Charge and critical density of strange quark matter

Abstract

The electric charge of strange quark matter is of vital importance to experiments. A recent investigation shows that strangelets are most likely highly negatively charged, rather than slightly positively charged as previously believed. Our present study indicates that negative charges can indeed lower the critical density, and thus be favorable to the experimental searches in heavy ion collisions. However, too much negative charges can make it impossible to maintain flavor equilibrium.

Comments: 4 pages, LATeX with REVTeX style, one PS figure. To be published in Phys. Rev. C 59(6), 1999