Violation of energy-per-hadron scaling in a resonance matter

Abstract

Yields of hadrons, their average masses and energies per hadron at the stage of chemical freeze-out in (ultra)relativistic heavy-ion collisions are analyzed within the statistical model. The violation of the scaling <E>/<N> = 1 GeV observed in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 130 AGeV is linked to the formation of resonance-rich matter with a considerable fraction of baryons and antibaryons. The rise of the energy-per-hadron ratio in baryon-dominated matter is discussed. A violation of the scaling condition is predicted for a very central zone of heavy-ion collisions at energies around 40 AGeV.