Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics Approach Research Articles

Exploring the partonic phase at finite chemical potential within a covariant off-shell transport approach

We report on the extended Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach in the partonic sector by explicitly calculating the total and differential partonic scattering cross sections as a function of temperature T and baryon chemical potential μऔ on the basis of the effective propagators and couplings from the Dynamical QuasiParticle Model (DQPM). We calculated the ratio of shear viscosity η over entropy density s, i.e. η/s is evaluated using the collisional widths and compared to lQCD calculations for μB = 0 as well. We find that the ratio η/s does not differ very much from that calculated within the original DQPM on the basis of the Kubo formalism. Furthermore, there is only a very modest change of η/s with the baryon chemical μB as a function of the scaled temperature T/TC(μ B). This also holds for a variety of hadronic observables from central A+A collisions in the energy range 5 GeV GeV when implementing the differential cross sections into the PHSD approach. Accordingly, it will be difficult to extract finite μB-signals from the partonic dynamics based on bulk observables.

PHQMD Model for the Formation of Nuclear Clusters and Hypernuclei in Heavy Ion Collisions

Modeling of the process of the formation of nuclear clusters in the hot nuclear matter is a challenging task. We present the novel n-body dynamical transport approach - PHQMD (Parton-Hadron-Quantum-Molecular Dynamics) [1] for the description of heavy-ion collisions as well as clusters and hpernuclei formation. The PHQMD extends well established PHSD (Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics) approach - which incorporates explicit partonic degrees-of-freedom (quarks and gluons), an equation-of-state from lattice QCD, as well as dynamical hadronization and hadronic elastic and inelastic collisions in the final reaction phase, by n-body quantum molecular dynamic propagation of hadrons which allows choosing of the equation of state with different compression modulus. The formation of clusters, including hypernuclei, is realized by incorporation the Simulated Annealing Clusterization Algorithm (SACA). We present first results from PHQMD on the study of the production rates of strange hadrons, nuclear clusters and hypernuclei in e1elementary and heavy-ion collisions at NICA energies. In particular, sensitivity on the "hard" and "soft" equation of state within the PHQMD model was investigated for "bulk" observables.

Exploring the partonic phase at finite chemical potential within an extended off‐shell transport approach

AbstractWe extend the parton‐hadron‐string dynamics (PHSD) transport approach in the partonic sector by explicitly calculating the total and differential partonic scattering cross sections as a function of temperature T and baryon chemical potential μB on the basis of the effective propagators and couplings from the dynamical quasiparticle model (DQPM) that is matched to reproduce the equation of state of the partonic system above the deconfinement temperature Tc from lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). We calculate the collisional widths for the partonic degrees of freedom at finite T and μB in the time‐like sector and conclude that the quasiparticle limit holds sufficiently well. Furthermore, the ratio of shear viscosity η over entropy density s, that is, η/s, is evaluated using the collisional widths and compared to lattice QCD(lQCD) calculations for μB = 0 as well. We find that the ratio η/s does not differ very much from that calculated within the original DQPM on the basis of the Kubo formalism. Furthermore, there is only a very modest change of η/s with the baryon chemical μB as a function of the scaled temperature T/Tc(μB). This also holds for a variety of hadronic observables from central A + A collisions in the energy range 5 GeV 200 GeV when implementing the differential cross sections into the PHSD approach. Accordingly, it will be difficult to extract finite μB signals from the partonic dynamics based on “bulk” observables.

Exploring the partonic phase at finite chemical potential within an extended off-shell transport approach

