Abstract This work provides an analysis of transverse momentum p spectra for identified hadrons generated during gold-gold collisions ata center-of-mass energy (\ (s₍₍\) ) of 11. 5 GeV. The data, recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), is evaluated using predictions from phenomenological models. Specifically, we compare the outcomes of Monte Carlo simulations from Pythia8. 3 and EPOS (comprising EPOS4 and EPOSLHC) with experimental observations. Our investigation focuses on \ (^\), \ (K^\), and (anti-) proton spectra measured at mid-rapidity (\ (y < 0. 1\) ) across nine distinct centrality classes. In case of \ (^\), EPOS4 model shows good agreement with the data only in the low \ (pT\) region. However, it successfully reproduces the results across the entire \ (pT\) range for the last three centrality classes for pions yields. In case pf \ (K^\), EPOS4 exhibit good agreement with the experimental data. For proton and (anti-) proton, this model mostly underestimates in high-\ (pT\) region, likely due to the reduced interaction volume and lower re-scattering probability. In contrast, Pythia8. 3 often overpredicts pion yields and provides consistent representations for kaons and for (anti-) protons, Pythia8. 3 and EPOSLHC fails to described the data. Pythia8. 3 mostly overestimates the data in case of proton. EPOS4 demonstrates a well description of pion spectra compared to Pythia8. 3, largely attributable to its inclusion of hadronic re-scattering effects. Meanwhile, EPOSLHC shows better alignment with experimental data in case of kaons and proton for the entire pₓ range while for pions it also good reproduced the result at higher p only. At higher \ (pT\), EPOSLHC exhibits suppression due to collective flow effects, which have minimal impact on high-\ (pT\) particles. EPOS4 and EPOSLHC outperform Pythia8. 3, primarily due to their ability to incorporate correlated flow dynamics and hadronic re-scattering effects. In contrast, Pythia8. 3 lacks these mechanisms, leading to less precise spectral descriptions. None of the models accurately replicate
Waqas et al. (Tue,) studied this question.