Flash of photons from the early stage of heavy ion collisions

Feb, 1998
5 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.C 58 (1998) 1734-1737
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Abstract:
The dynamics of partonic cascades may be an important aspect for particle production in relativistic collisions of nuclei at CERN SPS and BNL RHIC energies. Within the Parton-Cascade Model, we estimate the production of single photons from such cascades due to scattering of quarks and gluons q g -> q gamma, quark-antiquark annihilation q qbar -> g gamma, or gamma gamma, and from electromagnetic brems-strahlung of quarks q -> q gamma. We find that the latter QED branching process plays the dominant role for photon production, similarly as the QCD branchings q -> q g and g -> g g play a crucial role for parton multiplication. We conclude therefore that photons accompanying the parton cascade evolution during the early stage of heavy-ion collisions shed light on the formation of a partonic plasma.
Note:
  • 4 pages including 3 postscript figures
  • scattering: heavy ion
  • lead
  • sulfur
  • model: parton
  • model: cascade
  • photon: emission
  • quark gluon: scattering
  • quark antiquark: annihilation
  • bremsstrahlung
  • quantum electrodynamics