We use a geometric model for the hadron polarization with an emphasis on the rapidity dependence. It is based on the model of Brodsky, Gunion, and Kuhn and that of the Bjorken scaling. We make predictions for the rapidity dependence of the hadron polarization in the collision energy range 7.7-200 GeV by taking a few assumed forms of the parameters. The predictions can be tested by future experiments.
Global polarization of $Lambda$ and $bar{Lambda}$ is calculated based on the axial vortical effect (AVE). Simulations are performed within the model of the three-fluid dynamics. Equations of state with the deconfinement transition result in a good agreement with STAR data for both $Lambda$ and $bar{Lambda}$ polarization, in particular, with the $Lambda$-$bar{Lambda}$ splitting. Suppression of the gravitational-anomaly contribution required for the data reproduction is in agreement with predictions of the QCD lattice simulations. Predictions for the global polarization in forthcoming experiments at lower collision energies are made. These forthcoming data will provide a critical test for the AVE and thermodynamic mechanisms of the polarization.
In non-central relativistic heavy ion collisions, the created matter possesses a large initial orbital angular momentum. Particles produced in the collisions could be polarized globally in the direction of the orbital angular momentum due to spin-orbit coupling. Recently, the STAR experiment has presented polarization signals for $Lambda$ hyperons and possible spin alignment signals for $phi$ mesons. Here we discuss the effects of finite coverage on these observables. The results from a multi-phase transport and a toy model both indicate that a pseudorapidity coverage narrower than $|eta|< sim 1$ will generate a larger value for the extracted $phi$-meson $rho_{00}$ parameter; thus a finite coverage can lead to an artificial deviation of $rho_{00}$ from 1/3. We also show that a finite $eta$ and $p_T$ coverage affect the extracted $p_H$ parameter for $Lambda$ hyperons when the real $p_H$ value is non-zero. Therefore proper corrections are necessary to reliably quantify the global polarization with experimental observables.
Possible correlations of the global polarization of $Lambda$ hyperons with the angular momentum and transverse flow in the central region of colliding nuclei are studied based on refined estimate of the global polarization. Simulations of Au+Au collisions at collision energies $sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 6-40 GeV are performed within the model of the three-fluid dynamics. Within the crossover and first-order-phase-transition scenarios this refined estimate quite satisfactorily reproduces the experimental STAR data. Hadronic scenario fails at high collision energies, $sqrt{s_{NN}}>$ 10 GeV, and even predicts opposite sign of the global polarization. It is found that the global polarization correlates with neither the angular momentum accumulated in the central region nor with directed and elliptic flow. At the same time we observed correlation between the angular momentum and directed flow in both their time and collision-energy dependence. These results suggest that, although initially the angular momentum is the driving force for the vortex generation, later the angular momentum and vortex motion become decorrelated in the midrapidity region. Then the midrapidity angular momentum is determined by the pattern of the directed flow and even becomes negative when the antiflow occurs. At the freeze-out stage, the dominant part of the participant angular momentum is accumulated in the fragmentation regions.
The azimuthal angle dependence of quark spin polarization in the longitudinal beam direction of non-central relativistic heavy ion collisions is studied in the chiral kinetic approach. Contrary to the prediction from models based on the assumption of thermal equilibrium of spin degrees of freedom that the quark spin polarization always points along the direction of local vorticity field, we find the two can have opposite directions due to the effect from the transversal component of vorticity field, which can lead to a redistribution of axial charges in the produced matter. Our finding is consistent with the azimuthal angle dependence of the longitudinal spin polarization of $Lambda$ hyperons, which is mainly determined by that of the strange quark, recently measured in the experiments by the STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).
We review studies of vortical motion and the resulting global polarization of $Lambda$ and $bar{Lambda}$ hyperons in heavy-ion collisions, in particular, within 3FD model. 3FD predictions for the global midrapidity polarization in the FAIR-NICA energy range are presented. The 3FD simulations indicate that energy dependence of the observed global polarization of hyperons in the midrapidity region is a consequence of the decrease of the vorticity in the central region with the collision energy rise because of pushing out the vorticity field into the fragmentation regions. At high collision energies this pushing-out results in a peculiar vortical structure consisting of two vortex rings: one ring in the target fragmentation region and another one in the projectile fragmentation region with matter rotation being opposite in these two rings.