Energy Dependence of String Fragmentation Function and ϕ Meson Production**The project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 19975075, 10135030, and 10075035, and National Research Council of Thailand (1.CH7/2454)

Abstract

The ϕ meson productions in Au+Au and/or Pb+Pb collisions at AGS, SPS, RHIC, and LHC energies have been studied systematically with a hadron and string cascade model LUCIAE. After considering the energy dependence of the model parameter α in string fragmentation function and adjusting it to the experimental data of charged multiplicity to a certain extent, the model predictions for ϕ meson yield, rapidity, and transverse mass distributions are compatible with the experimental data at AGS, SPS and RHIC energies. A calculation for Pb+Pb collisions at LHC energy is given as well. The obtained fractional variable in string fragmentation function shows a saturation in energy dependence. It is discussed that the saturation of fractional variable in string fragmentation function might be a qualitative representation of the energy dependence of nuclear transparency.