the decoupling (freeze-out) process. At present, there is no general consensus on the freeze-out time scale, and hence on how much observed particles “remember” about their primordial source. quark-gluon plasma (QGP) signals are visible in hadronic particles, when freeze-out is explosive, with sudden breakup of the fireball, and little interaction between the newly-formed particles [1, 2]. In principle the newly-formed hadrons could undergo a period of re- interaction in a hadronic gas phase. This re-interaction phase, the time scale of which can be hadron-specific, could significantly alter any considered QGP signal [3, 4, 5, 6]. The study of short-lived hyperon resonances produced in heavy ion collisions, either by direct observation [7, 8], or through their effect in observed heavy ion mT distributions [9], provides a very promising way to distinguish between these scenarios, since natural lifetime of hyperon resonances is generally shorter than the expected duration of the rescattering hadronic gas (HG) phase. Therefore, the resonances signal and distribution will be sensitive to the dura