Forward-backward correlations with the $\Sigma$ quantity in the wounded constituent framework at LHC energies

Abstract

$\Sigma$ is a new correlation measure, quite recently introduced to heavy-ion physics. This measure, defined in the independent source model as a strongly intensive quantity, is expected to be free of the effects of system volume and volume fluctuations. This paper discusses the forward-backward correlation quantified with the $\Sigma$ observable calculated in the framework of the wounded nucleon model (WNM) and wounded quark model (WQM). Findings show that the wounded constituent approach outperforms the commonly used heavy-ion Monte Carlo generators, such as HIJING, AMPT or EPOS, by accurately describing the experimental data on FB correlations with $\Sigma$ measured by ALICE in Xe--Xe reactions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$=5.44 TeV and in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$= 2.76 and 5.02 TeV. This paper demonstrates that $\Sigma$ can be a unique tool for determining the fragmentation function of a wounded constituent in a symmetric nucleus-nucleus collision. However, in the wounded constituent framework, it is no longer a strongly intensive quantity.