The system created in non-central relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions possesses large orbital angular momentum. Due to spin-orbit coupling, particles produced in such a system could become globally polarized along the direction of the system angular momentum. We present the results of Lambda and anti-Lambda hyperon global polarization measurements in Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=62.4 GeV and 200 GeV performed with the STAR detector at RHIC. The observed global polarization of Lambda and anti-Lambda hyperons in the STAR acceptance is consistent with zero within the precision of the measurements. The obtained upper limit, |P_{Lambda,anti-Lambda}| <= 0.02, is compared to the theoretical values discussed recently in the literature.
(Color online) Invariant mass distribution for the $\Lambda$ (filled circles) and $\overline{\Lambda}$ (open squares) candidates after the quality cuts for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=62.4 GeV (centrality region 0-80%).
(Color online) Global polarization of $\Lambda$–hyperons as a function of $\Lambda$ transverse momentum $p^{\Lambda}_{t}$. Filled circles show the results for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV (centrality region 20-70%) and open squares indicate the results for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=62.4 GeV (centrality region 0-80%). Only statistical uncertainties are shown.
(Color online) Global polarization of $\Lambda$–hyperons as a function of $\Lambda$ pseudorapidity $\eta^{\Lambda}$. Filled circles show the results for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV (centrality region 20-70%). A constant line fit to these data points yields $P_{\Lambda}=(2.8\pm 9.6)\times 10^{-3}$ with $\chi^{2}/ndf=6.5/10$. Open squares show the results for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=62.4 GeV (centrality region 0-80%). A constant line fit gives $P_{\Lambda}=(1.9\pm 8.0)\times 10^{-3}$ with $\chi^{2}/ndf=14.3/10$. Only statistical uncertainties are shown.
Charm production in deep inelastic scattering has been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 82 pb^{-1}. Charm has been tagged by reconstructing D^{*+}, D^0, D^{+} and D_s^+ (+ c.c.) charm mesons. The charm hadrons were measured in the kinematic range p_T(D^{*+},D^0,D^{+}) > 3 GeV, p_T(D_s^+)>2 GeV and |\eta(D)| < 1.6 for 1.5 < Q^2 < 1000 GeV^2 and 0.02 < y < 0.7. The production cross sections were used to extract charm fragmentation ratios and the fraction of c quarks hadronising into a particular charm meson in the kinematic range considered. The cross sections were compared to the predictions of next-to-leading-order QCD, and extrapolated to the full kinematic region in p_T(D) and \eta(D) in order to determine the open-charm contribution, F_2^{c\bar{c}}(x,Q^2), to the proton structure function F_2.
Production cross section for all D0 mesons, those not originating fom D* decays and those originating from D* decays.
Production cross section for additional D* mesons (not decaying to D0) and all D* mesons.
Production cross section for D+ mesons.
We study the processes $e^+ e^-\to K^+ K^- \pi^+\pi^-\gamma$, $K^+K^-\pi^0\pi^0\gamma$ and $K^+ K^- K^+ K^-\gamma$, where the photon is radiated from the initial state. About 34600, 4400 and 2300 fully reconstructed events, respectively, are selected from 232 \invfb of \babar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective \epem center-of-mass energy, so that the $K^+ K^- \pi^+\pi^-\gamma$ data can be compared with direct measurements of the $e^+ e^-\to K^+K^- \pipi$ reaction/ no direct measurements exist for the $e^+ e^-\to K^+ K^- \pi^0\pi^0$ or $\epem\to K^+ K^- K^+ K^-$ reactions. Studying the structure of these events, we find contributions from a number of intermediate states, and we extract their cross sections where possible. In particular, we isolate the contribution from $e^+ e^-\to\phi(1020) f_{0}(980)$ and study its structure near threshold. In the charmonium region, we observe the $J/\psi$ in all three final states and several intermediate states, as well as the $\psi(2S)$ in some modes, and measure the corresponding branching fractions. We see no signal for the Y(4260) and obtain an upper limit of $\BR_{Y(4260)\to\phi\pi^+\pi^-}\cdot\Gamma^{Y}_{ee}<0.4 \ev$ at 90% C.L.
