Nonmonotonic Energy Dependence of Net-Proton Number Fluctuations
Abstract
Nonmonotonic variation with collision energy (√{sNN}) of the moments of the net-baryon number distribution in heavy-ion collisions, related to the correlation length and the susceptibilities of the system, is suggested as a signature for the quantum chromodynamics critical point. We report the first evidence of a nonmonotonic variation in the kurtosis times variance of the net-proton number (proxy for net-baryon number) distribution as a function of √{sNN} with 3.1 σ significance for head-on (central) gold-on-gold (Au +Au ) collisions measured solenoidal tracker at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Data in noncentral Au +Au collisions and models of heavy-ion collisions without a critical point show a monotonic variation as a function of √{sNN}.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- March 2021
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.092301
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2001.02852
- Bibcode:
- 2021PhRvL.126i2301A
- Keywords:
-
- Nuclear Experiment;
- High Energy Physics - Experiment;
- High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;
- Nuclear Theory
- E-Print:
- 12 Pages, 9 Figures and 5 Tables (published version)