Identified charged particle spectra of $\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p$ and $\pbar$ at mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.1$) measured by the $\dedx$ method in the STAR-TPC are reported for $pp$ and d+Au collisions at $\snn = 200$ GeV and for Au+Au collisions at 62.4 GeV, 130 GeV, and 200 GeV. ... [Shortened for arXiv list. Full abstract in manuscript.]
Measurements of the differential cross-section and the transverse single-spin asymmetry, A_N, vs. x_F for pi0 and eta mesons are reported for 0.4 < x_F < 0.75 at an average pseudorapidity of 3.68. A data sample of approximately 6.3 pb^{-1} was analyzed, which was recorded during p+p collisions at sqrt{s} = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The average transverse beam polarization was 56%. The cross-section for pi0 is consistent with a perturbative QCD prediction, and the eta/pi0 cross-section ratio agrees with previous mid-rapidity measurements. For 0.55 < x_F < 0.75, A_N for eta (0.210 +- 0.056) is 2.2 standard deviations larger than A_N for pi0 (0.081 +- 0.016).
Differential production cross-sections for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ at average pseudorapidity of 3.68. Also shown are the previously published STAR results for similar kinematics [21] and a NLO pQCD calculation of the π0 cross-section [32]. The error band represents the uncertainty in the calculation due to scale variations.
The $\eta$ to $\pi^0$ cross-section ratio is shown in the bottom panel. The error bars indicate the total statistical and systematic uncertainties.
We report measurements of charmed-hadron ($D^{0}$, $D^{*}$) production cross sections at mid-rapidity in $p$ + $p$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV by the STAR experiment. Charmed hadrons were reconstructed via the hadronic decays $D^{0}\rightarrow K^{-}\pi^{+}$, $D^{*+}\rightarrow D^{0}\pi^{+}\rightarrow K^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{+}$ and their charge conjugates, covering the $p_T$ range of 0.6$-$2.0 GeV/$c$ and 2.0$-$6.0 GeV/$c$ for $D^{0}$ and $D^{*+}$, respectively. From this analysis, the charm-pair production cross section at mid-rapidity is $d\sigma/dy|_{y=0}^{c\bar{c}}$ = 170 $\pm$ 45 (stat.) $^{+38}_{-59}$ (sys.) $\mu$b. The extracted charm-pair cross section is compared to perturbative QCD calculations. The transverse momentum differential cross section is found to be consistent with the upper bound of a Fixed-Order Next-to-Leading Logarithm calculation.
$c\bar{c}$ production cross section as inferred from D$^0$ and D$^\star$ production in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV at $|\eta| < 1$ compared with FONLL calculations. The D$^0$ and D$^\star$ data points were divided by the charm quark fragmentation ratios 0.565 ($c \rightarrow$ D$^0$) and 0.224 ($c \rightarrow$ D$^{\star +}$) [34], respectively, to convert to the $c\bar{c}$ production cross section.
The longitudinal spin transfer, $D_{LL}$, from high energy polarized protons to $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons has been measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200 \mathrm{GeV}$ with the STAR detector at RHIC. The measurements cover pseudorapidity, $\eta$, in the range $|\eta| < 1.2$ and transverse momenta, $p_\mathrm{T}$, up to $4 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The longitudinal spin transfer is found to be $D_{LL}= -0.03\pm 0.13(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.04(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\Lambda$ and $D_{LL} = -0.12 \pm 0.08(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.03(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons with $<\eta> = 0.5$ and $<p_\mathrm{T}> = 3.7 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The dependence on $\eta$ and $p_\mathrm{T}$ is presented.
We study the beam-energy and system-size dependence of \phi meson production (using the hadronic decay mode \phi -- K+K-) by comparing the new results from Cu+Cu collisions and previously reported Au+Au collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV measured in the STAR experiment at RHIC. Data presented are from mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) for 0.4 < pT < 5 GeV/c. At a given beam energy, the transverse momentum distributions for \phi mesons are observed to be similar in yield and shape for Cu+Cu and Au+Au colliding systems with similar average numbers of participating nucleons. The \phi meson yields in nucleus-nucleus collisions, normalised by the average number of participating nucleons, are found to be enhanced relative to those from p+p collisions with a different trend compared to strange baryons. The enhancement for \phi mesons is observed to be higher at \sqrt{s_NN} = 200 GeV compared to 62.4 GeV. These observations for the produced \phi(s\bar{s}) mesons clearly suggest that, at these collision energies, the source of enhancement of strange hadrons is related to the formation of a dense partonic medium in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions and cannot be alone due to canonical suppression of their production in smaller systems.
