Vector meson masses in hot nuclear matter: the effect of quantum corrections

Abstract

The medium modification of vector meson masses is studied taking into account the quantum correction effects for the hot and dense hadronic matter. In the framework of quantum hadrodynamics (QHD), the quantum corrections from the baryon and scalar meson sectors were earlier computed using a nonperturbative variational approach through a realignment of the ground state with baryon–antibaryon and sigma meson condensates. The effect of such corrections was seen to lead to a softer equation of state and an increase in the in-medium baryonic masses as compared to when such quantum effects are not taken into account. The ω and ρ-meson masses in hot nuclear matter, as well as the masses for ω and ϕ vector mesons in hyperon-rich matter are studied in the present work, taking into account such quantum effects. It is seen that the strange vector meson (ϕ) mass has a smaller medium modification than the ω meson in the strange hadronic matter. The quantum corrections arising from the scalar meson sector result in an increase in the masses of the vector mesons in the hot and dense matter, as compared to the situation when only the vacuum polarization effects from the baryonic sector are taken into account.