Charged-particle spectra associated with direct photon ($\gamma_{dir} $) and $\pi^0$ are measured in $p$+$p$ and Au+Au collisions at center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV with the STAR detector at RHIC. A hower-shape analysis is used to partially discriminate between $\gamma_{dir}$ and $\pi^0$. Assuming no associated charged particles in the $\gamma_{dir}$ direction (near side) and small contribution from fragmentation photons ($\gamma_{frag}$), the associated charged-particle yields opposite to $\gamma_{dir}$ (away side) are extracted. At mid-rapidity ($|\eta|<0.9$) in central Au+Au collisions, charged-particle yields associated with $\gamma_{dir}$ and $\pi^0$ at high transverse momentum ($8< p_{T}^{trig}<16$ GeV/$c$) are suppressed by a factor of 3-5 compared with $p$ + $p$ collisions. The observed suppression of the associated charged particles, in the kinematic range $|\eta|<1$ and $3< p_{T}^{assoc} < 16$ GeV/$c$, is similar for $\gamma_{dir}$ and $\pi^0$, and independent of the $\gamma_{dir}$ energy within uncertainties. These measurements indicate that the parton energy loss, in the covered kinematic range, is insensitive to the parton path length.
The $z_{T}$ dependence of $\pi^{0}-h^{\pm}$ near side and away-side associated particle yields. The errors denoted 'syst' are systematic errors correlated in $z_{T}$. The errors denoted 'syst uncorr' are point-to-point systematic errors.
The $z_{T}$ dependence of away-side associated-particle yields for $\pi^{0}-h^{\pm}$ triggers and $\gamma_{dir}$ triggers. The errors denoted 'syst' are systematic errors correlated in $z_{T}$. The errors denoted 'syst uncorr' are point-to-point systematic errors.
The $z_{T}$ dependence $I_{AA}$ for $\pi^{0}-h^{\pm}$ triggers and $\gamma_{dir}$ triggers. The errors denoted 'syst' are systematic errors correlated in $z_{T}$. The errors denoted 'syst uncorr' are point-to-point systematic errors.
Identified charged particle spectra of $\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p$ and $\pbar$ at mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.1$) measured by the $\dedx$ method in the STAR-TPC are reported for $pp$ and d+Au collisions at $\snn = 200$ GeV and for Au+Au collisions at 62.4 GeV, 130 GeV, and 200 GeV. ... [Shortened for arXiv list. Full abstract in manuscript.]
The longitudinal spin transfer, $D_{LL}$, from high energy polarized protons to $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons has been measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200 \mathrm{GeV}$ with the STAR detector at RHIC. The measurements cover pseudorapidity, $\eta$, in the range $|\eta| < 1.2$ and transverse momenta, $p_\mathrm{T}$, up to $4 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The longitudinal spin transfer is found to be $D_{LL}= -0.03\pm 0.13(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.04(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\Lambda$ and $D_{LL} = -0.12 \pm 0.08(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.03(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons with $<\eta> = 0.5$ and $<p_\mathrm{T}> = 3.7 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The dependence on $\eta$ and $p_\mathrm{T}$ is presented.
We report a measurement of high-p_T inclusive pi^0, eta, and direct photon production in p+p and d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV at midrapidity (0 < eta < 1). Photons from the decay pi^0 -> gamma gamma were detected in the Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The eta -> gamma gamma decay was also observed and constituted the first eta measurement by STAR. The first direct photon cross section measurement by STAR is also presented, the signal was extracted statistically by subtracting the pi^0, eta, and omega(782) decay background from the inclusive photon distribution observed in the calorimeter. The analysis is described in detail, and the results are found to be in good agreement with earlier measurements and with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations.
Cross sections for inclusive $\pi^0$ production in p + p and d + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. The solid lines correspond to NLO pQCD calculations. The measured $\pi^0$ cross sections were not corrected for feed-down contributions $\eta$ -> 3$\pi^0$, $\eta$ -> $\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0$, and $K_S^0$ -> $\pi^0\pi^0$, which were expected to be negligible. Normalization uncertainties of 11.7% for p+p and 5.3% for d+Au are not shown.
