ωN final state interactions and ω-meson production from heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

We calculate the elastic and inelastic ωN→ωN, →πN, →ρN, →ρπN, →ππN, →σN reactions within a boson exchange approximation where the ωρπ coupling constant and form factor are fixed by the reaction πN→ωN in comparison to the experimental data. We find rather large ωN cross sections at low relative momenta of the ω-meson which leads to a substantial broadening of the ω-meson width in nuclear matter. The implications of the ωN final state interactions are studied for ω production in 12C +12C, 40Ca +40Ca and 58Ni +58Ni reactions at about 2 · A GeV within the HSD transport approach; the drastic changes of the transverse mass spectra relative to a general m T-scaling (for π0 and η mesons) might be controlled experimentally by the TAPS Collaboration.