Sensitivity of Au + Au collisions to the symmetric nuclear matter equation of state at 2–5 nuclear saturation densities

Journal Article · 17 September 2023 · Physical Review. C

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevc.108.034908 · OSTI ID:2228593

Oliinychenko, Dmytro ; Sorensen, Agnieszka ; Koch, Volker ; McLerran, Larry

We demonstrate that proton and pion flow measurements in heavy-ion collisions at incident energies ranging from 1 to 20 GeV per nucleon in the fixed target frame can be used for an accurate determination of the symmetric nuclear matter equation of state at baryon densities equal 2–4 times nuclear saturation density n₀. We simulate Au + Au collisions at these energies using a hadronic transport model with an adjustable vector mean-field potential dependent on baryon density n_B. Here, we show that the mean field can be parametrized to reproduce a given density dependence of the speed of sound at zero temperature $$c$$$^{2}_{s}$$ (n_B, T = 0), which we vary independently in multiple density intervals to probe the differential sensitivity of heavy-ion observables to the equation of state at these specific densities. Recent flow data from the STAR experiment at the center-of-mass energies √^sNN = {3.0, 4.5} GeV can be described by our model, and a Bayesian analysis of these data indicates a hard equation of state at n_B ϵ (2, 3)n₀ and a possible phase transition at n_B ϵ (3, 4)n₀. More data at √^sNN = 2–5 GeV, as well as a more thorough analysis of the model systematic uncertainties will be necessary for a more precise conclusion.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 2228593
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 2229716
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C, Journal Name: Physical Review. C Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 108; ISSN 2469-9985
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English