Nuclear modification factor $R_{CP}$ for $\pi^0$ measured in d + Au collisions, compared to STAR $\pi^{+-}$ measurements [24]. Peripheral d + Au collisions were used where $R_{CP}$ = ratio of particle production in 40-100% centrality (P) events and 0-20% centrality (C) events. Shaded bands in plot are $p_T$-correlated systematic uncertainties and the error bars are statistical uncertainties. Normalization uncertainty of 11.0% indicated by a shaded band around unity.
Direct photon yield in p + p collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV in terms of the double ration $R_{\gamma}$. Shaded bands in plot are $p_T$-correlated systematic uncertainties and the error bars are statistical uncertainties. The curves correspond to NLO pQCD calculations of the differential cross sections for direct photon [68] and $\pi^0$ [52] production in p + p collisions for different factorization scales $\mu$ (the upper pQCD curve corresponds to $\mu$ = $p_T$/2). The upper limit of the fractional neutral hadron contamination $C_0$ is shown as the shaded band at $R_{\gamma}$ = 0.
We report a measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry A_LL and the differential cross section for inclusive Pi0 production at midrapidity in polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. The cross section was measured over a transverse momentum range of 1 < p_T < 17 GeV/c and found to be in good agreement with a next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculation. The longitudinal double-spin asymmetry was measured in the range of 3.7 < p_T < 11 GeV/c and excludes a maximal positive gluon polarization in the proton. The mean transverse momentum fraction of Pi0's in their parent jets was found to be around 0.7 for electromagnetically triggered events.
Cross sections for inclusive $\pi^0$ production in p + p and d + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV, compared to a NLO pQCD calculations [8] based on the DDS set of fragmentation functions [24], and to the STAR $\pi^{+-}$ measurement [25]. Normalization uncertainty of 11.7% is not included.
Longitudinal double-spin asymmetry for inclusive $\pi^0$ production at midrapidity in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV, compared to NLO pQCD calculations based on the gluon distributions from the GRSV [33], GS-C [34], and DSSV [12] global analyses. The systematic error (shaded band) does not include a 9.4% normalization uncertainty due to the beam polarization measurement.
We present the first measurement of midrapidity vector meson φ production in Au+Au collisions at RHIC (sNN=130 GeV) from the STAR detector. For the 11% highest multiplicity collisions, the slope parameter from an exponential fit to the transverse mass distribution is T=379±50(stat)±45(syst) MeV, the yield dN/dy=5.73±0.37(stat)±0.69(syst) per event, and the ratio Nφ/Nh− is found to be 0.021±0.001(stat)±0.004(syst). The measured ratio Nφ/Nh− and T for the φ meson at midrapidity do not change for the selected multiplicity bins.
Slope parameter T, dN/y, $N_\phi/N_h^-$. Systematic uncertainties on T are 12%, on dN/dy are 12%, and on $N_{\phi}/N_{h^-}$ are 22%.
We study the beam-energy and system-size dependence of \phi meson production (using the hadronic decay mode \phi -- K+K-) by comparing the new results from Cu+Cu collisions and previously reported Au+Au collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV measured in the STAR experiment at RHIC. Data presented are from mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) for 0.4 < pT < 5 GeV/c. At a given beam energy, the transverse momentum distributions for \phi mesons are observed to be similar in yield and shape for Cu+Cu and Au+Au colliding systems with similar average numbers of participating nucleons. The \phi meson yields in nucleus-nucleus collisions, normalised by the average number of participating nucleons, are found to be enhanced relative to those from p+p collisions with a different trend compared to strange baryons. The enhancement for \phi mesons is observed to be higher at \sqrt{s_NN} = 200 GeV compared to 62.4 GeV. These observations for the produced \phi(s\bar{s}) mesons clearly suggest that, at these collision energies, the source of enhancement of strange hadrons is related to the formation of a dense partonic medium in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions and cannot be alone due to canonical suppression of their production in smaller systems.
