Scaled transverse-momentum spectra as a probe of collective dynamics in heavy-ion collisions

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Autores principales: Domingues, Thiago S., Luzum, Matthew
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
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author Domingues, Thiago S.
Luzum, Matthew
author_facet Domingues, Thiago S.
Luzum, Matthew
contents We investigate a scaling property of transverse-momentum spectra in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions obtained by removing the global scales of multiplicity and mean transverse momentum. The resulting dimensionless observable isolates the intrinsic shape of the spectrum and reveals an approximate universality across collision centralities, systems, and energies. Hydrodynamic simulations reproduce this scaling on an event-by-event basis, indicating that it may originate from the collective dynamics of the quark-gluon plasma. Using Gaussian-process emulators trained on the JETSCAPE hybrid model, we perform a Bayesian analysis incorporating the scaled spectra as observables. The results demonstrate that the spectral shape provides independent constraints on key properties of the medium, including pre-equilibrium dynamics and initial-state granularity, while exposing tensions with parameter regions preferred by traditional $p_T$-integrated observables. We further explore an analogous scaling of transverse-mass spectra and observe a comparable universality across centralities and hadron species. These results suggest that scaled spectra provide a powerful new probe of collective dynamics and offer complementary constraints for the quantitative characterization of QCD matter created in heavy-ion collisions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_15891
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Scaled transverse-momentum spectra as a probe of collective dynamics in heavy-ion collisions
Domingues, Thiago S.
Luzum, Matthew
Nuclear Theory
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
We investigate a scaling property of transverse-momentum spectra in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions obtained by removing the global scales of multiplicity and mean transverse momentum. The resulting dimensionless observable isolates the intrinsic shape of the spectrum and reveals an approximate universality across collision centralities, systems, and energies. Hydrodynamic simulations reproduce this scaling on an event-by-event basis, indicating that it may originate from the collective dynamics of the quark-gluon plasma. Using Gaussian-process emulators trained on the JETSCAPE hybrid model, we perform a Bayesian analysis incorporating the scaled spectra as observables. The results demonstrate that the spectral shape provides independent constraints on key properties of the medium, including pre-equilibrium dynamics and initial-state granularity, while exposing tensions with parameter regions preferred by traditional $p_T$-integrated observables. We further explore an analogous scaling of transverse-mass spectra and observe a comparable universality across centralities and hadron species. These results suggest that scaled spectra provide a powerful new probe of collective dynamics and offer complementary constraints for the quantitative characterization of QCD matter created in heavy-ion collisions.
title Scaled transverse-momentum spectra as a probe of collective dynamics in heavy-ion collisions
topic Nuclear Theory
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.15891