Is the existence of a softest point in the directed flow excitation function an unambiguous signal for the creation of a quark–gluon plasma?

2002/05/27 by Marcus Bleicher, J. Aichelin, Jörg Aichelin
Engineering · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Biology #Computer science #Engineering #Excitation #Excitation function #Function (biology) #High-Energy Particle Collisions Research #Mathematics #Nuclear physics #Particle physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Physics #Plasma #Point (geometry) #Programming language #Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions #Quantum mechanics #Quark #Quark–gluon plasma #SIGNAL (programming language) #Signal-flow graph #nucl-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2005.02.035

published as Phys.Lett. B612 (2005) 201-206 · 4 pages, 2 figures

arxiv created 2002/05/27 · openalex publication_date 2005/04/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The excitation function of the in-plane directed flow of nucleons is studied within a non-equilibrium transport approach. It is demonstrated that a local minimum in the excitation function of the directed flow develops, which is not related to a transition into a quark-gluon plasma (QGP) phase. It is a consequence of the dynamical softening of the underlying equation of state, due to the onset of resonance matter and particle production. Thus, the interpretation of this minimum as a 'smoking gun' signature for the creation of a QGP is premature.

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