J/ψ suppression in Pb+Pb collisions and pT broadening -: art. no. 024906

We have analyzed the NA50 data on the centrality dependence of p(T) broadening of J/psi's in Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN-SPS. The data were analyzed in a QCD based model, where J/psi's are suppressed in "nuclear" medium. Without any free parameter, the model could explain the NA50 p(T) broadening data. The data were also analyzed in a quark-gluon plasma (QGP) based threshold model, where J/psi suppression is 100% above a critical density. The QGP based model could not explain the NA50 p(T) broadening data. We have also predicted the centrality dependence of J/psi suppression and p(T) broadening at RHIC energy. Both models, the QGP based threshold model and the QCD based nuclear absorption model, predict p(T) broadening very close to each other.