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Che Ming Ko

Publications and source records attributed to Che Ming Ko.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Bottomonia suppression in heavy-ion collisions

Using the two-component model that includes both initial production from nucleon-nucleon hard scattering and regeneration from produced quark-gluon plasma (QGP), we study the effect of medium modifications of the binding energies and radii of bottomonia on their production in heavy-ion collisions. We find that the contribution to bottomonia production from regeneration is small and the inclusion of medium effects is generally helpful for understanding the observed suppression of bottomonia production in experiments carried out at both the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

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Higher-order anisotropic flows and dihadron correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV in a multiphase transport model

Using a multiphase transport model that includes both initial partonic and final hadronic scatterings, we have studied higher-order anisotropic flows as well as dihadron correlations as functions of pseudorapidity and azimuthal angular differences between trigger and associated particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV. With parameters in the model determined previously from fitting the measured multiplicity density of mid-pseudorapidity charged particles in central collisions and their elliptic flow in mid-central collisions, the calculated higher-order anisotropic flows from the two-particle cumulant method reproduce approximately those measured by the ALICE Collaboration, except at small centralities where they are slightly overestimated. Similar to experimental results, the two-dimensional dihadron correlations at most central collisions show a ridge structure at the near side and a broad structure at the away side. The short- and long-range dihadron azimuthal correlations, corresponding to small and large pseudorapidity differences, respectively, are studied for triggering particles with different transverse momenta and are found to be qualitatively consistent with experimental results from the CMS Collaboration. The relation between the short-range and long-range dihadron correlations with that induced by back-to-back jet pairs produced from initial hard collisions is also discussed.

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Studying Exotic Hadrons in Heavy Ion Collisions

We investigate the possibilities of using measurements in present and future experiments on heavy ion collisions to answer some longstanding problems in hadronic physics, namely identifying hadronic molecular states and exotic hadrons with multiquark components. The yields of a selected set of exotic hadron candidates in relativistic heavy ion collisions are discussed in the coalescence model in comparison with the statistical model. We find that the yield of a hadron is typically an order of magnitude smaller when it is a compact multiquark state, compared to that of an excited hadronic state with normal quark numbers. We also find that some loosely bound hadronic molecules are formed more abundantly than the statistical model prediction by a factor of two or more. Moreover, due to the significant numbers of charm and bottom quarks produced at RHIC and even larger numbers expected at LHC, some of the proposed heavy exotic hadrons could be produced with sufficient abundance for detection, making it possible to study these new exotic hadrons in heavy ion collisions.

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Charmonium production in heavy-ion collisions from SPS to LHC

Using the two-component model that includes charmonium production from initial nucleon-nucleon hard scattering and regeneration in the produced quark-gluon plasma, we study $J/ψ$ production in heavy ion collisions at SPS, RHIC and LHC. For the expansion dynamics of produced hot dense matter, we use a schematic viscous hydrodynamic model with the specific shear viscosity taken, respectively, to be twice and ten times the lower bound of $1/4π$ suggested by the Ads/CFT correspondence in the quark-gluon plasma and in the hadron gas. For the initial dissociation and the subsequent thermal decay of charmonia in the hot dense matter, we use the screened Cornell potential to describe the properties of charmonia and the perturbative QCD to calculate their dissociation cross sections. Including regeneration of charmonia in the quark-gluon plasma via a kinetic equation with in-medium chamonium decay widths, we obtain a good description of measured nuclear modification factors at SPS and RHIC. A reasonable description of measured nuclear modification factor of $J/ψ$s of high transverse momenta in heavy ion collisions at LHC is also obtained if we include the contribution to the $J/ψ$ yield from the decay of bottomed hadrons.

