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.
We measured the analyzing power A out to P⊥2=7.1 (GeV/c)2 with high precision by scattering a 24-GeV/c unpolarized proton beam from the new University of Michigan polarized proton target; the target’s 1-W cooling power allowed a beam intensity of more than 2×1011 protons per pulse. This high beam intensity together with the unexpectedly high average target polarization of about 85% allowed unusually accurate measurements of A at large P⊥2. These precise data confirmed that the one-spin parameter A is nonzero and indeed quite large at high P⊥2; most theoretical models predict that A should go to zero.
Errors quoted contain both statistical and systematic uncertainties.
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.
No description provided.
2.2 GeV point taken from Brown et al., PR D31(85) 3017.
No description provided.
We measured the analyzing power A and the spin-spin correlation parameter Ann, in large-P⊥2 proton-proton elastic scattering, using a polarized-proton target and the polarized-proton beam at the Brookhaven Alternating-Gradient Synchrotron. We also used our polarimeter to measure A at small P⊥2 at 13 GeV with good precision and found some deviation from the expected 1Plab behavior. At 18.5 GeV/c we found Ann=(−2±16)% at P⊥2=4.7 (GeV/c)2. Comparison with lower-energy data from the Argonne Zero-Gradient Synchrotron shows a sharp and surprising energy dependence for Ann at large P⊥2.
POL is error weighted average of polarized beam and target measurements.
POL is error-weighted average of polarized beam and target measurements.
POL is error-weighted average of polarized beam and target measurement.
The spin analyzing power A in 28-GeV/c proton-proton elastic scattering was measured at P⊥2=6.5 (GeV/c)2 using a polarized proton target and a high-intensity unpolarized proton beam at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. The result of (24±8)% confirms that the analyzing power is large and rising in the large-P⊥2 region.
No description provided.
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.
No description provided.
No description provided.
SYSTEMATIC ERROR ON SLOPE IN 0.8.
Using the new Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron polarized proton beam and our polarized proton target, we measured the spin-spin correlation parameter Ann in 16.5-GeV/c proton-proton elastic scattering. We found an Ann of (6.1±3.0)% at P⊥2=2.2 (GeV/c)2. We also measured the analyzing power A in two independent ways, providing a good test of possible experimental errors. Comparing our new data with 12-GeV Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron data shows no evidence for strong energy dependence in Ann in this medium-P⊥2 region.
ERROR CONTAINS BOTH SYSTEMATIC AND STATISTICAL UNCERTAINTY.
The analyzing power A in 28-GeV/c proton-proton elastic scattering was measured with a polarized proton target and a high-intensity unpolarized proton beam at the Brook-haven National Laboratory alternating-gradient synchrotron. The P⊥2 range of 2.85 to 5.95 (GeV/c)2 was covered with good precision. A small dip of about -3.5% was found near P⊥2=3.5 (GeV/c)2 where a 24-GeV/c CERN experiment had reported a deep dip of about -16% with large errors. In the previously unexplored large-P⊥2 region near 6 (GeV/c)2 these new large-error points suggest that A may be rising.
No description provided.
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