Search

Within the Borel QCD sum rule approach at finite baryon density we study the role of the four-quark condensates for the modifications of the vector mesons $\rho$, $\omega$ and $\phi$ in nuclear matter. We find that in-medium modifications of the $\rho$ and $\omega$ mesons are essentially dominated by the dependence of the 4-quark condensate on the nucleon density. In particular, the numerical value of a parameter ($\kappa_N$), which describes the strength of the density dependence of the 4-quark condensate beyond the mean-field approximation, governs the decrease of the $\rho$ mass as a function of the density. For the $\omega$ meson the sign of the in-medium mass shift is changed by variations of $\kappa_N$. To study consistently the in-medium broadening of the light vector mesons we employ $\rho N$ and $\omega N$ scattering amplitudes derived recently from a covariant unitary coupled channel approach adjusted to pion- and photo-induced reactions. In contrast to the $\rho$ and $\omega$ mesons, the in-medium mass of the $\phi$ meson is directly related to the chiral (strange) quark condensate. Measurements of the vector meson spectral change in heavy-ion collisions with HADES can shed light on the yet unknown density dependence of the 4-quark condensate.

Within a transport code simulation for heavy-ion collisions at bombarding energies around 1 AGeV, we demonstrate that double-differential di-electron spectra with suitable kinematical cuts are useful to isolate (i) the $\rho$ meson peak even in case of strong broadening, and (ii) the in-medium $\omega$ decay contribution. The expected in-medium modifications of the vector meson spectral densities can thus be probed in this energy range via the di-electron channel.

Within QCD sum rules at finite baryon density we show the crucial role of four-quark condensates for the in-medium modification of the omega meson spectral function. In particular, such a global property as the sign of the in-medium omega meson mass shift is found to be governed by a parameter which describes the strength of the density dependence of the four-quark condensate beyond mean-field approximation. To study self-consistently the broadening of the omega meson resonance we employ a hadron spectral function based on the omega meson propagator delivered by an effective chiral Lagrangian. Measurements of the omega meson spectral change in heavy-ion collisions with the HADES detector can reveal the yet unknown density dependence of the four-quark condensate.

QCD sum rules predict that the change of the strange quark condensate $<\bar s s>$ in hadron matter at finite baryon density causes a shift of the peak position of the di-electron spectra from $\phi$ meson decays. Due to the expansion of hadron matter in heavy-ion collisions, the $\phi$ peak suffers a smearing governed by the interval of density in the expanding fireball, which appears as effective broadening of the di-electron spectrum in the $\phi$ region. The emerging broadening is sensitive to the in-medium change of $<\bar s s>$. This allows to probe directly in-medium modifications of $<\bar s s>$ via di-electron spectra in heavy-ion collisions at SIS energies with HADES.

We report a first attempt (i) to derive constraints on the energy loss of charm quarks in a deconfined medium from the recent PHENIX data of single-electron transverse momentum spectra and (ii) to estimate the resulting suppression of dileptons from correlated semi-leptonic decays of open charmed mesons. The momentum imbalance of photon-tagged light-quark jets is also considered., Comment: contribution to Quark Matter 2002, Nantes, France, July 18 - 24, 2002

QCD sum rules are evaluated at finite nucleon densities and temperatures to determine the change of mass parameters for the lightest vector mesons $\rho$, $\omega$ and $\phi$ in a strongly interacting medium. For conditions relevant for the starting experiments at HADES we find that the in-medium mass shifts of the $\rho$ and $\omega$ mesons are governed, within the Borel QCD sum rule approach, by the density and temperature dependence of the four-quark condensate. In particular, the variation of the strength of the density dependence of the four-quark condensate reflects directly the decreasing mass of the $\rho$ meson and can lead to a change of the sign of the $\omega$ meson mass shift as a function of the density. In contrast, the in-medium mass of the $\phi$ meson is directly related to the chiral strange quark condensate which seems correspondingly accessible.

