News on Strangeness at Ultrarelativistic Energies - Review of Microscopic Models

Abstract

We review recent developments in the field of microscopic transport model calculations for ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions. In particular, we focus on the strangeness production, for example, the phi-meson and its role as a messenger of the early phase of the system evolution. Moreover, we discuss the important effects of the (soft) field properties on the multiparticle system. We outline some current problems of the models as well as possible solutions to them.

Comments: Invited talk at the 7th International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter, SQM 2003, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, USA, 12-17 Mar, 2003. 11 pages, 12 figures