Linking dynamical and thermal models of ultrarelativistic nuclear scattering.

Abstract

To analyze ultrarelativistic nuclear interactions, usually either dynamical models like the string model are employed, or a thermal treatment based on hadrons or quarks is applied. String models encounter problems due to high string densities; thermal approaches are too simplistic, considering only average distributions and ignoring fluctuations. We propose a completely new approach, providing a link between the two treatments, and avoiding their main shortcomings: based on the string model, connected regions of high energy density are identified for single events, such regions being referred to as quark matter droplets. Each individual droplet hadronizes instantaneously according to the available $n$-body phase space, making use of special Monte Carlo techniques.