We extend the Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach in the partonic sector by explicitly calculating the total and differential partonic scattering cross sections as a function of temperature $T$ and baryon chemical potential $\mu_B$ on the basis of the effective propagators and couplings from the Dynamical QuasiParticle Model (DQPM) that is matched to reproduce the equation of state of the partonic system above the deconfinement temperature $T_c$ from lattice QCD. The ratio of shear viscosity $\eta$ over entropy density $s$, i.e. $\eta/s$, is evaluated using the collisional widths and compared to lQCD calculations for $\mu_B$ = 0 as well. We find only a very modest change of $\eta/s$ with the baryon chemical $\mu_B$. This also holds for a variety of hadronic observables from central A+A and C+Au collisions in the energy range 5 GeV $\leq \sqrt{s_{NN}} \leq$ 200 GeV when implementing the differential cross sections into the PHSD approach. We only observe small differences in the strangeness and antibaryon sector with practically no sensitivity of rapidity and $p_T$ distributions to the $\mu_B$ dependence of the partonic cross sections. Since we find only small traces of a $\mu_B$-dependence in heavy-ion observables - although the effective partonic masses and widths as well as their partonic cross sections clearly depend on $\mu_B$ - this implies that one needs a sizable partonic density and large space-time QGP volume to explore the dynamics in the partonic phase. These conditions are only fulfilled at high bombarding energies where $\mu_B$ is, however, rather low. On the other hand, when decreasing the bombarding energy and thus increasing $\mu_B$, the hadronic phase becomes dominant and accordingly, it will be difficult to extract signals from the partonic dynamics based on "bulk" observables.

Electromagnetic emissivity of hot and dense matter

Electromagnetic emissivity of hot and dense matter

Single electrons from heavy-flavor mesons in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We study the single electron spectra from $D-$ and $B-$meson semileptonic decays in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$200, 62.4, and 19.2 GeV by employing the parton-hadron-string dynamics (PHSD) transport approach that has been shown to reasonably describe the charm dynamics at RHIC and LHC energies on a microscopic level. In this approach the initial heavy quarks are produced by using the PYTHIA which is tuned to reproduce the FONLL calculations. The produced heavy quarks interact with off-shell massive partons in QGP with scattering cross sections which are calculated in the dynamical quasi-particle model (DQPM). At energy densities close to the critical energy density the heavy quarks are hadronized into heavy mesons through either coalescence or fragmentation. After hadronization the heavy mesons interact with the light hadrons by employing the scattering cross sections from an effective Lagrangian. The final heavy mesons then produce single electrons through semileptonic decay. We find that the PHSD approach well describes the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ and elliptic flow $v_2$ of single electrons in d+Au and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 200 GeV and the elliptic flow in Au+Au reactions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 62.4 GeV from the PHENIX collaboration, however, the large $R_{\rm AA}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 62.4 GeV is not described at all. Furthermore, we make predictions for the $R_{\rm AA}$ of $D-$mesons and of single electrons at the lower energy of $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=$ 19.2 GeV. Additionally, the medium modification of the azimuthal angle $\phi$ between a heavy quark and a heavy antiquark is studied. We find that the transverse flow enhances the azimuthal angular distributions close to $\phi=$ 0 because the heavy flavors strongly interact with nuclear medium in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and almost flow with the bulk matter.

Tomography of the QGP by heavy quarks

The dynamics of partons and hadrons in ultra-relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions is analyzed within the Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for the partonic phase (DQPM) including a dynamical hadronization scheme while reproducing lattice QCD results in thermodynamic equilibrium for the equation-of-state as well as transport coefficients like shear and bulk viscosities, the electric conductivity or the charm diffusion coefficient of the hot QCD medium. In this contribution we report on the recent results on the charm dynamics and elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions at RHIC and Pb+Pb reactions at the LHC as well as on the single electron spectra from D— and B—meson semileptonic decays in Au+Au collisions at √sNN =200 and 62.4 GeV. We find that the PHSD approach well describes the Raa and elliptic flow v2 of open charm mesons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV (from STAR) and 2.76 TeV (from ALICE) as well as the elliptic flow of single electrons at √sNN = 200 and 62.4 GeV (from PHENIX), however, the large Raa at √sNN = 62.4 GeV is not reproduced at all which might indicate a new ’PHENIX puzzle’.

