We present the centrality dependent measurement of multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles and photons in Au + Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 GeV. The charged particles and photons are measured in the pseudorapidity region 2.9 < eta < 3.9 and 2.3 < eta < 3.7, respectively. We have studied the scaling of particle production with the number of participating nucleons and the number of binary collisions. The photon and charged particle production in the measured pseudorapidity range has been shown to be consistent with energy independent limiting fragmentation behavior. The photons are observed to follow a centrality independent limiting fragmentation behavior while for the charged particles it is centrality dependent. We have carried out a comparative study of the pseudorapidity distributions of positively charged hadrons, negatively charged hadrons, photons, pions, net protons in nucleus--nucleus collisions and pseudorapidity distributions from p+p collisions. From these comparisons we conclude that baryons in the inclusive charged particle distribution are responsible for the observed centrality dependence of limiting fragmentation. The mesons are found to follow an energy independent behavior of limiting fragmentation while the behavior of baryons seems to be energy dependent.
(Color Online) Half width at half maximum of the pseudorapidity distributions ($\eta_{h}$) of charged particles as a function of total charged particle multiplicity ($N_{T}$) normalized to the center of mass energy. The Au + Au collision data are from the PHOBOS [8] experiment and p + p collision data are from the ISR [31] experiments.
(Color Online) Half width at half maximum of the pseudorapidity distributions ($\eta_{h}$) of charged particles as a function of total charged particle multiplicity ($N_{T}$) normalized to the center of mass energy. The Au + Au collision data are from the PHOBOS [8] experiment and p + p collision data are from the ISR [31] experiments.
We report results for $K/\pi$ fluctuations from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 19.6, 62.4, 130, and 200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Our results for $K/\pi$ fluctuations in central collisions show little dependence on the incident energies studied and are on the same order as results observed by NA49 at the Super Proton Synchrotron in central Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 12.3 and 17.3 GeV. We also report results for the collision centrality dependence of $K/\pi$ fluctuations as well as results for $K^{+}/\pi^{+}$, $K^{-}/\pi^{-}$, $K^{+}/\pi^{-}$, and $K^{-}/\pi^{+}$ fluctuations. We observe that the $K/\pi$ fluctuations scale with the multiplicity density, $dN/d\eta$, rather than the number of participating nucleons.
(Color online) Measured dynamical $K/\pi$ fluctuations in terms of σdyn for central collisions (0 - 5%) of 19.6, 62.4, 130, and 200 GeV Au+Au compared with the central collisions (0 - 3.5%) of Pb+Pb from NA49 [7] and the statistical hadronization (SH) model of Ref. [14]. The solid line represents the relationship of the incident energy dependence of $\sigma_{dyn}$ in central collisions to the collision centrality dependence of $\nu_{dyn,K\pi}$ at higher energies. Both statistical (vertical line with horizontal bar) and systematic (no vertical line) error bars are shown for the experimental data.
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.
Top panel: Energy dependence of the ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in A + A (full points) and p + p (open points) collisions. Stars are data from the STARexperiment at RHIC.Bottom panel: $N_{part}$ dependence of ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in different collision systems. Systematic errors are included for the STAR data points.
Top panel: Energy dependence of the ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in A + A (full points) and p + p (open points) collisions. Stars are data from the STARexperiment at RHIC.Bottom panel: $N_{part}$ dependence of ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in different collision systems. Systematic errors are included for the STAR data points.
Top panel: Energy dependence of the ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in A + A (full points) and p + p (open points) collisions. Stars are data from the STARexperiment at RHIC.Bottom panel: $N_{part}$ dependence of ratio $\phi/\pi^{-}$ in different collision systems. Systematic errors are included for the STAR data points.
We study the energy dependence of the transverse momentum (pT) spectra for charged pions, protons and anti-protons for Au+Au collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Data are presented at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.5) for 0.2 < pT < 12 GeV/c. In the intermediate pT region (2 < pT < 6 GeV/c), the nuclear modification factor is higher at 62.4 GeV than at 200 GeV, while at higher pT (pT >7 GeV/c) the modification is similar for both energies. The p/pi+ and pbar/pi- ratios for central collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 GeV peak at pT ~ 2 GeV/c. In the pT range where recombination is expected to dominate, the p/pi+ ratios at 62.4 GeV are larger than at 200 GeV, while the pbar/pi- ratios are smaller. For pT > 2 GeV/c, the pbar/pi- ratios at the two beam energies are independent of pT and centrality indicating that the dependence of the pbar/pi- ratio on pT does not change between 62.4 and 200 GeV. These findings challenge various models incorporating jet quenching and/or constituent quark coalescence.
Midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) transverse momentum spectra for pions, protons, anti-protons for various event centrality classes for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 GeV. Also shown to study the energy dependence are the central 0-12% pion, proton, anti-proton spectra for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV.
Centrality and pT dependence of RCP for pions and protons for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 GeV. For studying the energy dependence, the corresponding RCP for central 0-12% Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV are shown. RAA for pions at 62.4 GeV (0-10%) and 200 GeV (0-12%) are also shown.
We present results for two-particle transverse momentum correlations, <dpt,i dpt,j>, as a function of event centrality for Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 20, 62, 130, and 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. We observe correlations decreasing with centrality that are similar at all four incident energies. The correlations multiplied by the multiplicity density increase with incident energy and the centrality dependence may show evidence of processes such as thermalization, minijet production, or the saturation of transverse flow. The square root of the correlations divided by the event-wise average transverse momentum per event shows little or no beam energy dependence and generally agrees with previous measurements at the Super Proton Synchrotron.
$<\Delta p_{t,i}\Delta p_{t,j}>$ as a function of centrality and incident energy for Au+Au collisions compared with HIJING results.
(d$N/\textrm{d}\eta)<\Delta p_{t,i}\Delta p_{t,j}>$ as a function of centrality and incident energy for Au+Au collisions compared with HIJING results.
$(<\Delta p_{t,i}\Delta p_{t,j}>)^{1/2}/<<p_{t}>>$ as a function of centrality and incident energy for Au+Au collisions compared with HIJING results.
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.
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.]
Energy loss effect for $\pi^{+-}$ (a), $K^{+-}$ (b), and p and pbar (c) at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.1) as a function of particle momentum magnitude in 200 GeV pp and 62.4 GeV central 0-5% Au+Au collisions. Only negative particles are shown; energy loss for particles and antiparticles are the same. Errors shown are statistical only. The pion energy loss is already corrected by the track reconstruction algorithm.
Energy loss effect for $\pi^{+-}$ (a), $K^{+-}$ (b), and p and pbar (c) at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.1) as a function of particle momentum magnitude in 200 GeV pp and 62.4 GeV central 0-5% Au+Au collisions. Only negative particles are shown; energy loss for particles and antiparticles are the same. Errors shown are statistical only. The pion energy loss is already corrected by the track reconstruction algorithm.
Energy loss effect for $\pi^{+-}$ (a), $K^{+-}$ (b), and p and pbar (c) at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.1) as a function of particle momentum magnitude in 200 GeV pp and 62.4 GeV central 0-5% Au+Au collisions. Only negative particles are shown; energy loss for particles and antiparticles are the same. Errors shown are statistical only. The pion energy loss is already corrected by the track reconstruction algorithm.
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