Midrapidity $(|y| < 0.5)$ transverse momentum spectra of $\phi$ mesons for various collision centrality classes for $Cu+Cu$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV. To study the system size dependence, comparison of $40-50\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $10-20\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 200 GeV, and $40-60\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 62.4 GeV are shown. These centralities for the two colliding systems have similar $\langle N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}\rangle$ values as outlined in Table 2. The errors represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. They are found to be within the symbol size. The spectra are fitted to a Levy function discussed in the text.
Midrapidity $(|y| < 0.5)$ transverse momentum spectra of $\phi$ mesons for various collision centrality classes for $Cu+Cu$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV. To study the system size dependence, comparison of $40-50\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $10-20\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 200 GeV, and $40-60\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 62.4 GeV are shown. These centralities for the two colliding systems have similar $\langle N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}\rangle$ values as outlined in Table 2. The errors represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. They are found to be within the symbol size. The spectra are fitted to a Levy function discussed in the text.
Upper panels. $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}$ scaled ($R^{N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}}_{AA}$) nuclear modification factors as a function of $p_{T}$ of $\phi$ mesons for $0-10\%$ and $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ and $Au+Au$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. Lower panel. Same as above for $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}$ scaled ($R^{N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}}_{AA}$) nuclear modification factor. The error bars represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. The shaded band in upper panel around 1 at $p_{T}=4.5-5.5$ GeV/$c$ in the right side reflects the uncertainty in $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}$ and that on the lower panel for $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}$ calculation for central $Au+Au$ collisions. The respective uncertainties for central $Cu+Cu$ collisions are of similar order.
Measurements of the production of forward high-energy pi0 mesons from transversely polarized proton collisions at \sqrt{s}=200 GeV are reported. The cross section is generally consistent with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The analyzing power is small at x_F below about 0.3, and becomes positive and large at higher x_F, similar to the trend in data at \sqrt{s}<=20 GeV. The analyzing power is in qualitative agreement with perturbative QCD model expectations. This is the first significant spin result seen for particles produced with p_T>1 GeV/c at a polarized proton collider.
Inclusive $\pi^{0}$ production cross section versus leading $\pi^{0}$ energy ($E_{\pi}$). The average transverse momentum ($\langle p_{T}\rangle$) is correlated with $E_{\pi}$, as the PFPD was at a fixed pseudorapidity ($\eta$). The inner error bars are statistical, and are smaller than the symbols for most points. The outer error bars combine these with the $E_{\pi}$-dependent systematic errors. The curves are NLO pQCD calculations evaluated at $\eta=3.8$ [29-31].
Analyzing powers versus Feynman $x$ ($x_{F}$). The average transverse momentum ($\langle p_{T}\rangle$) is correlated with $x_{F}$. The solid points are for identified $\pi^{0}$ mesons. The open points are for the total energy ($E_{\scriptsize{\mbox{tot}}}$), shifted by $x_{F}+0.01$. The inner error bars are statistical, and the outer combine these with the point-to-point systematic errors. The curves are from pQCD models evaluated at $p_{T}=1.5$ GeV/c [14-17]. The $A_{N}$ values are proportional to $A^{\scriptsize{\mbox{CNI}}}_{N}$, assumed to be 0.013 at 100 GeV.
We present results for the measurement of $\phi$ meson production via its charged kaon decay channel $\phi \to K^+K^-$ in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4$, 130, 200 GeV, and in p+p and d+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV from the STAR experiment at RHIC. The mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.5$) $\phi$ meson spectra in central Au+Au collisions are found to be well described by a single exponential distribution. On the other hand, the spectra from p+p, d+Au and peripheral Au+Au collisions show power-law tails at intermediate and high transverse momenta ($p_{T}$) and are described better by Levy distributions. The constant $\phi/K^-$ yield ratio vs. beam species, collision centrality and colliding energy is in contradiction with expectations from models having kaon coalescence as the dominant mechanism for $\phi$ production at RHIC. The $\Omega/\phi$ yield ratio as a function of $p_{T}$ is consistent with a model based on the recombination of thermal $s$ quarks up to $p_{T}\sim 4$ GeV/c, but disagrees at higher transverse momenta. The measured nuclear modification factor, $R_{dAu}$, for the $\phi$ meson increases above unity at intermediate $p_{T}$, similar to that for pions and protons, while $R_{AA}$ is suppressed due to jet quenching in central Au+Au collisions. Number of constituent quark scaling of both $R_{cp}$ and $v_{2}$ for the $\phi$ meson with respect to other hadrons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV at intermediate $p_{T}$ is observed. These observations support quark coalescence as being the dominant mechanism of hadronization in the intermediate $p_{T}$ region at RHIC.
