On the competition between equilibrium and non-equilibrium particle production mechanisms in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 4.5 A GeV/c

In nucleus-nucleus collisions at high energies a competition between differ ent particle production mechanisms is possible. This competition can be stu died assuming that experimental data for a given collision can be described using models based oil different given hypotheses. An analysis of the part icle production mechanisms based on different thermodynamic assumptions (gl obal equilibrium, local equilibrium or non-equilibrium) is performed using (mainly) experimental data obtained from nucleus-nucleus collisions at 4.5A GeV/c. A competition between these mechanisms is observed in a given colli sion. Connections with the collision geometry are reported. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.