Distinct Hagedorn temperatures from particle spectra: a higher one for mesons, a lower one for baryons

Abstract

We analyze experimental particle spectra and show that the Hagedorn temperature is significantly larger for mesons than for baryons. The effect can be explained within dual string models: excitations of three strings in the baryon produce ``faster'' combinatorics than a single string in the meson, hence lead to a more rapid growth of baryons than mesons. Predictions of other approaches for the gross features of particle spectra are also discussed.