Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies

Abstract In this paper, we conduct a data-driven study of the production of softened hadrons and their contribution to the transverse momentum spectrum. To this end, we assume that the production of charged particles at soft and hard scales fundamentally results from the fragmentation of color strin...

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Main Authors: D. Rosales Herrera, J. R. Alvarado García, A. Fernández Téllez, E. Cuautle, J. E. Ramírez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14469-3
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author D. Rosales Herrera
J. R. Alvarado García
A. Fernández Téllez
E. Cuautle
J. E. Ramírez
author_facet D. Rosales Herrera
J. R. Alvarado García
A. Fernández Téllez
E. Cuautle
J. E. Ramírez
author_sort D. Rosales Herrera
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In this paper, we conduct a data-driven study of the production of softened hadrons and their contribution to the transverse momentum spectrum. To this end, we assume that the production of charged particles at soft and hard scales fundamentally results from the fragmentation of color strings. We analyze the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum data from pp to AA collisions at LHC energies reported by the ALICE Collaboration, finding that, in all cases, the data can be collapsed into a $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -exponential trend in the range 1 GeV $$<\textit{p}_\text {T}<$$ < p T < 6 GeV. With this insight, the description of the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum should contain information on the charged particle production coming from two different sources: fragmentation of color strings and collective phenomena that redistribute the transverse momentum and enhance the production of particles at intermediate $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T . We also found different relations between the effective temperature, multiplicity, and average $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T for pp and AA collisions, indicating inherent dissimilarities between small and large colliding systems. In contrast, the contribution of the softened hadrons to the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum and average $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T collapse onto scaling laws. Our results show that the physical mechanisms producing softened hadrons have similar origins for all colliding systems, revealing a stronger dependence on freeze-out parameters rather than the system size.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-46f6b339de02425fb4ea7600589b8af62025-08-20T04:02:56ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522025-07-0185711010.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14469-3Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energiesD. Rosales Herrera0J. R. Alvarado García1A. Fernández Téllez2E. Cuautle3J. E. Ramírez4Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de PueblaFacultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de PueblaFacultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de PueblaInstituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCentro de Agroecología, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de PueblaAbstract In this paper, we conduct a data-driven study of the production of softened hadrons and their contribution to the transverse momentum spectrum. To this end, we assume that the production of charged particles at soft and hard scales fundamentally results from the fragmentation of color strings. We analyze the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum data from pp to AA collisions at LHC energies reported by the ALICE Collaboration, finding that, in all cases, the data can be collapsed into a $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -exponential trend in the range 1 GeV $$<\textit{p}_\text {T}<$$ < p T < 6 GeV. With this insight, the description of the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum should contain information on the charged particle production coming from two different sources: fragmentation of color strings and collective phenomena that redistribute the transverse momentum and enhance the production of particles at intermediate $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T . We also found different relations between the effective temperature, multiplicity, and average $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T for pp and AA collisions, indicating inherent dissimilarities between small and large colliding systems. In contrast, the contribution of the softened hadrons to the $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T -spectrum and average $$\textit{p}_\text {T}$$ p T collapse onto scaling laws. Our results show that the physical mechanisms producing softened hadrons have similar origins for all colliding systems, revealing a stronger dependence on freeze-out parameters rather than the system size.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14469-3
spellingShingle D. Rosales Herrera
J. R. Alvarado García
A. Fernández Téllez
E. Cuautle
J. E. Ramírez
Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
title_full Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
title_fullStr Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
title_full_unstemmed Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
title_short Scaling laws for softened hadron production at LHC energies
title_sort scaling laws for softened hadron production at lhc energies
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14469-3
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AT afernandeztellez scalinglawsforsoftenedhadronproductionatlhcenergies
AT ecuautle scalinglawsforsoftenedhadronproductionatlhcenergies
AT jeramirez scalinglawsforsoftenedhadronproductionatlhcenergies