{ω}N final state interactions and ω-meson production from heavy-ion collisions

We calculate the elastic and inelastic $\omega N\to \omega N, \to \pi N, \to \rho N, \to \rho \pi N, \to \pi \pi N, \to \sigma N$ reactions within a boson exchange approximation where the $\omega\rho\pi$ coupling constant and form factor are fixed by the reaction $\pi N \to \omega N$ in comparison to the experimental data. We find rather large $\omega N$ cross sections at low relative momenta of the $\omega$-meson which leads to a substantial broadening of the $\omega$-meson width in nuclear matter. The implications of the ${\omega}N$ final state interactions are studied for $\omega$ production in $^{12}C{+}^{12}C, ^{40}Ca{+}^{40}Ca$ and $^{58}Ni{+}^{58}Ni$ reactions at about 2 A GeV within the HSD transport approach; the drastic changes of the transverse mass spectra relative to a general m_T-scaling (for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons) might be controlled experimentally by the TAPS Collaboration.