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Features of photons radiated off quarks escaping from a quark-gluon plasma

Journal Article · · Physical Review, D
;  [1];  [1]
  1. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF Bidhan Nagar, Calcutta 700 064 (India)
Radiation of photons off quarks escaping from a quark-gluon plasma and thereby accelerated by the confining color field is studied. The rate of emission of these photons is found to increase with their rapidity for a given energy. The {ital p}{sub {ital T}} spectrum of the photons thus radiated is compared to those due to the Compton and annihilation processes in the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) after accounting for the space-time evolution of the plasma. The largest contributions are seen if the current mass for the quarks is used and then the photons produced due to the color-confining mechanism operating on the quarks are found to give a contribution of about 100% at very low {ital p}{sub {ital T}} and about 10--20% at the transverse momenta of 2--3 GeV as compared to the photons due to the Compton and annihilation processes in the plasma. However, if a larger value is associated with the mass of the quark, this radiation is very strongly suppressed. This uncertainty raises doubts about the usefulness of such radiations as a signature of a QGP, which is rather unfortunate as these photons are known to be polarized.
OSTI ID:
44756
Journal Information:
Physical Review, D, Journal Name: Physical Review, D Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 51; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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