QCD sum rules are evaluated at finite nucleon densities and temperatures to determine the change of pole mass parameters for the lightest vector mesons $\rho$, $\omega$ and $\phi$ in a strongly interacting medium at conditions relevant for the starting experiments at HADES. The role of the four-quark condensate is highlighted. A few estimates (within a fire ball model and BUU calculations) of dilepton spectra in heavy-ion collisions at 1 AGeV are presented., Comment: contribution to the XL International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics, Bormio (Italy), January 20 - 26, 2002

A unique parameterization of secondary (thermal) dilepton and photon yields in heavy-ion experiments at CERN-SPS is proposed. Adding those thermal yields to background contributions the spectral shapes of the CERES/NA45, NA38, NA50, HELIOS/3 and WA98 data from experiments with lead and sulfur beams can be well described., Comment: 4 pages, talk at QM2001, Jan. 15 -20, 2001, Stony Brook

The dependence of the radiative energy loss of fast partons on the initial thermodynamic parameters is studied for deconfined matter to be expected at RHIC. We demonstrate that the specific QCD radiation pattern with a quadratic dependence of the energy loss on the propagated distance leads to a strong increase of the energy loss with increasing initial entropy of deconfined matter supposed its life-time is less than the average time to pass through the medium. This is in contrast to a parameterization with constant energy loss per unit length of propagation. For a sufficiently high initial temperature a two-regime behavior of the energy loss as a function of the initial parton momentum occurs. The angular structure of the energy loss of hard jets with respect to the initial temperature is also discussed for RHIC conditions., Comment: 10 pages with figs

The evolution of strongly interacting matter during the cosmological confinement transition is reviewed. Despite of many proposed relics no specific signal from the rearrangement of quarks and gluons into hadrons has been identified by observations. In contrast to this, several observables in heavy-ion collisions at CERN-SPS energies point to the creation of a matter state near or slightly above deconfinement. We focus here on the analysis of dileptons and direct photons. Similarities and differences of the Big Bang and the Little Bang confinement dynamics are elaborated., Comment: 8 pages, invited talk at Luederitz 2000, "Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Modern Physics", Nov. 13 - 17, 2000

The double differential dilepton spectrum $dN/ (dM_\perp^2 dM^2)$ at fixed transverse mass $M_\perp$ allows a direct access to the vector meson spectral functions. Within a fireball model the sensitivity of $dN/ (dM_\perp^2 dM^2)$ against variations of both the in-medium properties of mesons and the dynamics of the fireball is investigated. In contrast to the integrated invariant-mass spectrum $dN/dM^2$, in the spectrum $dN/dM^2 dM_\perp^2$ with fixed $M_\perp$ the $\omega$ signal is clearly seen as bump riding on the $\rho$ background even in case of strong in-medium modifications., Comment: 11 pages with figs. (style changed to RevTeX)

A unique parametrization of secondary (thermal) dilepton yields in heavy-ion experiments at CERN-SPS is proposed. This parametrization resembles a thermal $q \bar q$ annihilation rate. This is inspired by the observation that lepton pair production rates are quantitatively similar, whether expressed in a hadronic or partonic basis. Adding the thermal yield and the background contributions (hadronic cocktail, Drell-Yan, correlated semileptonic decays of open charm) the spectral shapes of the CERES/NA45, NA38, NA50 and HELIOS/3 data from experiments with lead and sulfur beams can be well described., Comment: 23 pages including figures (new version: only new output format)

The data of direct single-photon measurements of the WA98 collaboration in the reaction Pb(158 AGeV) + Pb are analyzed within a thermal model with a minimum number of parameters adjusted to the dilepton data obtained by the CERES and NA50 collaborations in the reactions Pb(158 AGeV) + Au, Pb. The agreement of our model with the WA98 data points to a unique large thermal source emitting electromagnetic radiation observable in both the real and virtual photon channels., Comment: 11 pages including figures

Extended duality is used to explain the dilepton data of heavy-ion experiments at CERN-SPS. Taking into account the background contributions (hadronic cocktail, Drell-Yan, semileptonic decays of open charm) the spectral shapes of the CERES, NA38/50 and HELIOS-3 data in experiments with lead and sulfur beams can be well described, however, the normalizations of the sulfur beam data are problematic., Comment: talk at the International Workshop XXVIII on Gross Properties of Nuclei and Nuclear Excitations, Hirschegg, Jan. 2000

An analysis of the dilepton measurements of the reactions Pb(158 A$\cdot$GeV) + Au, Pb by the CERES and NA50 collaborations points to a unique thermal source contributing to the invariant mass and transverse momentum spectra., Comment: 7 LaTeX pages including eps figures

An analysis of the dilepton measurements in the reactions Pb(158 A$\cdot$GeV) + Au, Pb points to a unique thermal source contributing to the invariant mass and transverse momentum spectra. Effects of the flow pattern are discussed., Comment: 7 LaTeX pages including eps figures

