Abstract:
We calculate the transverse momentum distribution of net quarks (quarks minus antiquarks) in Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider in the framework of the parton cascade model at two different rapidities. Parton re-scattering and fragmentation are seen to lead to a substantial difference in the slopes of these distributions between mid- and forward-rapidities, in qualitative agreement with the corresponding data for the net baryon distribution.