Strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions: An experimental review

Conference · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6045254

Odyniec, G

In experiments with oxygen (60 and 200 GeV/N) and sulphur (200 GeV/N) ions at CERNSPS, large energy densities of the order of 2--3 GeV/fm{sub 3} have been observed, which according to QCD calculations, satisfy necessary conditions for the formation of a quark gluon plasma (QGP) phase. Under such conditions, colour would no longer be confined to hadronic dimensions, and quarks and gluons will propagate freely throughout an extended volume. Somehow lower energy densities, of the order of 0.7--1 GeV/fm{sub 3}, were observed in AGS experiments with 15 GeV/N silicon beams and heavy targets. These energy densities might be adequate for investigations of the pre-equilibrium stage, during which the momentum space distribution has been degradated from its initial value but is not yet thermal. First experimental results, available now, show promise of seeing signs of a new phase of matter. In this review the current status of the selective experimental results on strange-particle production, which are relevant to equilibration and QGP formation in nucleus-nucleus collisions, is presented.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6045254
• Report Number(s): LBL-29996; CONF-9010320--2; ON: DE91011866
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645103* -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Experimental-- Strong Interactions & Baryon & Meson Properties
651000 -- Nuclear Physics
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY
HEAVY ION REACTIONS
KINETIC ENERGY
MATTER
MULTIPLICITY
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PARTICLE RAPIDITY
QUARK MATTER
STRANGE PARTICLES
STRANGENESS
TRANSVERSE ENERGY