Strange hadron resonances as a signature of freeze-out dynamics

We study the production and the observability of A*(1520), K*(0)(892), and Sigma*(1385), strange hadron resonances as function of the freeze-out condi tions within the statistical model of hadron production. We obtain an estim ate of how many decay products are rescattered in evolution towards thermal freeze-out following chemical freeze-out, and find that the resonance deca y signal is strong enough to be detected. We show how a combined analysis o f at least two resonances can be used to understand the chemical freeze-out temperature, and the time between chemical and thermal freeze-outs. (C) 20 01 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.