FINITE-SIZE EFFECTS ON THE PHASE-DIAGRAM AND EVOLUTION OF STRANGELETSIN ULTRARELATIVISTIC HEAVY-ION COLLISIONS

In the framework of multiple reflection expansion, finite-size effects are incorporated into the study of the phase diagram and evolution of a strangelet in equilibrium with a finite hadronic phase. It is found that in a significant way finite-size effects can modify the phase di agram and reduce the survival probabilities of cold strangelets in ult rarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. The inclusion of finite-size effe cts can also allow a quantitative analysis of the properties of a cold strangelet resulting from a smooth hydrodynamic evolution with equili brium hadronization and isentropic expansion.