Strange Resonance Production in p+p and Au+Au Collisions at RHIC Energies

Abstract

Resonance yields and spectra from elementary p+p and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = $ 200 GeV from the STAR experiment at RHIC are presented and discussed in terms of chemical and thermal freeze-out conditions. Thermal models do not adequately describe the yields of the resonance production in central Au+Au collisions. The approach to include elastic hadronic interactions between chemical freeze-out and thermal freeze-out suggests a time of $\Delta \tau>$5 fm/c.