From cold to hot nuclear matter

AbstractThe dynamics of partons and hadrons in relativistic nucleus‐nucleus collisions is analyzed within the Parton‐HadronString Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for the partonic phase (DQPM) including a dynamical hadronization scheme with covariant transition rates. The PHSD approach is applied to nucleus‐nucleus collisions from FAIR/NICA to LHC energies. The traces of partonic interactions are found in particular in the directed and elliptic flow of hadrons and in their transverse mass spectra. Whereas at RHIC and LHC energies the dynamics is dominated by partonic degrees‐of‐freedom in the hot QGP, we find at FAIR/NICA energies a moderately hot but dense matter where chiral symmetry restoration and hadronic potentials appear to play a major role. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Directed flow in relativistic heavy-ion collisions within the PHSD transport approach and 3FD hydrodynamical model

We analyze recent STAR data for the directed flow of protons, antiprotons and charged pions obtained within the beam energy scan program within the Parton-Hadron-String- Dynamics (PHSD) transport model and the 3-Fluid hydroDynamics (3FD) approach. We clarify the role of partonic degrees of freedom in the kinetic PHSD approach. The PHSD results, simulating a partonic phase and its coexistence with a hadronic one, are roughly consistent with data. The hydrodynamic results are obtained for two EoS, a pure hadronic EoS and an EoS with a crossover type transition. The latter case is favored by the STAR experimental data. Special attention is paid to the description of antiproton directed flow based on the balance of p annihilation and the inverse processes for N pair creation from multi-meson interactions. Generally, a semi-qualitative agreement between the measured data and model results supports the idea of a crossover type quark-hadron transition which softens the nuclear EoS.

Resonance dynamics in the PHSD approach

We present an overview on the resonance dynamics within the microscopic parton-hadron-string dynamics (PHSD) approach which incorporates explicit partonic degrees-of-freedom in terms of strongly interacting quasiparticles (quarks and gluons) in line with an equation-of-state from lattice QCD as well as the dynamical hadronization and hadronic collision dynamics in the final reaction phase. We discuss how the vector meson resonances can be used as a probe of the in-medium effects and demostrate that the low mass dilepton spectra show visible in-medium effects from dynamical vector-meson spectral functions from SIS to SPS energies whereas at RHIC and LHC energies such medium effects become more moderate. We show also that the intermediate mass spectra are dominated by the radiation from the partonic degrees of freedom at RHIC and LHC energies.

P-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV in the Parton–Hadron–String-dynamics transport approach

The Parton–Hadron–String-dynamics (PHSD) transport model is employed for p-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV and compared to recent experimental data from the large hadron collider (LHC) as well as to alternative models. We focus on the question of initial state dynamics, i.e. if the initial state might be approximated by a superposition of independent nucleon–nucleon collisions or should be considered as a coherent gluon field as predicted within the color glass condensate (CGC) framework. We find that the PHSD approach provides correlations between the charged particle multiplicity at midrapidity and the number of participant nucleons close to results from the CGC and differs substantially from results calculated with independent Glauber initial conditions. However, a sizeable difference is found between the PHSD approach and CGC models with respect to the rapidity dependence of the average transverse momentum. Accordingly, related measurements at LHC should allow to prove or disprove the presence of coherent colour fields in the initial phase of the collisions.

Parton‐hadron dynamics in heavy‐ion collisions

AbstractThe dynamics of partons and hadrons in relativistic nucleus‐nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton‐HadronString Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for the partonic phase (DQPM) including a dynamical hadronization scheme. The PHSD approach is applied to nucleus‐nucleus collisions from low SPS to LHC energies. The traces of partonic interactions are found in particular in the elliptic flow of hadrons and in their transverse mass spectra. We investigate also the equilibrium properties of strongly‐interacting infinite parton‐hadron matter characterized by transport coefficients such as shear and bulk viscosities and the electric conductivity in comparison to lattice QCD results. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Collective properties of nucleus-nucleus collisions from AGS to LHC energies

The azimuthal anisotropies of the collective transverse flow of charged hadrons are investigated in a wide range of heavy-ion collision energies within the microscopic Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach which incorporates explicit partonic degrees-of-freedom in terms of strongly interacting quasiparticles (quarks and gluons) in line with an equation-of-state from lattice QCD as well as the dynamical hadronization and hadronic collision dynamics in the final reaction phase. The experimentally observed increase of the elliptic flow v2 of charged hadrons with collision energy is successfully described in terms of the PHSD approach. The analysis of higher-order harmonics v3 and v4 in the azimuthal angular distribution shows a similar tendency of growing deviations between partonic and purely hadronic models with increasing collision energy. This demonstrates that the excitation functions of azimuthal anisotropies reflect the increasing role of quark-gluon degrees of freedom in the early phase of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, the specific variation of the ratio v4/(v2)2 with respect to bombarding energy, centrality and transverse momentum is found to provide valuable information on the underlying partonic dynamics.

