Inverse Slope Systematics in High-Energy p+p and Au+Au Reactions

Abstract

We employ the Monte-Carlo PYTHIA to calculate the transverse mass spectra of various hadrons and their inverse slopes T* at m_T-m=1.5-2 GeV in p+p reactions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV. Due to (multiple) minijet production T* increases as a function of the hadron mass. Moreover, the T*(m) systematics has a ``discontinuity'' at the charm threshold, i.e. the inverse slope of D-mesons is much higher than that of non-charmed hadrons and even of the heavier Lambda_C baryon. The experimental observation of this characteristic behaviour in Au+Au collisions would indicate the absence of c-quark rescattering. In contrast, the assumption of thermalized partons and hydrodynamical evolution would lead to a smoothly increasing T*(m), without discontinuity at the charm threshold. The degree of collective transverse flow, indicated by the slope of the T*(m) systematics, depends strongly on whether kinetic equilibrium is maintained for some time after hadronization or not.