We report measurements of the charge-separated $W^{+(-)} \to e^{+(-)} + \nu_e(\bar{\nu}_e)$ and $Z/\gamma^* \to e^+e^-$ production cross sections at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 500 GeV. These results are based on 13.2 pb$^{-1}$ of data recorded in 2009 by the STAR detector at RHIC. Production cross sections for W bosons that decay via the $e \nu$ channel were measured to be $\sigma(pp \to W^+ X) \cdot BR(W^+ \to e^+ \nu_e)$ = 117.3 \pm 5.9(stat) \pm 6.2(syst) \pm 15.2(lumi) pb, and $\sigma(pp \to W^- X) \cdot BR(W^- \to e^- \bar{\nu}_e)$ = 43.3 \pm 4.6(stat) \pm 3.4(syst) \pm 5.6(lumi) pb. For $Z/\gamma^*$ production, $\sigma(pp \to Z/\gamma^* X) \cdot BR(Z/\gamma^* \to e^+ e^-)$ = 7.7 \pm 2.1(stat) $^{+0.5}_{-0.9}$(syst) \pm 1.0(lumi) pb for di-lepton invariant masses $m_{e^+e^-}$ between 70 and 110 GeV/$c^2$. First measurements of the W cross section ratio, $\sigma(pp \to W^+ X) / \sigma(pp \to W^- X)$, at $\sqrt{s}$ = 500 GeV are also reported. Theoretical predictions, calculated using recent parton distribution functions, are found to agree with the measured cross sections.
The STAR collaboration at RHIC presents measurements of \Jpsi$\to{e^+e^-}$ at mid-rapidity and high transverse momentum ($p_T>5$ GeV/$c$) in \pp and central \cucu collisions at \sNN = 200 GeV. The inclusive \Jpsi production cross section for \cucu collisions is found to be consistent at high $p_T$ with the binary collision-scaled cross section for \pp collisions, in contrast to previous measurements at lower $p_T$, where a suppression of \Jpsi production is observed relative to the expectation from binary scaling. Azimuthal correlations of $J/\psi$ with charged hadrons in \pp collisions provide an estimate of the contribution of $B$-meson decays to \Jpsi production of $13% \pm 5%$.
J/psi differential production cross section in sqrt(s).
J/psi transverse momentum distribution in sqrt(s).
J/psi transverse momentum distribution in sqrt(s).
The STAR Collaboration at RHIC presents a systematic study of high transverse momentum charged di-hadron correlations at small azimuthal pair separation \dphino, in d+Au and central Au+Au collisions at $\rts = 200$ GeV. Significant correlated yield for pairs with large longitudinal separation \deta is observed in central Au+Au, in contrast to d+Au collisions. The associated yield distribution in \detano$\times$\dphi can be decomposed into a narrow jet-like peak at small angular separation which has a similar shape to that found in d+Au collisions, and a component which is narrow in \dphi and \textcolor{black}{depends only weakly on} $\deta$, the 'ridge'. Using two systematically independent analyses, \textcolor{black}{finite ridge yield} is found to persist for trigger $\pt > 6$ \GeVc, indicating that it is correlated with jet production. The transverse momentum spectrum of hadrons comprising the ridge is found to be similar to that of bulk particle production in the measured range ($2 < \pt < 4 \GeVc$).
FIG. 3. Left panel: width of Gaussian fit to jet-like peak for Eq. (6) $(\Delta \eta$ width, circles) and Eq. (7) $(\Delta \phi$ width, triangles) ; $ 2 \mathrm{GeV}/c<p_{t}^{\text{assoc}}<p_{t}^{\text {trig }}$, as a function of $p_{t}^{\text {trig }},$ for central $\mathrm{Au}+$ Au collisions (filled symbols) and $d+$ Au collisions (open symbols). Some data points are displaced horizontally for clarity. Right panel: the distributions of Eqs. (6) and (7) for $4<p_{t}^{\text {trig }}<5 \mathrm{GeV} / c$ and $2 \mathrm{GeV} / c<p_{t}^{\text {assoc }}<p_{t}^{\text {trig }}$.
Forum