cc¯ and bb¯

Abstract

This study investigates the evolution and dissociation dynamics of cc¯ and bb¯ pairs within the preequilibrium, gluon-dominated stage of high energy nuclear collisions. An attractive potential made of a perturbative Coulomb-like term and of a confining term is used to simulate the attractive strong force in the pairs. Besides, we implement the interaction of the pairs with the evolving glasma fields by virtue of the Wong equations. The interaction with the classical color fields dominates the dynamics, causing an increase in pair separation and subsequent dissociation. The observed finite probability of dissociation for these states reveals the intricate interplay between quantum chromodynamics (QCD) dynamics and the suppression of cc¯ and bb¯ states during the preequilibrium stage. The research highlights differences between cc¯ and bb¯ pairs, revealing the role of quark flavor in the dissociation process. Dissociation spectra analysis indicates a peak shift toward higher momentum, reflecting a slight energy gain by the pairs. This investigation provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of cc¯ and bb¯ pairs in the glasma, which may help in better interpretation of experimental results on further integration with subsequent phases of the created matter. Published by the American Physical Society 2024