Coulomb effect in Au+Au and Pb+Pb collisions as a function of collision energy

Abstract

The subtle differences between positive and negative pion spectra can used be used to study the nature of the nuclear interaction region in heavy-ion collisions. Several large acceptance heavy ion experiments at facilities ranging from SIS, the AGS, the SPS, to RHIC have measured mid-rapidity $\pi^+$ and $\pi^-$ spectra for central Au+Au or Pb+Pb collisions. From these spectra one can create pion ratios as a function of $m_t-m_0$, which are used to determine the Coulomb potential, $V_C$, and the initial pion ratio, $R_i$, across a range of collision energies from 1 to 158 AGeV. The implications of the $V_C$ and $R_i$ trends with collision energy will be discussed.