The expanding pion liquid and the pion spectra

We compute the pion inclusive momentum distribution in heavy-ion collisions for energies at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS), assuming thermal equilibrium and accounting for density and expansion effects at freeze out. We compare to data on mid-rapidity charged pions produced in central Au + Au collisions and find a very good agreement. The shape of the distribution at low transverse mass is explained in part as an effect arising from the high mean pion density achieved in these reactions. The difference between the positive and negative pion distributions in the same region is attributed in part to the different average yields of each kind of charged pions. (Author)