Eur. Phys. J. C (2009) 62: 271-275
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-009-0946-x

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Comparing different freeze-out scenarios in azimuthal hadron correlations induced by fast partons

Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA

^* e-mail: rbn2@phy.duke.edu

Received: 16 October 2008
Revised: 31 January 2009
Published online: 5 March 2009

Abstract

I review the linearized hydrodynamical treatment of a fast parton traversing a perturbative quark–gluon plasma. Using numerical solutions for the medium’s response to the fast parton, I obtain the medium’s distribution function, which is then used in a Cooper–Frye freeze-out prescription to obtain an azimuthal particle spectrum. Two different freeze-out scenarios are considered which yield significantly different results. I conclude that any meaningful comparison of azimuthal hadron correlation functions to RHIC data requires implementing a realistic freeze-out scenario in an expanding medium.