Quantum spin dynamics of heavy quarks and polarization observables in relativistic heavy-ion collisions
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866909022506975232 |
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| author | Jaiswal, Sunil Dey, Sourav Jaiswal, Amaresh |
| author_facet | Jaiswal, Sunil Dey, Sourav Jaiswal, Amaresh |
| contents | We develop a quantum spin-density-matrix framework for heavy-quark spin dynamics in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Starting from an initial polarization induced along the magnetic-field direction, we derive the evolution equation for spin polarization within this framework and obtain analytic solutions. The evolved polarization is connected to open heavy-flavor observables via a fragmentation-based hadronization prescription. For vector mesons, the spin-alignment parameter $ρ_{00}$ is constructed by coupling the heavy-quark spin to that of the light antiquark produced during fragmentation. We confront our results with recent ALICE measurements of prompt $D^{*+}$ spin alignment in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02~{\rm TeV}$ and extract an effective depolarization strength that determines the spin-relaxation time scale. Using this fitted parameter, we provide benchmark estimates for $Λ_c^+$ and $\barΛ_c^-$ polarization, up to an overall spin-transfer normalization. We further estimate the recently proposed elliptic polarization harmonic arising from path-length-dependent depolarization in an anisotropic fireball. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_06461 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Quantum spin dynamics of heavy quarks and polarization observables in relativistic heavy-ion collisions Jaiswal, Sunil Dey, Sourav Jaiswal, Amaresh High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Nuclear Theory We develop a quantum spin-density-matrix framework for heavy-quark spin dynamics in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Starting from an initial polarization induced along the magnetic-field direction, we derive the evolution equation for spin polarization within this framework and obtain analytic solutions. The evolved polarization is connected to open heavy-flavor observables via a fragmentation-based hadronization prescription. For vector mesons, the spin-alignment parameter $ρ_{00}$ is constructed by coupling the heavy-quark spin to that of the light antiquark produced during fragmentation. We confront our results with recent ALICE measurements of prompt $D^{*+}$ spin alignment in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02~{\rm TeV}$ and extract an effective depolarization strength that determines the spin-relaxation time scale. Using this fitted parameter, we provide benchmark estimates for $Λ_c^+$ and $\barΛ_c^-$ polarization, up to an overall spin-transfer normalization. We further estimate the recently proposed elliptic polarization harmonic arising from path-length-dependent depolarization in an anisotropic fireball. |
| title | Quantum spin dynamics of heavy quarks and polarization observables in relativistic heavy-ion collisions |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Nuclear Theory |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.06461 |