Measurement of the E+ E- --> K+ K- PI+ PI- cross section. Statistical errors only.
Measurement of the E+ E- --> K(892)0 K PI cross section. Statistical errors only.
Measurement of the E+ E- --> PHI PI+ PI- cross section. Statistical errors only.
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.
The insets show pi−/pi+ ratios at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 GeV and anti-proton/proton ratios at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 (0-10%) and 200 GeV (0-12%).
The minimum bias data shown here were extracted from the figures by xyscan. Hence, the dataset is not full (especially in the lower pT range where it is hard to distinguish points), and the statistical errors shown here are an upper limit of the statistical uncertainty based on the marker sizes.
Longitudinal density correlations of produced matter in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV have been measured from the inclusive charged particle distributions as a function of pseudorapidity window sizes. The extracted \alpha \xi parameter, related to the susceptibility of the density fluctuations in the long wavelength limit, exhibits a non-monotonic behavior as a function of the number of participant nucleons, N_part. A local maximum is seen at N_part ~ 90, with corresponding energy density based on the Bjorken picture of \epsilon_Bj \tau ~ 2.4 GeV/(fm^2 c) with a transverse area size of 60 fm^2. This behavior may suggest a critical phase boundary based on the Ginzburg-Landau framework.
Weighted mean of corrected NBD $k$, $<k_c>$ as a function of pseudorapidity window size. The dominant sources systematic correlate with dead maps (corr.sys.(dead)) and two-track seperation cuts (corr.sys.(fake)). The total systematic error (uncorr.sys.) is the quadratic sum over all errors.
Weighted mean of corrected NBD $k$, $<k_c>$ as a function of pseudorapidity window size. The dominant sources systematic correlate with dead maps (corr.sys.(dead)) and two-track seperation cuts (corr.sys.(fake)). The total systematic error (uncorr.sys.) is the quadratic sum over all errors.
Fit results based on $k(\delta_{\eta})$=$1/{{2\alpha\xi}/{\delta_{\eta}}}$ ($\xi << \delta_{\eta}$).
Diffractive photoproduction of D*+/-(2010) mesons was measured with the ZEUS detector at the ep collider HERA, using an integrated luminosity of 78.6 pb^{-1}. The D* mesons were reconstructed in the kinematic range: transverse momentum p_T(D*) > 1.9 GeV and pseudorapidity |eta(D*)| < 1.6, using the decay D*+ -> D0 pi+_s followed by D0 -> K- pi+ (+c.c.). Diffractive events were identified by a large gap in pseudorapidity between the produced hadronic state and the outgoing proton. Cross sections are reported for photon-proton centre-of-mass energies in the range 130 < W < 300 GeV and for photon virtualities Q^2 < 1 GeV^2, in two ranges of the Pomeron fractional momentum x_pom < 0.035 and x_pom < 0.01. The relative contribution of diffractive events to the inclusive D*+/-(2010) photoproduction cross section is about 6%. The data are in agreement with perturbative QCD calculations based on various parameterisations of diffractive parton distribution functions. The results are consistent with diffractive QCD factorisation.
Total cross section integrated over the given kinematic range.
Ratio of diffractive to inclusive D* cross section.
Differential cross sections for diffractive photoproduction of D*+- mesons as a function of X(NAME=POMERON).
We present first measurements of the $\phi$-meson elliptic flow ($v_{2}(p_{T})$) and high statistics $p_{T}$ distributions for different centralities from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. In minimum bias collisions the $v_{2}$ of the $\phi$ meson is consistent with the trend observed for mesons. The ratio of the yields of the $\Omega$ to those of the $\phi$ as a function of transverse momentum 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 momenta. The nuclear modification factor ($R_{CP}$) of $\phi$ follows the trend observed in the $K^{0}_{S}$ mesons rather than in $\Lambda$ baryons, supporting baryon-meson scaling. Since $\phi$-mesons are made via coalescence of seemingly thermalized $s$ quarks in central Au+Au collisions, the observations imply hot and dense matter with partonic collectivity has been formed at RHIC.
