Optimal conditions for exploring high-density baryonic matter

Abstract

Using simple parametrizations of the thermodynamic freeze-out parameters extracted from the data over a wide beam-energy range, we reexpress the hadronic freeze-out line in terms of the underlying dynamical quantities, the net baryon density rhoB and the energy density epsilon, which are subject to local conservation laws. This analysis makes it apparent that rhoB exhibits a maximum as the collision energy is decreased. This maximum freeze-out density has muB=400-500 MeV, which is above the critical value, and it is reached for a fixed-target bombarding energy of 20-30 GeV/A.