Impact of nucleon mass shift on the freeze-out process

The freeze-out of a massive nucleon gas through a finite layer with a timelike normal is studied. The impact of the in-medium nucleon mass shift on the freeze-out process is investigated. A considerable modification of the thermodynamic variables of temperature, flow velocity, energy density, and particle density has been found. Because of the nucleon mass shift the freeze-out particle distribution functions are changed noticeably in comparison with the evaluations, which use the vacuum nucleon mass.