Results on charged pion and kaon production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A and 30A GeV are presented and compared to data at lower and higher energies. A rapid change of the energy dependence is observed around 30A GeV for the yields of pions and kaons as well as for the shape of the transverse mass spectra. The change is compatible with the prediction that the threshold for production of a state of deconfined matter at the early stage of the collisions is located at low SPS energies.
Transverse mass spectra for pion production in the central rapidity region for collisions at 20 GeV per nucleon.
Transverse mass spectra for pion production in the central rapidity region for collisions at 30 GeV per nucleon.
Transverse mass spectra for kaon production in the central rapidity region for collisions at 20 GeV per nucleon.
Mid-rapidity spectra and yields of K$^-$ and K$^+$ have been measured for Au+Au collisions at 4, 6, 8, and 10.7 AGeV. The K$^-$ yield increases faster with beam energy than for K$^+$ and hence the K$^-$/K$^+$ ratio increases with beam energy. This ratio is studied as a function of both $\sqrt{s}$ and $\sqrt{s}$-$\sqrt{s_{th}}$ which allows the direct comparison of the kaon yields with respect to the production threshold in p+p reactions. For equal $\sqrt{s}$ - $\sqrt{s_{th}}$ the measured ratio K$^-$/K$^+$=0.2 at energies above threshold in contrast to the K$^-$/K$^+$ ratio of near unity observed at energies below threshold. The use of the K$^-$/K$^+$ ratio to test the predicted changes of kaon properties in dense nuclear matter is discussed.
Only statistical errors are presented.
Only statistical errors are presented.
Only statistical errors are presented.
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