Azimuthal anisotropies for Au+Au collisions in the parton-hadron transient energy range

The azimuthal anisotropies of the collective transverse flow of charged hadrons are investigated in a wide range of heavy-ion collision energies within the microscopic parton-hadron-string dynamics (PHSD) transport approach which incorporates explicit partonic degrees of freedom in terms of strongly interacting quasiparticles (quarks and gluons) in line with an equation of state from lattice QCD as well as the dynamical hadronization and hadronic collision dynamics in the final reaction phase. The experimentally observed increase of the elliptic flow $v_2$ of charged hadrons with collision energy is successfully described in terms of the PHSD approach. The PHSD scaling properties of various collective observables are confronted with experimental data as well as with hydrodynamic predictions. The analysis of higher-order harmonics $v_3$ and $v_4$ in the azimuthal angular distribution shows a similar tendency of growing deviations between partonic and purely hadronic models with increasing collision energy. This demonstrates that the excitation functions of azimuthal anisotropies reflect the increasing role of quark-gluon degrees of freedom in the early phase of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, the specific variation of the ratio $v_4/(v_2)^2$ with respect to bombarding energy, centrality and transverse momentum is found to provide valuable information on the underlying dynamics.

Rise of azimuthal anisotropies as a signature of the quark-gluon plasma in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

The azimuthal anisotropies of the collective transverse flow of hadrons are investigated in a large range of heavy-ion collision energy within the parton-hadron-string dynamics (PHSD) microscopic transport approach which incorporates explicit partonic degrees of freedom in terms of strongly interacting quasiparticles (quarks and gluons) in line with an equation-of-state from lattice QCD as well as dynamical hadronization and hadronic dynamics in the final reaction phase. The experimentally observed increase of the elliptic flow ${v}_{2}$ with bombarding energy is successfully described in terms of the PHSD approach in contrast to a variety of other kinetic models based on hadronic interactions. The analysis of higher-order harmonics ${v}_{3}$ and ${v}_{4}$ shows a similar tendency of growing deviations between partonic and purely hadronic models with increasing bombarding energy. This signals that the excitation functions of azimuthal anisotropies provide a sensitive probe for the underling degrees of freedom excited in heavy-ion collisions.

Nonequilibrium parton dynamics in the strongly interacting QGP

The dynamics of partons, hadrons and strings in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for partons (DQPM) matched to reproduce recent lattice-QCD results—including the partonic equation of state—in thermodynamic equilibrium. The transition from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom is described by covariant transition rates for the fusion of quark-antiquark pairs or three quarks (antiquarks), respectively, obeying flavor current-conservation, color neutrality as well as energymomentum conservation. Since the dynamical quarks and antiquarks become very massive close to the phase transition, the formed resonant ‘pre-hadronic’ color-dipole states (q\(\bar q\) or qqq) are of high invariant mass, too, and sequentially decay to the groundstate meson and baryon octets increasing the total entropy. When applying the PHSD approach to Pb + Pb colllisions at 158 A GeV we find a significant effect of the partonic phase on the production of multi-strange antibaryons due to a slightly enhanced s\(\bar q\) pair production from massive time-like gluon decay and a larger formation of antibaryons in the hadronization process.

Properties of the partonic phase at RHIC within PHSD

The dynamics of partons, hadrons and strings in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for partons (DQPM) matched to reproduce recent lattice-QCD results – including the partonic equation of state – in thermodynamic equilibrium. The transition from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom is described by covariant transition rates for the fusion of quark-antiquark pairs or three quarks (antiquarks), respectively, obeying flavor current-conservation, color neutrality as well as energy-momentum conservation. In order to explore the space-time regions of 'partonic matter' the PHSD approach is applied to nucleus-nucleus collisions from SPS to RHIC energies. Detailed comparisons are presented for hadronic rapidity spectra and transverse mass distributions. The traces of partonic interactions are found in particular in the elliptic flow of hadrons as well as in an approximate quark-number scaling at the top RHIC energy.

