CLUSTER GROWTH IN 2-DIMENSIONAL QUARK-HADRON PHASE-TRANSITION

The problem of hadronic cluster production in heavy-ion collisions is studied in search for an observable signature of first-order quark-had ron phase transition. The study is carried out by cellular automata in a two-dimensional model of the mixed phase at midrapidity. The cluste rs are allowed to grow as well as to coalesce upon collision. The dist ribution of cluster sizes is found to exhibit scaling behavior that is independent of the size of the mixed region, nucleation radius, and n ucleation probability. The universal scaling index gamma = 1.86 +/- 0. 18 may be used to characterize and identify the phase transition proce ss. Possible connection with self-organized criticality is pointed out .