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Triangular flow in heavy ion collisions in a multiphase transport model

We have obtained a new set of parameters in a multiphase transport (AMPT) model that are able to describe both the charged particle multiplicity density and elliptic flow measured in Au+Au collisions at center of mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), although they still give somewhat softer transverse momentum spectra. We then use the model to predict the triangular flow due to fluctuations in the initial collision geometry and study its effect relative to those from other harmonic components of anisotropic flows on the di-hadron azimuthal correlations in both central and mid-central collisions.

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Multi-quark hadrons from Heavy Ion Collisions

Identifying hadronic molecular states and/or hadrons with multi-quark components either with or without exotic quantum numbers is a long standing challenge in hadronic physics. We suggest that studying the production of these hadrons in relativistic heavy ion collisions offer a promising resolution to this problem as yields of exotic hadrons are expected to be strongly affected by their structures. Using the coalescence model for hadron production, we find that compared to the case of a non-exotic hadron with normal quark numbers, the yield of an exotic hadron is typically an order of magnitude smaller when it is a compact multi-quark state and a factor of two or more larger when it is a loosely bound hadronic molecule. We further find that due to the appreciable numbers of charm and bottom quarks produced in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and even larger numbers expected at LHC, some of the newly proposed heavy exotic states could be produced and realistically measured in these experiments.

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Constraining the symmetry energy from the neutron skin thickness of Tin isotopes

We show in the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach that unambiguous correlations exist between observables of finite nuclei and nuclear matter properties. Using this correlation analysis to existing data on the neutron skin thickness of Sn isotopes, we find important constraints on the value E_{sym}(rho_0) and density slope L of the nuclear symmetry energy at saturation density. Combining these constraints with those from recent analyses of isospin diffusion and double neutron/proton ratio in heavy ion collisions leads to a value of L=58\pm 18 MeV approximately independent of E_{sym}(ρ_0).

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Imprints of Nuclear Symmetry Energy on Properties of Neutron Stars

Significant progress has been made in recent years in constraining the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy using terrestrial nuclear laboratory data. Around and below the nuclear matter saturation density, the experimental constraints start to merge in a relatively narrow region. At supra-saturation densities, there are, however, still large uncertainties. After summarizing the latest experimental constraints on the density dependence of nuclear symmetry energy, we highlight a few recent studies examining imprints of nuclear symmetry energy on the binding energy, energy release during hadron-quark phase transitions as well as the $w$-mode frequency and damping time of gravitational wave emission of neutron stars.

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Exotics from Heavy Ion Collisions

Discriminating hadronic molecular and multi-quark states is a long standing problem in hadronic physics. We propose here to utilize relativistic heavy ion collisions to resolve this problem, as exotic hadron yields are expected to be strongly affected by their structures. Using the coalescence model, we find that the exotic hadron yield relative to the statistical model result is typically an order of magnitude smaller for a compact multi-quark state, and larger by a factor of two or more for a loosely bound hadronic molecule. We further find that some of the newly proposed heavy exotic states could be produced and realistically measured at RHIC and LHC.

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Transport Model Studies of the Baryon-Rich Quark-Gluon Plasma formed in Heavy Ion Collisions

Heavy ion collisions in the low energy run at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Germany are expected to produce a quark-gluon plasma that has a finite baryon chemical potential, allowing thus the possibility to study the location of the critical endpoint in the QCD phase diagram. In this talk, using a multiphase transport model, that includes interactions in both initial partonic and final hadronic matters and the transition between these two phases of matter, we discuss the effects of partonic interactions on observables such as the elliptic flow that have played essential roles in studying the properties of the net baryon free quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy ion collisions at higher energies at RHIC. Also, we study the effect of density fluctuations due to a first-order transition between the quark-gluon plasma and hadronic matter on fluctuations of hadron mean transverse momentum and produced deuteron number as well as on two-pion correlations. We further discuss the possibility of studying the mechanism of charm energy loss in the baryon-rich quark-gluon plasma and the properties of phi mesons in hot-dense matter produced in these collisions.

