Revisiting the centrality definition and observable centrality dependence of relativistic heavy-ion collisions in PACIAE model

Abstract: We improve the centrality definition in impact parameter in PACIAE model responding the fact reported by the ALICE, ATLAS, and CMS collaborations that the maximum impact parameter in heavy ion collisions should be extended to 20 $fm$. Meanwhile the PACIAE program is updated to a new version of PACIAE 2.2.2 with convenience of studying the elementary nuclear collisions, proton-nucleus collisions, and the nucleus-nucleus collisions in one unified program version. The new impact parameter definition together with the optical Glauber model calculated impact parameter bin, $N_{part}$, and $N_{coll}$ in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at relativistic energies are consistent with the improved MC-Glauber model ones within the error bar. The charged-particle pseudorapidity and the transverse momentum distributions in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV simulated by PACIAE 2.2.2 well reproduce the ALICE experimental data.