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Title: First-order chiral phase transition in high-energy collisions: Can nucleation prevent spinodal decomposition?

Abstract

We discuss homogeneous nucleation in a first-order chiral phase transition within an effective field theory approach to low-energy QCD. Exact decay rates and bubble profiles are obtained numerically and compared to analytic results obtained with the thin-wall approximation. The thin-wall approximation overestimates the nucleation rate for any degree of supercooling. The time scale for critical thermal fluctuations is calculated and compared to typical expansion times for high-energy hadronic or heavy-ion collisions. We find that significant supercooling is possible, and the relevant mechanism for phase conversion might be that of spinodal decomposition. Some potential experimental signatures of supercooling, such as an increase in the correlation length of the scalar condensate, are also discussed.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
(US)
OSTI Identifier:
40205144
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review D
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 63; Journal Issue: 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.63.116003; Othernumber: PRVDAQ000063000011116003000001; 021111PRD; PBD: 1 Jun 2001; Journal ID: ISSN 0556-2821
Publisher:
The American Physical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; BUBBLES; DECAY; ENANTIOMORPHS; FLUCTUATIONS; NUCLEATION; QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS; SCALARS

Citation Formats

Scavenius, O, Dumitru, A, Fraga, E S, Lenaghan, J T, and Jackson, A D. First-order chiral phase transition in high-energy collisions: Can nucleation prevent spinodal decomposition?. United States: N. p., 2001. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.63.116003.
Scavenius, O, Dumitru, A, Fraga, E S, Lenaghan, J T, & Jackson, A D. First-order chiral phase transition in high-energy collisions: Can nucleation prevent spinodal decomposition?. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.63.116003
Scavenius, O, Dumitru, A, Fraga, E S, Lenaghan, J T, and Jackson, A D. 2001. "First-order chiral phase transition in high-energy collisions: Can nucleation prevent spinodal decomposition?". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.63.116003.
@article{osti_40205144,
title = {First-order chiral phase transition in high-energy collisions: Can nucleation prevent spinodal decomposition?},
author = {Scavenius, O and Dumitru, A and Fraga, E S and Lenaghan, J T and Jackson, A D},
abstractNote = {We discuss homogeneous nucleation in a first-order chiral phase transition within an effective field theory approach to low-energy QCD. Exact decay rates and bubble profiles are obtained numerically and compared to analytic results obtained with the thin-wall approximation. The thin-wall approximation overestimates the nucleation rate for any degree of supercooling. The time scale for critical thermal fluctuations is calculated and compared to typical expansion times for high-energy hadronic or heavy-ion collisions. We find that significant supercooling is possible, and the relevant mechanism for phase conversion might be that of spinodal decomposition. Some potential experimental signatures of supercooling, such as an increase in the correlation length of the scalar condensate, are also discussed.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevD.63.116003},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/40205144}, journal = {Physical Review D},
issn = {0556-2821},
number = 11,
volume = 63,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001},
month = {Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001}
}