Pentaquark baryon production at the relativistic heavy ion collider

Production of pentaquark Theta(+) baryons in central relativistic heavy ion collisions is studied in a kinetic model. Assuming that a quark-gluon plasma is produced in the collisions, we first determine the number of Theta(+) produced from the quark-gluon plasma using a parton coalescence model, and then take into consideration its production and absorption in subsequent hadronic matter via the reactions KN <----> Theta, KN <----> piTheta and piN <----> (K) over bar Theta. We find that although the final Theta(+) number is affected by hadronic interactions, it remains sensitive to the initial number of Theta(+) produced from the quark-gluon plasma, particularly in the case of a small Theta(+) width as imposed by the K+ N and K+ d scattering data. Because of small baryon chemical potential in the hot dense matter produced in these collisions, the number of produced anti-Theta is only slightly smaller than that of Theta(+). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.