Can pions created in high-energy heavy-ion collisions produce a Centauro-type effect?

Abstract

We study a Centauro-type phenomenon in high-energy heavy-ion collisions by assuming that pions are produced semiclassically both directly and in pairs through the isovector channel. The leading-particle effect and the factorization property of the scattering amplitude in the impact-parameter space are used to define the classical pion field. By analyzing the joint probability function $P_{I{I}_3}(n_0,n_{\_})$ for producing $n_0$ neutral and $n_{-}$ negative pions from a definite isospin state $I{I}_3$ of the incoming leading-particle system we show that only direct production of pions without isovector pairs favors Centauro-type behavior. The presence of isovector pairs seems to destroy the effect. Our conclusion is supported through the calculation of two pion correlation parameters, $f_2^{0-}$ and $f_2^{00}$, and the average number of neutral pions $(<n_0{>}_{n_{\_}})$ as a function of negative pions $(n_{\_})$ produced.

Comments: 12 pages, 3 pictures, latex