Measurements of charged pion and kaon production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 158 AGeV are presented. These are compared with data at lower and higher energies as well as with results from p+p interactions. The mean pion multiplicity per wounded nucleon increases approximately linearly with s_NN^1/4 with a change of slope starting in the region 15-40 AGeV. The change from pion suppression with respect to p+p interactions, as observed at low collision energies, to pion enhancement at high energies occurs at about 40 AGeV. A non-monotonic energy dependence of the ratio of K^+ to pi^+ yields is observed, with a maximum close to 40 AGeV and an indication of a nearly constant value at higher energies.The measured dependences may be related to an increase of the entropy production and a decrease of the strangeness to entropy ratio in central Pb+Pb collisions in the low SPS energy range, which is consistent with the hypothesis that a transient state of deconfined matter is created above these energies. Other interpretations of the data are also discussed.
The centrality of the collisions expressed as a percentage of the inelastic cross section (7.15nb), and the mean numbers of wounded nuclei.
The inverse slope parameter of the fitted transverse mass spectra.
The rapidity density averaged over the rapidity interval -0.6 to 0.6.
The elastic electroproduction of phi mesons is studied at HERA with the H1 detector for photon virtualities 1 < Q^2 < 15 GeV^2 and hadronic centre of mass energies 40 < W < 130 GeV. The Q^2 and t dependences of the cross section are extracted (t being the square of the four-momentum transfer to the target proton). When plotted as function of (Q^2 + M_V^2) and scaled by the appropriate SU(5) quark charge factor, the phi meson cross section agrees within errors with the cross sections of the vector mesons V = rho, omega and J/psi. A detailed analysis is performed of the phi meson polarisation state and the ratio of the production cross sections for longitudinally and transversely polarised phi mesons is determined. A small but significant violation of s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) is observed.
The measured ratio of PHI to RHO0 production.
The cross section for elastic PHI meson electro-production calculated by multiplying the PHI/RHO0 cross section ratio by the RHO0 cross section accurately measured in the earlier H1 publication (EPJ C13,371).
The corrected T distribution of elastic PHI meson production for W around 75 GeV and Q2 in the range 2.5 to 15 GeV**2 (mean = 4.8 GeV**2). Statistical error only.
The electroproduction of J/psi and psi(2S) mesons is studied in elastic, quasi-elastic and inclusive reactions for four momentum transfers 2 < Q^2 < 80 GeV^2 and photon-proton centre of mass energies 25 < W < 180 GeV. The data were taken with the H1 detector at the electron proton collider HERA in the years 1995 to 1997. The total virtual photon-proton cross section for elastic J/psi production is measured as a function of Q^2 and W. The dependence of the production rates on the square of the momentum transfer from the proton (t) is extracted. Decay angular distributions are analysed and the ratio of the longitudinal and transverse cross sections is derived. The ratio of the cross sections for quasi-elastic psi(2S) and J/psi meson production is measured as a function of Q^2. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical models based upon perturbative QCD. Differential cross sections for inclusive and inelastic production of J/psi mesons are determined and predictions within two theoretical frameworks are compared with the data, the non-relativistic QCD factorization approach including colour octet and colour singlet contributions, and the model of Soft Colour Interactions.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
The elastic electroproduction of rho mesons is studied at HERA with the H1 detector for a photon virtuality in the range 1 < Q^2 < 60 GeV^2 and for a hadronic centre of mass energy in the range 30 < W < 140 GeV. The shape of the pipi mass distribution in the rho resonance region is measured as a function of Q^2. The full set of rho spin density matrix elements is determined, and evidence is found for a helicity flip amplitude at the level of 8 +- 3 % of the non-flip amplitudes. Measurements are presented of the dependence of the cross section on Q^2, W and t (the four-momentum transfer squared to the proton). They suggest that, especially at large Q^2, the gamma^*p cross section develops a stronger W dependence than that expected from the behaviour of elastic and total hadron-hadron cross sections.
Average values of the spin density matrix elements measured for the 1996 data sample.
Spin density matrix elements measured for 3 Q**2 values for the 1996 data sample.
Spin density matrix elements measured for 3 W values for the 1996 data sample.
Photon diffractive dissociation, $\gamma p \to Xp$, has been studied at HERA with the ZEUS detector using $ep$ interactions where the virtuality $Q^2$ of the exchanged photon is smaller than 0.02 GeV$^2$. The squared four-momentum $t$ exchanged at the proton vertex was determined in the range $0.073<|t|<0.40$ GeV$^2$ by measuring the scattered proton in the ZEUS Leading Proton Spectrometer. In the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy interval $176<W<225$ GeV and for masses of the dissociated photon system $4<M_X<32$ GeV, the $t$ distribution has an exponential shape, $dN/d|t| \propto \exp{(-b|t|)}$, with a slope parameter $b=6.8 \pm 0.9$~(stat.)~$ ^{+1.2}_{-1.1}$~(syst.)~GeV$^{-2}$.
T is the squared four momentum transfer at the proton vertex.
SLOPE of the DN/DT distribution.
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