2003/07/22 by Sidi Cherkawi Benzahra, Benjamin F. Bayman
Physics and Astronomy · #hep-ph
published as High Energy Density Physics Journal, Elsevier, HEDP 6, Journal #5507, HEDP-D-05-00001 (2005) · 16 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2003/07/22 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
In this work we calculate the lifetime of quarkonium moving with velocity v through a quark gluon plasma at temperature T. We also investigate the stability of heavy mesons with respect to the effects of color charge screening. An explicit, configuration-space potential is found for the screened interaction between the quarks constituting the meson. We solve the Schrödinger equation for the relative motion of the quarks in this non-spherical potential. In this way, we determine the range of v,T values for which the meson is bound. When a bound state exists, we use the bound-state wavefunction as the initial state for the dissociation of the meson due to gluon absorption. The meson lifetime is thus determined as a function of v and T, and conclusions are drawn concerning the possibility of detection of the meson in a high-energy heavy-nucleus collision.