HADRONIZATION IN THE SU(3) NAMBU-JONA-LASINIO MODEL

The hadronization process for quarks combining into two mesons, <q(q)o ver bar>-->MM' at temperature T is described within the SU(3) Nambu-Jo na-Lasinio model with finite current quark masses. Invariant matrix el ements, cross sections, and transition rates are calculated to leading order in a 1/N-c, expansion. Four independent classes, <u(d)over bar> , <u(s)over bar>, <u(u)over bar>, and <s(s)over bar>-->hadrons are ana lyzed and the yield is found to be dominated by pion production. Thres hold behavior is determined by the exothermic or endothermic nature of the processes constituting the hadronization class. A strong suppress ion of transition rates is found at the pionic Mott temperature T-M pi =212 MeV, at which the pion becomes a resonant state. The mean time fo r hadronization is calculated to be 2-4 fm/c near the Mott temperature . The calculation of strangeness changing processes indicates that had ronization accounts for a 1% increase in the absolute value of the kao n to pion ratio at T=150 MeV.