String production as a model of hadronization in the quark-gluon plasma

We consider a picture where string formation is the key stage in the transition from a free quarkgluon system to a confined phase where quarks and gluons appear only as hadrons. String formation is modeled by the topological mechanism for string formation used extensively in the studies of cosmic strings. In our model, mesons are pairs connected by strings, glueballs are loops of string, and baryons are three quarks connected by a Y-shaped string configuration. Given the probability for string formation, we calculate production rates for glueballs and baryons in a cooling quarkgluon plasma. Consistency of the string picture with the existence of two distinct phases of QCD imposes restrictions on the transition temperature. Several unusual properties of the model such as the existence of hot spots and large loops of QCD string are pointed out 990. The American Physical Society.