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Yacine Mehtar-Tani

Publications and source records attributed to Yacine Mehtar-Tani.

88 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Onset of color decoherence for soft gluon radiation in medium

We report on recent studies of the phenomenon of color decoherence in jets in QCD media. The effect is most clearly observed in the radiation pattern of a quark-antiquark antenna, created in the same quantum state, traversing a dense color deconfined plasma. Multiple scattering with the medium color charges gradually destroys the coherence of the antenna. In the limit of opaque media this ultimately leads to independent radiation off the antenna constituents. Accordingly, radiation off the total charge vanishes implying a memory loss effect induced by the medium.

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Mass effect and coherence in medium-induced QCD radiation off a $q {\bar q}$ antenna

The medium-induced one-gluon radiation spectrum off a massive quark-antiquark ($q {\bar q}$) antenna traversing a colored QCD medium is calculated in this contribution. The gluon spectrum off the antenna computed at first order in the opacity expansion is collinear finite but infrared divergent, which is different from the result obtained from an independent emitter which is both infrared and collinear finite. The interference between emitters dominates the soft gluon radiation when the antenna opening angle is small and the emitted gluon is soft, whereas the antenna behaves like a superposition of independent emitters when the opening angle is large and the radiated gluon is hard. As a phenomenological consequence, we investigate the energy lost by the projectiles due to the radiation. In general, the size of the mass effects is similar in both cases.

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Stopping in central Pb + Pb collisions at SPS energies and beyond

We investigate stopping and baryon transport in central relativistic Pb + Pb and Au + Au collisions. At energies reached at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron [sqrt(s_NN) = 6.3-17.3 GeV] and at RHIC (62.4 GeV), we determine the fragmentation-peak positions from the data. The resulting linear growth of the peak positions with beam rapidity is in agreement with our results from a QCD-based approach that accounts for gluon saturation. No discontinuities in the net-proton fragmentation peak positions occur in the expected transition region from partons to hadrons at 6-10 GeV.

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Antiangular Ordering of Gluon Radiation in QCD Media

We investigate angular and energy distributions of medium-induced gluon emission off a quark-antiquark antenna in the framework of perturbative QCD as an attempt toward understanding, from first principles, jet evolution inside the quark-gluon plasma. In-medium color coherence between emitters, neglected in all previous calculations, leads to a novel mechanism of soft-gluon radiation. The structure of the corresponding spectrum, in contrast with known medium-induced radiation, retains some properties of the vacuum case; in particular, it exhibits a soft divergency. However, as opposed to the vacuum, the collinear singularity is regulated by the pair opening angle, leading to a strict angular separation between vacuum and medium-induced radiation, denoted as antiangular ordering. We comment on the possible consequences of this new contribution for jet observables in heavy-ion collisions.

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Predictions for net-proton and net-kaon distributions at LHC energies

We investigate baryon and charge transport in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, compare with Au + Au RHIC data at sqrt(s_NN)=0.2 TeV, and make predictions for net-proton rapidity distributions in central Pb + Pb collisions at CERN LHC energies of sqrt(s_NN)=2.8, 3.9, and 5.5 TeV. We use the gluon saturation model and put special emphasis on the midrapidity valley |y|< 2. Net-kaon distributions are calculated and compared to BRAHMS Au + Au data at RHIC energies of sqrt(s_NN)= 0.2 TeV, and predicted for Pb + Pb at 5.5 TeV.

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Baryon stopping and saturation physics in relativistic collisions

We investigate baryon transport in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at energies reached at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron, BNL Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC), and CERN LHC in the model of saturation. An analytical scaling law is derived within the color glass condensate framework based on small-coupling QCD. Transverse momentum spectra, net-baryon rapidity distributions and their energy, mass and centrality dependences are well described. In a comparison with RHIC data in Au + Au collisions at sqrt (s_NN) = 62.4 GeV and 200 GeV, the gradual approach to the gluon saturation regime is investigated, and limits for the saturation-scale exponent are determined. Predictions for net-baryon rapidity spectra and the mean rapidity loss in central Pb + Pb collisions at LHC energies of sqrt (s_NN) = 5.52 TeV are made.

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The transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ in an anisotropic plasma

We investigate the jet quenching parameter in the case of a fast moving quark in an anisotropic plasma. In the leading log approximation, strong indications are found that the transport coefficient increases with increasing anisotropy. Implications for the phenomenology at RHIC are discussed.

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Baryon Stopping as a new Probe of Geometric Scaling

We suggest to use net-baryon rapidity distributions in central relativistic heavy-ion collisions at SPS, RHIC and LHC energies in order to probe saturation physics. Within the color glass condensate framework based on small-coupling QCD, net-baryon rapidity distributions are shown to exhibit geometric scaling. In a comparison with RHIC data in Au + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 62.4 GeV and 200 GeV the gradual approach to the gluon saturation regime is investigated. Predictions for net-baryon rapidity spectra and the mean rapidity loss in central Pb + Pb collisions at LHC energies of sqrt (s_NN) = 5.5 TeV are made.

