Particle Interferometry: New Theoretical Results
Abstract
Description
By measuring hadronic single-particle spectra and two-particle correlations in heavy-ion collisions, the size and dynamical state of the collision fireball at freeze-out can be reconstructed. I discuss the relevant theoretical methods and their limitations. By applying the formalism to recent pion correlation data from Pb+Pb collisions at CERN we demonstrate that the collision zone has undergone strong transverse growth before freeze-out (by a factor 2-3 in each direction), and that it expands both longitudinally and transversally. From the thermal and flow energy density at freeze-out the energy density at the onset of transverse expansion can be estimated from conservation laws. It comfortably exceeds the critical value for the transition to color deconfined matter.
Talk given at the 5th Rio de Janeiro International Workshop on Relativistic Aspects of Nuclear Physics, Rio de Janeiro, 27.-29. Aug. 1997, to appear in the Proceedings (World Scientific; T. Kodama, ed.) . Includes 5 ps figures and uses bbox.sty, sprocl.sty
Talk given at the 5th Rio de Janeiro International Workshop on Relativistic Aspects of Nuclear Physics, Rio de Janeiro, 27.-29. Aug. 1997, to appear in the Proceedings (World Scientific; T. Kodama, ed.) . Includes 5 ps figures and uses bbox.sty, sprocl.sty