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Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV in a multiphase transport model

The multiplicity and elliptic flow of charged particles produced in Pb-Pb collisions at center of mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV from the Large Hadron Collider are studied in a multiphase transport (AMPT) model. With the standard parameters in the HIJING model, which is used as initial conditions for subsequent partonic and hadronic scatterings in the AMPT model, the resulting multiplicity of final charged particles at mid-pseudorapidity is consistent with the experimental data measured by the ALICE Collaboration. This value is, however, increased by about 25% if the final-state partonic and hadronic scatterings are turned off. Because of final-state scatterings, particular those among partons, the final elliptic flow of charged hadrons is also consistent with the ALICE data if a smaller but more isotropic parton scattering cross section than previously used in the AMPT model for describing the charged hadron elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider is used. The resulting transverse momentum spectra of charged particles as well as the centrality dependence of their multiplicity density and the elliptic flow are also in reasonable agreement with the ALICE data. Furthermore, the multiplicities, transverse momentum spectra and elliptic flows of identified hadrons such as protons, kaons and pions are predicted.

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The effect of triangular flow on di-hadron azimuthal correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Using the AMPT model for relativistic heavy ion collisions, we have studied the di-hadron azimuthal angular correlations triggered by emitted jets in Au+Au collisions at center of mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV and impact parameter $b=8$ fm. A double-peak structure for the associated particles at the away side of trigger particles is obtained after subtracting background correlations due to the elliptic flow. Both the near-side peak and the away-side double peaks in the azimuthal angular correlations are, however, significantly suppressed (enhanced) in events of small (large) triangular flow, which are present as a result of fluctuations in the initial collision geometry. After subtraction of background correlations due to the triangular flow, the away-side double peaks change into a single peak with broad shoulders on both sides. The away side of the di-hadron correlations becomes essentially a single peak after further subtraction of higher-order flows.

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Dilepton production in a schematic causal viscous hydrodynamics

Assuming that in the hot dense matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, the energy density, entropy density, and pressure as well as the azimuthal and space-time rapidity components of the shear tensor are uniform in the direction transversal to the reaction plane, we derive a set of schematic equations from the Isreal-Stewart causal viscous hydrodynamics. These equations are then used to describe the evolution dynamics of relativistic heavy-ion collisions by taking the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of $1/4π$ for the initial quark-gluon plasma (QGP) phase and of ten times this value for the later hadron-gas (HG) phase. Using the production rate evaluated with particle distributions that take into account the viscous effect, we study dilepton production in central heavy-ion collisions. Compared with results from the ideal hydrodynamics, we find that although the dilepton invariant mass spectra from the two approaches are similar, the transverse momentum spectra are significantly enhanced at high transverse momenta by the viscous effect. We also study the transverse momentum dependence of dileptons produced from QGP for a fixed transverse mass which is essentially absent in the ideal hydrodynamics, and find that this so-called transverse mass scaling is violated in the viscous hydrodynamics, particularly at high transverse momenta.

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Energy release from hadron-quark phase transition in neutron stars and the axial $w$-mode of gravitational waves

Describing the hyperonic and quark phases of neutron stars with an isospin- and momentum-dependent effective interaction for the baryon octet and the MIT bag model, respectively, and using the Gibbs conditions to construct the mixed phase, we study the energy release due to the hadron-quark phase transition. Moreover, the frequency and damping time of the first axial $w$-mode of gravitational waves are studied for both hyperonic and hybrid stars. We find that the energy release is much more sensitive to the bag constant than the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy. Also, the frequency of the $w$-mode is found to be significantly different with or without the hadron-quark phase transition and depends strongly on the value of the bag constant. Effects of the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy become, however, important for large values of the bag constant that lead to higher hadron-quark transition densities.