Parton–Hadron-String Dynamics at relativistic collider energies

The novel Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach is applied to nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC energies with respect to differential hadronic spectra in comparison to available data. The PHSD approach is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for partons (DQPM) matched to reproduce recent lattice-QCD results from the Wuppertal-Budapest group in thermodynamic equilibrium. The transition from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom is described by covariant transition rates for the fusion of quark-antiquark pairs or three quarks (antiquarks), respectively, obeying flavor current-conservation, color neutrality as well as energy-momentum conservation. Our dynamical studies for heavy-ion collisions at relativistic collider energies are compared to earlier results from the Hadron-String Dynamics (HSD) approach - incorporating no explicit dynamical partonic phase - as well as to experimental data from the STAR, PHENIX, BRAHMS and PHOBOS collaborations for Au+Au collisions at the top RHIC energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV. We find a reasonable reproduction of hadron rapidity distributions and transverse mass spectra and also a fair description of the elliptic flow of charged hadrons as a function of the centrality of the reaction and the transverse momentum $p_T$. Furthermore, an approximate quark-number scaling of the elliptic flow $v_2$ of hadrons is observed in the PHSD results, too.

Covariant transport approach for strongly interacting partonic systems

The dynamics of partons, hadrons and strings in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a dynamical quasiparticle model for partons (DQPM) matched to reproduce recent lattice-QCD results – including the partonic equation of state – in thermodynamic equilibrium. Scalar- and vector-interaction densities are extracted from the DQPM as well as effective scalar- and vector-mean fields for the partons. The transition from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom is described by covariant transition rates for the fusion of quark-antiquark pairs or three quarks (antiquarks), respectively, obeying flavor current-conservation, color neutrality as well as energy-momentum conservation. Since the dynamical quarks and antiquarks become very massive close to the phase transition, the formed resonant 'pre-hadronic' color-dipole states (qq̄ or qqq) are of high invariant mass, too, and sequentially decay to the groundstate meson and baryon octets increasing the total entropy. When applying the PHSD approach to Pb+Pb colllisions at 158 A·GeV we find a significant effect of the partonic phase on the production of multi-strange antibaryons due to a slightly enhanced ss̄ pair production from massive time-like gluon decay and a larger formation of antibaryons in the hadronization process.

Parton–hadron–string dynamics: An off-shell transport approach for relativistic energies

The dynamics of partons, hadrons and strings in relativistic nucleus–nucleus collisions is analyzed within the novel Parton–Hadron–String Dynamics (PHSD) transport approach, which is based on a Dynamical QuasiParticle Model (DQPM) for partons matched to reproduce recent lattice-QCD results – including the partonic equation of state – in thermodynamic equilibrium. Scalar- and vector-interaction densities are extracted from the DQPM as well as effective scalar- and vector-mean fields for the partons. The transition from partonic to hadronic degrees of freedom is described by covariant transition rates for the fusion of quark–antiquark pairs or three quarks (antiquarks), respectively, obeying flavor current-conservation, color neutrality as well as energy–momentum conservation. Since the dynamical quarks and antiquarks become very massive close to the phase transition, the formed resonant ‘pre-hadronic’ color-dipole states ( q q ¯ or qqq) are of high invariant mass, too, and sequentially decay to the groundstate meson and baryon octets increasing the total entropy. The PHSD approach is applied to nucleus–nucleus collisions from 20 to 160 A GeV in order to explore the space–time regions of ‘partonic matter’. We find that even central collisions at the top-SPS energy of 158 A GeV show a large fraction of non-partonic, i.e. hadronic or string-like matter, which can be viewed as a hadronic corona. This finding implies that neither hadronic nor only partonic ‘models’ can be employed to extract physical conclusions in comparing model results with data. On the other hand – studying in detail Pb + Pb reactions from 40 to 158 A GeV – we observe that the partonic phase has a very low impact on rapidity distributions of hadrons but a sizeable influence on the transverse mass distribution of final kaons due to the repulsive partonic mean fields. Furthermore, we find a significant effect on the production of multi-strange antibaryons due to a slightly enhanced s s ¯ pair production in the partonic phase from massive time-like gluon decay and a larger formation of antibaryons in the hadronization process.