Onset of "ridge phenomenon" in AA and pp collisions and percolation string model

Abstract

Detailed study of centrality dependence of low-p_t manifestation of so-called "near-side ridge" phenomenon is reported recently by STAR for all charged hadrons with p_t>0.15 GeV/c from AuAu collisions at 62 and 200 GeV at RHIC[1]. It is indicating the existence of the energy-dependent centrality point where some sudden changes in the correlation pattern are observed. In the present work we use the hypothesis of string percolation phase transition for the description of the onset of this ridge. One may assume that the formation of rather large "macroscopic" clusters composed of several overlapped strings extended in rapidity and localized in azimuth could be one of the possible processes leading to the observed phenomenon. This onset is characterized by some definite ("critical") number of participating nucleons. We use also another physical quantity, transverse particle density, to characterize this threshold behavior, this variable brings the transition points for two energies to coincidence [1]. So parameters of the percolation model are defined at these critical points. Also we use results of our previous calculations[2] for energy of collision 17.3 GeV based on observed threshold of anomalous suppression of J/psi. Obtained parameters are extrapolated to AA and pp collisions for energies over the range 17.3 GeV - 7000 GeV.