"Hadronization and energy-loss in e+A collisions"
Dr. Alberto Accardi
Iowa State University
Abstract
Beside its intrinsic interest for the insights it can give into color
confinement, knowledge of the space-time evolution of hadronization is
very important for correctly interpreting jet-quenching data in heavy ion
collisions and extracting the properties of the produced medium. On the
experimental side, the cleanest environment to study the space-time
evolution of hadronization is semi-inclusive Deeply Inelastic Scattering
on nuclear targets. On the theoretical side, two frameworks are presently
competing to explain the observed attenuation of hadron production: quark
energy loss (with hadron formation outside the nucleus) and nuclear
absorption (with hadronization starting inside the nucleus). I discuss
recent observables and ideas which can distinguish these two mechanisms and
measure the time scales of the hadronization process. Experimental data
are shown to favor short formation times and prehadron absorption.
I will also briefly comment on hadronization studies at an electron-ion
collider.