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Classical initial conditions in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions

An iterative proceedure is proposed to compute the classical gauge field produced in the collision of two heavy nuclei at high energy. The leading order is obtained by linearizing the Yang-Mills equations in the light-cone gauge, and provides a simple formula for gluon production in nucleus-nucleus collisions. At this order $k_t-$factorization breaks down.

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The classical field created in early stages of high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions

We show that a special choice of light-cone gauge can greatly simplify the calculation of the classical color field created in the initial stages of nucleus-nucleus collisions. Within this gauge, we can in particular construct explicitly the conserved color current and calculate exactly the gauge field immediately after the collision. This field is used as a boundary condition in an iterative solution of the Yang-Mills equations in the forward light-cone. In leading order, which corresponds to a linearization of the Yang-Mills equation in the forward light-cone, we obtain a simple formula for the spectrum of gluons produced in nucleus-nucleus collisions. This formula reproduces exactly the known formula for proton-nucleus collisions, where $k_t-$factorization is recovered, while the latter property apparently breaks down in the case of nucleus-nucleus collisions.

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Jet quenching and broadening: the transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ in an anisotropic plasma

The jet quenching parameter $\hat{q}$ is analyzed for a quark jet propagating in an anisotropic plasma. The momentum anisotropy is calculated at high temperature of the underlying quark-gluon plasma. $\hat{q}$ is explicitly estimated in leading-logarithmic approximation by the broadening of the massless quark interacting via gluon exchange. A plasma instability is present. Strong indications are found that $\hat{q}$ is increasing with increasing anisotropy. Possible implications for the saturation scale $Q_s$ in $A-A$ collisions are pointed out.

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Has saturation physics been observed in deuteron-gold collisions at RHIC?

We have addressed the question of whether saturation (CGC) has been observed in deuteron-gold collisions at RHIC. We have made a detailed analysis of the Cronin peak characteristic of the nuclear modification factor measured for d-Au collisions at mid-rapidity. The Cronin peak which is obtained around $p_t\simeq 3$ GeV may be reproduced at the proper height only by boosting the saturation momentum by a huge non-perturbative additional component. At forward rapidity, we get a quantitative agreement with data, reproducing hadron production spectra and the $R_{CP}$ ratio using a recently developed description of the small-x physics.

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A unified description of initial and final state interactions in heavy ion collisions

We have investigated the gauge field of a fast moving projectile passing through a dense medium. We provide a simple and unified derivation, in light cone gauge, of the gluon production cross-section in proton-nucleus (initial state interactions), and the radiative gluon spectrum of a hard parton produced in a nucleus-nucleus collision (final state interactions). Finally, we discuss the validity of the eikonal approximation in proton-nucleus collisions at RHIC energies.

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Relating the description of gluon production in pA collisions and parton energy loss in AA collisions

We calculate the classical gluon field of a fast projectile passing through a dense medium. We show that this allows us to calculate both the initial state gluon production in proton-nucleus collisions and the final state gluon radiation off a hard parton produced in nucleus-nucleus collisions. This unified description of these two phenomena makes the relation between the saturation scale $Q_s$ and the transport coefficient $\hat q$ more transparent. Also, we discuss the validity of the eikonal approximation for gluon propagation inside the nucleus in proton-nucleus collisions at RHIC energy.

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Gluon propagation inside a high-energy nucleus

We show that, in the light-cone gauge, it is possible to derive in a very simple way the solution of the classical Yang-Mills equations for the collision between a nucleus and a proton. One important step of the calculation is the derivation of a formula that describes the propagation of a gluon in the background color field of the nucleus. This allows us to calculate observables in pA collisions in a more straightforward fashion than already proposed. We discuss also the comparison between light-cone gauge and covariant gauge in view of further investigations involving higher order corrections.

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Has saturation physics been observed in deuteron-gold collisions at RHIC?

In the framework of the recently proposed saturation picture, we examine in a systematic way whether the nuclear modification factor measured for d-Au collisions at RHIC may be simply explained. The Cronin peak which is obtained at mid-rapidity around $k_{\bot}\simeq 3$ GeV may be reproduced at the proper height only by boosting the saturation momentum by an additional nuclear component as already shown in the literature. In this respect, mid-rapidity RHIC data cannot necessarily be seen as a probe of the saturation picture. The large rapidity ($η\simeq 3$) region allows us to test the shape of the unintegrated gluon distribution in the nucleus, investigating various parameterizations inspired by large rapidity solutions (of the BFKL and) of the Balitsky-Kovchegov (BK) equation. A satisfactory description of $R_{CP}$ at RHIC is obtained in the BK picture.

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