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Density matrix expansion for the MDI interaction

By assuming that the isospin- and momentum-dependent MDI interaction has a form similar to the Gogny-like effective two-body interaction with a Yukawa finite-range term and the momentum dependence only originates from the finite-range exchange interaction, we determine its parameters by comparing the predicted potential energy density functional in uniform nuclear matter with what has been usually given and used extensively in transport models for studying isospin effects in intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions as well as in investigating the properties of hot asymmetric nuclear matter and neutron star matter. We then use the density matrix expansion to derive from the resulting finite-range exchange interaction an effective Skyrme-like zero-range interaction with density-dependent parameters. As an application, we study the transition density and pressure at the inner edge of neutron star crusts using the stability conditions derived from the linearized Vlasov equation for the neutron star matter.

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Density slope of the nuclear symmetry energy from the neutron skin thickness of heavy nuclei

Expressing explicitly the parameters of the standard Skyrme interaction in terms of the macroscopic properties of asymmetric nuclear matter, we show in the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach that unambiguous correlations exist between observables of finite nuclei and nuclear matter properties. We find that existing data on neutron skin thickness $Δr_{np}$ of Sn isotopes give an important constraint on the symmetry energy $E_{sym}({ρ_{0}})$ and its density slope $L$ at saturation density ${ρ_{0}}$. Combining these constraints with those from recent analyses of isospin diffusion and double neutron/proton ratio in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies leads to a more stringent limit on $L$ approximately independent of $E_{sym}({ρ_{0}})$. The implication of these new constraints on the $Δr_{np}$ of $^{208}$Pb as well as the core-crust transition density and pressure in neutron stars is discussed.

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$J/ψ$ production and elliptic flow in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Using a two-component model for charmonium production, which includes contributions from both the initial hard nucleon-nucleon scattering and from the regeneration in the quark-gluon plasma, we study the nuclear modification factor $R_{AA}$ and elliptic flow $v_2$ of $J/ψ$ in relativistic heavy ion collisions. For the expansion dynamics of produced hot dense matter, we introduce a schematic fireball model with its transverse acceleration determined from the pressure gradient inside the fireball and azimuthally anisotropic expansion parameterized to reproduce measured $v_2$ of light hadrons. We assume that light hadrons freeze out at the temperature of 120 MeV while charmonia at 160 MeV, similar to the kinetic and chemical freeze-out temperatures in the statistical model, respectively. For the properties of charmonia in the quark-gluon plasma, we use the screening mass between their charm and anticharm quarks and their dissociation cross sections given by the perturbative QCD (pQCD) in the leading order and up to the next-to-leading order, respectively. For the relaxation time of charm and anticharm quarks in the quark-gluon plasma, we also use the one calculated in the leading order of pQCD. Modeling the effect of higher-order corrections in pQCD by introducing multiplicative factors to the dissociation cross section of charmonia and the elastic scattering cross sections of charm and anticharm quarks, we find that this effect is small for the $R_{AA}$ of $J/ψ$ as they suppress the number of initially produced $J/ψ$ but enhance the number of regenerated ones. The higher-order corrections increase, however, the $v_2$ of $J/ψ$. Our results suggest that the $v_2$ of $J/ψ$ can play an important role in discriminating between $J/ψ$ production from the initial hard collisions and from the regeneration in the quark-gluon plasma.

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Isospin- and momentum-dependent effective interactions for the baryon octet and the properties of hybrid stars

The isospin- and momentum-dependent MDI interaction, which has been extensively used in intermediate-energy heavy-ion reactions to study the properties of asymmetric nuclear matter, is extended to include the nucleon-hyperon and hyperon-hyperon interactions by assuming same density, momentum and isospin dependence as for the nucleon-nucleon interaction. The parameters in these interactions are determined from the empirical hyperon single-particle potentials in symmetric nuclear matter at saturation density. The extended MDI interaction is then used to study in the mean-field approximation the equation of state of hypernuclear matter and also the properties of hybrid stars by including the phase transition from the hypernuclear matter to the quark matter at high densities. In particular, the effects of attractive and repulsive $Σ$N interactions and different values of symmetry energies on the hybrid star properties are investigated.

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