Evidence for different freeze-out radii of high- and low-energy pions emitted in Au+Au collisions at 1 A·GeV

Abstract Double differential production cross sections of π − and π + mesons and the number of participating protons have been measured in central Au+Au collisions at 1 A·GeV. At low pion energies the π − yield is strongly enhanced over the π + yield. The energy dependence of the π − / π + ratio is assigned to the Coulomb interaction of the charged pions with the protons in the reaction zone. The deduced Coulomb potential increases with increasing pion c.m. energy. This behavior indicates different freeze-out radii for different pion energies in the c.m. frame.