The extreme temperatures and energy densities generated by ultra-relativistic collisions between heavy nuclei produce a state of matter with surprising fluid properties. Non-central collisions have angular momentum on the order of 1000$\hbar$, and the resulting fluid may have a strong vortical structure that must be understood to properly describe the fluid. It is also of particular interest because the restoration of fundamental symmetries of quantum chromodynamics is expected to produce novel physical effects in the presence of strong vorticity. However, no experimental indications of fluid vorticity in heavy ion collisions have so far been found. Here we present the first measurement of an alignment between the angular momentum of a non-central collision and the spin of emitted particles, revealing that the fluid produced in heavy ion collisions is by far the most vortical system ever observed. We find that $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ hyperons show a positive polarization of the order of a few percent, consistent with some hydrodynamic predictions. A previous measurement that reported a null result at higher collision energies is seen to be consistent with the trend of our new observations, though with larger statistical uncertainties. These data provide the first experimental access to the vortical structure of the "perfect fluid" created in a heavy ion collision. They should prove valuable in the development of hydrodynamic models that quantitatively connect observations to the theory of the Strong Force. Our results extend the recent discovery of hydrodynamic spin alignment to the subatomic realm.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy. A 0.8% error on the alpha value used in the paper is corrected in this table. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy calculated using the new $\alpha_\Lambda=0.732$ updated on PDG2020. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
The analyzing powers of π+ and π− were measured using an incident 22−GeV/c transversely polarized proton beam at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. A magnetic spectrometer measured π± inclusive asymmetries on a hydrogen and a carbon target. An elastic polarimeter with a CH2 target measured pp elastic-scattering asymmetries to determine the beam polarization using published data for the pp elastic analyzing power. Using the beam polarization determined from the elastic polarimeter and asymmetries from the inclusive spectrometer, analyzing powers AN for π± were determined in the xF and pT ranges (0.45–0.8) and (0.3–1.2 GeV/c), respectively. The analyzing power results are similar in both sign and character to other measurements at 200 and 11.7 GeV/c, confirming the expectation that high-energy pion inclusive analyzing powers remain large and relatively energy independent. This suggests that pion inclusive polarimetry may be a suitable method for measuring future beam polarizations at BNL RHIC or DESY HERA. Analyzing powers of π+ and π− produced on hydrogen and carbon targets are the same. Various models to explain inclusive analyzing powers are also discussed.
Analyzing power measurements for PI+ and PI- production on the carbon target at incident momentum 21.6 GeV. See text of article for definitions of method 'A' and 'B'.
Analyzing power measurements for inclusive PI- production from the hydrogen target.
Analyzing power measurements for inclusive PI+ production from the hydrogen target.
We present a measurement of the polarization of Antilambda hyperons produced in nu_mu charged current interactions. The full data sample from the NOMAD experiment has been analyzed using the same V0 identification procedure and analysis method reported in a previous paper for the case of Lambda hyperons. The Antilambda polarization has been measured for the first time in a neutrino experiment. The polarization vector is found to be compatible with zero.
Lambdabar polarization in regions of Feynman X (XL).
Lambdabar polarization in regions of the Bjorken scaling variable X.
A single-spin asymmetry in the inclusive π 0 production at small x F was measured. In the experiment 40 GeV/c π − mesons were incident on transversely polarized protons and deutrons. An asymmetry of (40–50)% has been revealed in the hard scattering region.
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Accelerating polarized protons to 22 GeV/c at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchro- tron required both extensive hardware modifications and a difficult commissioning process. We had to overcome 45 strong depolarizing resonances to maintain polarization up to 22 GeV/c in this strong-focusing synchrotron. At 18.5 GeV/c we measured the analyzing power A and the spin-spin correlation parameter Ann in large- P⊥2 proton-proton elastic scattering, using the polarized proton beam and a polarized proton target. We also obtained a high-precision measurement of A at P⊥2=0.3 (GeV/c)2 at 13.3 GeV/c. At 18.5 GeV/c we found that Ann=(-2±16)% at P⊥2=4.7 (GeV/c)2, where it was about 60% near 12 GeV at the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron. This sharp change suggests that spin-spin forces may have a strong and unexpected energy dependence at high P⊥2.
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2.2 GeV point taken from Brown et al., PR D31(85) 3017.
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Exclusive ϱ 0 production has been measured in 120, 200 and 280 GeV muon-proton interactions at high Q 2 (1 GeV 2 < Q 2 < 25 GeV 2 ) and W (6 GeV < W < 19 GeV). The photoproduction cross section decreases as 1/ Q 4 . A shallow t distribution, typical of a hard scattering process is observed and the ϱ 0 is found to be dominantly in the helicity zero spin state. The ϱ 0 s are mainly produced by transverse photons and s -channel helicity conservation seems to be invalid. The data cannot be described by the vector meson dominance model. These data show that at high Q 2 even exclusive ϱ 0 muoproduction is a hard scattering process and that the soft hadron-like properties of the photon have disappeared.
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SYSTEMATIC ERROR ON SLOPE IN 0.8.
Results on photoproduction of π + π − π 0 in the photon energy range 20–70 GeV are presented. For the ω meson, the production cross-section is found to be 1010±15 (statistical)±290 (systematic) nb and is constant over the incident photon energy range. Spin-density matrix elements are evaluated for ω meson production. The φ meson is observed with a total photoproduction cross section (corrected for branching ratio to π + π − π 0 ) of 610±35±170 nb. A third resonance, at 1.67 GeV, is seen in the mass spectrum and its interpretation is discussed. The production of a broad π + π − π 0 continuum, mainly via ϱπ, and peaking at 1.2 GeV, contributes with a cross section of about 2.5 ωb. The spin-parity content is analysed by the moments of the π + π − π 0 decay angular distribution in the helicity frame and by maximum likelihood fits to the π + π − π 0 Dalitz plot. It is found that production of J P = 1 − states accounts for less than half of the total mass spectrum above 900 MeV. There is a broad enhancement in the 1 + wave around 1.15 GeV indicating photoproduction of the H(1190) meson.
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EXPONENTIAL FITS TO D(SIG)/DT IN OMEGA MASS REGION.
EXPONENTIAL FITS TO D(SIG)/DT OVER FULL ENERGY FOR THREE MASS REGIONS CORRESPONDING TO OMEGA, PHI AND OMEGA*.
The analyzing power, A, was measured in proton-proton elastic scattering with use of a polarized proton target and 28-GeV/c primary protons from the alternating-gradient synchrotron. Over the P⊥2 range of 0.5 to 2.8 (GeV/c)2, the data show interesting structure. There is a rather sharp dip at P⊥2=0.8 (GeV/c)2 corresponding to the break in the elastic differential cross section at the end of the diffraction peak.
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