omega N final state interactions and omega-meson production from heavy-ioncollisions

We calculate the elastic and inelastic omega N --> omega N, -->pi N, -->rho N, -->rho pi N, -->pi pi N, -->sigma N reactions within a boson exchange a pproximation where the omega rho pi coupling constant and form factor are f ixed by the reaction pi N-->omega N in comparison to the experimental data. We find rather large omega N cross sections at low relative momenta of the omega-meson which leads to a substantial broadening of the omega-meson wid th in nuclear matter. The implications of the omega N final state interacti ons are studied for omega production in C-12+C-12, Ca-40+Ca-40 and Ni-58+Ni -58 reactions at about 2.A GeV within the HSD transport approach; the drast ic changes of the transverse mass spectra relative to a general m(T)-scalin g (for pi(o) and eta mesons) might be controlled experimentally by the TAPS Collaboration.