Rapidity-dependent spectra from a single-freeze-out model of relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

An extension of the single-freeze-out model with thermal and geometric parameters dependent on the spatial rapidity, $α_\parallel$, is used to describe the rapidity and transverse-momentum spectra of pions, kaons, protons, and antiprotons measured at RHIC at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 {\rm GeV}$ by the BRAHMS collaboration. {\tt THERMINATOR} is used to perform the necessary simulation, which includes all resonance decays. The result of the fit to the rapidity spectra in the range of the BRAHMS data is the expected growth of the baryon and strange chemical potentials with the magnitude of $α_\parallel$, while the freeze-out temperature is kept fixed. The value of the baryon chemical potential at $α_\parallel \sim 3$, which is the relevant region for particles detected at the BRAHMS forward rapidity $y \sim 3$, is about $200 {\rm GeV}$, {\em i.e.} lies in the range of the values obtained for the highest SPS energy. The chosen geometry of the fireball has a decreasing transverse size as the magnitude of $α_\parallel$ is increased, which also corresponds to decreasing transverse flow. This feature is verified by reproducing the transverse momentum spectra of pions and kaons at various rapidities. The strange chemical potential obtained from the fit to the $K^+/K^-$ ratio is such that the local strangeness density in the fireball is compatible with zero. The resulting rapidity spectra of net protons are described qualitatively in the model. As a result of the study, the knowledge of the ``topography'' of the fireball is achieved, making other calculations possible. As an example, we give predictions for the rapidity spectra of hyperons.