skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Detectability of strange matter in heavy ion experiments

Abstract

We discuss the properties of two distinct forms of hypothetical strange matter, small lumps of strange quark matter (strangelets) and of hyperon matter [metastable exotic multihypernuclear objects (MEMO{close_quote}s)], with special emphasis on their relevance for present and future heavy ion experiments. The masses of small strangelets up to A{sub B}=40 are calculated using the MIT bag model with shell mode filling for various bag parameters. The strangelets are checked for possible strong and weak hadronic decays, also taking into account multiple hadron decays. It is found that strangelets which are stable against strong decay are most likely highly negatively charged, contrary to previous findings. Strangelets can be stable against weak hadronic decay but their masses and charges are still rather high. This has serious impact on the present high sensitivity searches in heavy ion experiments at the AGS and CERN facilities. On the other hand, highly charged MEMO{close_quote}s are predicted on the basis of an extended relativistic mean-field model. Those objects could be detected in future experiments searching for short-lived, rare composites. It is demonstrated that future experiments can be sensitive to a much wider variety of strangelets. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [2];  [3]
  1. The Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark)
  2. Institut fuer Theoretische Physic, J.W. Goethe-Universitaet, D-60054 Frankfurt (Germany)
  3. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Justus-Liebig Universitaet, D-35392 Giessen (Germany)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
657398
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-76SF00098
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review, C
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 55; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
66 PHYSICS; HEAVY ION REACTIONS; STRANGENESS; QUARK MATTER; HYPERNUCLEI; HYPERONS; MASS; BAG MODEL; SENSITIVITY

Citation Formats

Schaffner, J, Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, J.W. Goethe-Universitaet, D-60054 Frankfurt, Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, Diener, A, Stocker, H, and Greiner, C. Detectability of strange matter in heavy ion experiments. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.55.3038.
Schaffner, J, Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, J.W. Goethe-Universitaet, D-60054 Frankfurt, Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, Diener, A, Stocker, H, & Greiner, C. Detectability of strange matter in heavy ion experiments. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.55.3038
Schaffner, J, Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, J.W. Goethe-Universitaet, D-60054 Frankfurt, Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, Diener, A, Stocker, H, and Greiner, C. 1997. "Detectability of strange matter in heavy ion experiments". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.55.3038.
@article{osti_657398,
title = {Detectability of strange matter in heavy ion experiments},
author = {Schaffner, J and Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, J.W. Goethe-Universitaet, D-60054 Frankfurt and Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 and Diener, A and Stocker, H and Greiner, C},
abstractNote = {We discuss the properties of two distinct forms of hypothetical strange matter, small lumps of strange quark matter (strangelets) and of hyperon matter [metastable exotic multihypernuclear objects (MEMO{close_quote}s)], with special emphasis on their relevance for present and future heavy ion experiments. The masses of small strangelets up to A{sub B}=40 are calculated using the MIT bag model with shell mode filling for various bag parameters. The strangelets are checked for possible strong and weak hadronic decays, also taking into account multiple hadron decays. It is found that strangelets which are stable against strong decay are most likely highly negatively charged, contrary to previous findings. Strangelets can be stable against weak hadronic decay but their masses and charges are still rather high. This has serious impact on the present high sensitivity searches in heavy ion experiments at the AGS and CERN facilities. On the other hand, highly charged MEMO{close_quote}s are predicted on the basis of an extended relativistic mean-field model. Those objects could be detected in future experiments searching for short-lived, rare composites. It is demonstrated that future experiments can be sensitive to a much wider variety of strangelets. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevC.55.3038},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/657398}, journal = {Physical Review, C},
number = 6,
volume = 55,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997},
month = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997}
}