The elliptic flow, $v_{2}$($p_{T}$), for the $\phi$-meson as a function of centrality. The vertical error bars represent the statistical errors while the shaded bands represent the systematic uncertainties. For clarity, data points are shifted slightly.
(color online) Transverse momentum distributions of $\phi$-mesons from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. For clarity, distributions for different centralities are scaled by factors of ten. Dashed lines represent the exponential fits to the distributions and the dotted lines are Levy function fits. Error bars represent statistical errors only.
(color online) The $N(\Omega)/N(\phi)$ ratio vs. $p_{T}$ for three centrality bins in $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions. The solid and dashed lines represent recombination model predictions for central collisions [21] for total and thermal contributions, respectively.
Photoproduction of the cascade resonances has been investigated in the reactions $\gamma p \to K^+ K^+ (X)$ and $\gamma p \to K^+ K^+ \pi^- (X)$. The mass split of the $\Xi$ doublet is measured to be $5.4\pm 1.8$ MeV/c$^2$, consistent with existing measurements. The differential (total) cross sections for the $\Xi^{-}$ have been determined for photon beam energies from 2.75 to 3.85 (4.75) GeV, and are consistent with a possible production mechanism of $Y^*\to K^+\Xi^-$ through a $t$-channel process. The reaction $\gamma p \to K^+ K^+ \pi^-[\Xi^0]$ has also been investigated in search of excited cascade resonances. No significant signal of excited cascade states other than the $\Xi^-(1530)$ is observed. The cross section results of the $\Xi^-(1530)$ have also been obtained for photon beam energies from 3.35 to 4.75 GeV.
Differential cross section for XI- production as a function of the invariant mass of the XI- with either of the K+ mesons for incident photon energy 2.79 Gev.
Differential cross section for XI- production as a function of the invariant mass of the XI- with either of the K+ mesons for incident photon energy 2.89 Gev.
Differential cross section for XI- production as a function of the invariant mass of the XI- with either of the K+ mesons for incident photon energy 2.99 Gev.
The production of D*+-(2010) mesons in ep scattering in the range of exchanged photon virtuality 0.05 < Q^2 < 0.7 GeV^2 has been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 82 pb-1. The decay channels D*+ -> D0 pi+ with D0 -> K- pi+ and corresponding antiparticle decay were used to identify D* mesons and the ZEUS beampipe calorimeter was used to identify the scattered electron. Differential D* cross sections as functions of Q^2, inelasticity, y, transverse momentum of the D* meson, p_T(D*), and pseudorapidity of the D* meson, eta(D*), have been measured in the kinematic region 0.02 < y < 0.85, 1.5 < p_T(D*) < 9.0 GeV and |eta(D*)| < 1.5. The measured differential cross sections are in agreement with two different NLO QCD calculations. The cross sections are also compared to previous ZEUS measurements in the photoproduction and DIS regimes.
Total cross section measurement.. The second DSYS error is due to the uncertainty in the branching ratio.
Measured differential cross section as a function of Q**2.
Measured differential cross section as a function of Y.
The production of energetic neutrons in $ep$ collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The neutron energy and $p_T^2$ distributions were measured with a forward neutron calorimeter and tracker in a $40 \pb^{-1}$ sample of inclusive deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data and a $6 \pb^{-1}$ sample of photoproduction data. The neutron yield in photoproduction is suppressed relative to DIS for the lower neutron energies and the neutrons have a steeper $p_T^2$ distribution, consistent with the expectation from absorption models. The distributions are compared to HERA measurements of leading protons. The neutron energy and transverse-momentum distributions in DIS are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the predictions of particle exchange models. Models of pion exchange incorporating absorption and additional secondary meson exchanges give a good description of the data.
Ratio of leading neutron to inclusive cross sections integrated to the full PT range.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.