We present the first data on $e^+e^-$ pair production accompanied by nuclear breakup in ultra-peripheral gold-gold collisions at a center of mass energy of 200 GeV per nucleon pair. The nuclear breakup requirement selects events at small impact parameters, where higher-order corrections to the pair production cross section should be enhanced. We compare the pair kinematic distributions with two calculations: one based on the equivalent photon approximation, and the other using lowest-order quantum electrodynamics (QED): the latter includes the photon virtuality. The cross section, pair mass, rapidity and angular distributions are in good agreement with both calculations. The pair transverse momentum, $p_T$, spectrum agrees with the QED calculation, but not with the equivalent photon approach. We set limits on higher-order contributions to the cross section. The $e^+$ and $e^-$ $p_T$ spectra are similar, with no evidence for interference effects due to higher-order diagrams.
(a) The pair mass distribution, (b) pair $p){T}$ , (c) pair rapidity and (d) pair cos($\theta′$) distributions. The data (points) are compared with predictions from the EPA (solid histogram) and lowest-order QED (dashed histogram) calculations. The error bars include both statistical and systematic errors.
(a) The pair mass distribution, (b) pair $p){T}$ , (c) pair rapidity and (d) pair cos($\theta′$) distributions. The data (points) are compared with predictions from the EPA (solid histogram) and lowest-order QED (dashed histogram) calculations. The error bars include both statistical and systematic errors.
(a) The pair mass distribution, (b) pair $p){T}$ , (c) pair rapidity and (d) pair cos($\theta′$) distributions. The data (points) are compared with predictions from the EPA (solid histogram) and lowest-order QED (dashed histogram) calculations. The error bars include both statistical and systematic errors.
Identified pi^[+/-] K^[+/-], p and p-bar transverse momentum spectra at mid-rapidity in sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au-Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse momenta increase with the number of participating nucleons in a similar way for all particle species. The multiplicity densities scale faster than the number of participating nucleons. Kaon and nucleon yields per participant increase faster than the pion yields. In central collisions at high transverse momenta (p_T greater than 2 GeV/c), anti-proton and proton yields are comparable to the pion yields.
Transverse momentum spectra for PI+ in the midrapidity range for the centrality region 0 to 5 PCT. Errors are combined statistical and systematics.
Transverse momentum spectra for PI- in the midrapidity range for the centrality region 0 to 5 PCT. Errors are combined statistical and systematics.
Transverse momentum spectra for K+ in the midrapidity range for the centrality region 0 to 5 PCT. Errors are combined statistical and systematics.