The polarization of a surrounding QCD medium modifies the induced gluon radiation spectrum of a high-energy parton at small transverse momenta for a single interaction and for multiple scatterings as well. This effect is an analogue of the Ter-Mikaelian effect in QED, superimposed to the Landau--Pomeranchuk effect, however it appears in QCD in a different phase space region., Comment: 9 LaTeX pages including eps figures

We study the prospects to get information about the early and hot stages of deconfined matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions by analyzing dilepton and single-lepton spectra. Energy losses of heavy quarks in deconfined matter and thermalization effects in hadron matter and their influence on lepton spectra are considered., Comment: 8 LaTeX pages including eps figures, contribution to the 37th International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics, Bormio, Jan 25-29, 1999

We consider the intermediate mass continuum of dileptons (between $\phi$ and $J/\psi$) in ultrarelativistic heavy--ion collisions. The thermal signal depends essentially on thermodynamic state parameters of the hottest parton stage as $(\tau_i\lambda^q_iT_i^3)^2$ convoluted with an involved detector acceptance function. A refined analysis of the transverse pair momentum spectrum at fixed dilepton transverse mass can reveal the maximum temperature of parton matter., Comment: 3 LaTeX pages including eps figures, contribution to the Erice School on Nuclear Physics 1998 (to be published in "Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics")

The relation of the thermal dilepton signal from deconfined matter, resulting in central ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies, to the background yields from the Drell-Yan process and correlated semileptonic decays of open charm and bottom mesons is analyzed. We demonstrate that very stringent kinematical cuts offer a chance to identify the thermal signal in the continuum region., Comment: 8 LaTeX pages including eps figures, contribution to the Erice School on Nuclear Physics 1998 (to be published in "Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics")

In ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions at $\sqrt{s} >$ 20 (120) A$\cdot$GeV a copious production of charm (bottom) production sets in which, via correlated semileptonic $D \bar D$ ($B \bar B$) decays, gives rise to a dilepton yield at invariant mass $M \approx$ 2 -- 3 GeV in excess of the Drell-Yan yield and the thermal dilepton signal from deconfined matter as well. We show that appropriate single-electron transverse momentum cuts (suitable for ALICE at LHC) cause a threshold like behavior of the dilepton spectra from heavy-quark meson decays and the Drell-Yan process and can allow to observe a thermal dilepton signal from hot deconfined matter., Comment: 14 LaTeX pages including eps figures

We analyze the opportunity to observe thermal dileptons emitted off deconfined matter resulting in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies. Special kinematical conditions provided by the detector systems PHENIX and ALICE, and the so-called $M_\perp$ scaling behavior of thermal dilepton spectra are taken into account. Our considerations include energy loss effects of the fast heavy quarks in deconfined matter, which for themselves can help to identify the creation of a hot and dense parton medium. Due to a threshold like effect for decay leptons we find a window at large transverse pair momentum and fixed transverse mass where the thermal signal can exceed the background of dileptons from correlated semileptonic decays of charm and bottom mesons., Comment: 21 LaTeX pages including 7 eps figures

Relying on the Luttinger-Ward theorem we derive a thermodynamically selfconsistent and scale independent approximation of the thermodynamic potential for the scalar $\phi^4$ theory in the tadpole approximation. The resulting thermodynamic potential as a function of the temperature is similar to the one of the recently proposed screened perturbation theory., Comment: 6 pages, including 1 eps figure

The spectra of lepton pairs from correlated open charm and bottom decays in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions are calculated. Our approach includes energy loss effects of the fast heavy quarks in deconfined matter which are determined by temperature and density of the expanding parton medium. We find a noticeable suppression of the initial transverse momentum spectrum of heavy quarks due to the energy loss within the central rapidity covered by the PHENIX detector system. As a result the dilepton yields from correlated decays of heavy quarks are in the same order of magnitude as the Drell-Yan signal., Comment: Contribution to the Proceedings of ''RHIC'97 Summer Study'' July 7 - 16, 1997, Brookhaven National Lab

The spectra of lepton pairs from correlated open charm and bottom decays in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions are calculated. Our approach includes energy loss effects of heavy quarks in deconfined matter which are determined by temperature and density of the expanding parton medium. We find a noticeable suppression of the initial transverse momentum spectrum of heavy quarks due to the energy loss at LHC conditions. Within the central rapidity covered by the ALICE detector system, the dominant contribution from bottom decays to the high invariant mass dielectron spectrum is predicted., Comment: 9 pages including 5 eps figures