2010/06/11 by R. M. de Almeida, J.R.T. de Mello Neto, J. R. T. de Mello Neto +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Asymmetry #COSMIC cancer database #Cosmic ray #Event (particle physics) #High-Energy Particle Collisions Research #Isospin #Muon #Nuclear physics #Observable #Particle physics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Physics #Pion #Quantum mechanics #Ultra-high-energy cosmic ray #astro-ph.HE #hep-ex #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2012.08.001
published as Astroparticle Physics 37, 75 (2012) · 7 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2010/06/11 · openalex publication_date 2012/08/16 · arxiv updated 2013/07/02 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Although the generation of disoriented chiral condensates (DCCs), where the order parameter for chiral symmetry breaking is misaligned with respect to the vacuum direction in isospin state, is quite natural in the theory of strong interactions, they have so far eluded experiments in accelerators and cosmic rays. If DCCs are formed in high-energy nuclear collisions, the relevant outcome are very large event-by-event fluctuations in the neutral-to-charged pion fraction. In this note we search for fingerprints of DCC formation in observables of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers. We present simulation results for the depth of the maximum (Xmax) and number of muons on the ground, evaluating their sensitivity to the neutral-to-charged pion fraction asymmetry produced in the primary interaction.