Midrapidity $(|y| < 0.5)$ transverse momentum spectra of $\phi$ mesons for various collision centrality classes for $Cu+Cu$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV. To study the system size dependence, comparison of $40-50\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $10-20\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 200 GeV, and $40-60\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 62.4 GeV are shown. These centralities for the two colliding systems have similar $\langle N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}\rangle$ values as outlined in Table 2. The errors represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. They are found to be within the symbol size. The spectra are fitted to a Levy function discussed in the text.
Midrapidity $(|y| < 0.5)$ transverse momentum spectra of $\phi$ mesons for various collision centrality classes for $Cu+Cu$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV. To study the system size dependence, comparison of $40-50\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $10-20\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 200 GeV, and $40-60\%$ $Au+Au$ spectra to $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ spectra at 62.4 GeV are shown. These centralities for the two colliding systems have similar $\langle N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}\rangle$ values as outlined in Table 2. The errors represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. They are found to be within the symbol size. The spectra are fitted to a Levy function discussed in the text.
Upper panels. $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}$ scaled ($R^{N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}}_{AA}$) nuclear modification factors as a function of $p_{T}$ of $\phi$ mesons for $0-10\%$ and $20-30\%$ $Cu+Cu$ and $Au+Au$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. Lower panel. Same as above for $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}$ scaled ($R^{N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}}_{AA}$) nuclear modification factor. The error bars represent the statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature. The shaded band in upper panel around 1 at $p_{T}=4.5-5.5$ GeV/$c$ in the right side reflects the uncertainty in $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{part}}}$ and that on the lower panel for $N_{\scriptsize{\mbox{bin}}}$ calculation for central $Au+Au$ collisions. The respective uncertainties for central $Cu+Cu$ collisions are of similar order.
We report a new STAR measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry A_LL for inclusive jet production at mid-rapidity in polarized p+p collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. The data, which cover jet transverse momenta 5 < p_T < 30 GeV/c, are substantially more precise than previous measurements. They provide significant new constraints on the gluon spin contribution to the nucleon spin through the comparison to predictions derived from one global fit of polarized deep-inelastic scattering measurements.
Longitudinal double-spin asymmetry $A_{LL}$ for inclusive jet production at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV versus jet $p_{T}$. The points show results for particle jets with statistical error bars, while the curves show predictions for NLO parton jets from one global analysis [14]. The gray boxes indicate the systematic uncertainties on the measured $A_{LL}$ values (vertical) and in the corrections to the measured jet $p_{T}$ and the conversion between particle jet and NLO parton jet $p_{T}$ (horizontal).
We report the measurement of Lamda and Anti-Lamda yields and inverse slope parameters in d + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV at forward and backward rapidities (y = +- 2.75), using data from the STAR forward time projection chambers. The contributions of different processes to baryon transport and particle production are probed exploiting the inherent asymmetry of the d + Au system. Comparisons to model calculations show that the baryon transport on the deuteron side is consistent with multiple collisions of the deuteron nucleons with gold participants. On the gold side HIJING based models do not describe the measured particle yields while models with initial state nuclear effects and/or hadronic rescattering do. The Multi-Chain Model can provide a good description of the net baryon density in d + Au collisions at RHIC, and the derived parameters of the model agree with those from nuclear collisions at lower energies.
$\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio and net $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ yields as a function of collision centrality on both the deuteron (left) and the gold side (right). On the deuteron side, centrality is expressed by the number of collisions per deuteron participant, while on the gold side the number of Au participants is chosen. Only statistical errors are shown. The increase in baryon number transport with centrality, shown by the net $\Lambda$ yield, is matched by the increase of $\overline{\Lambda}$-$\Lambda$ pair production, thus keeping the $\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio constant over a wide centrality range.
$\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio and net $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ yields as a function of collision centrality on both the deuteron (left) and the gold side (right). On the deuteron side, centrality is expressed by the number of collisions per deuteron participant, while on the gold side the number of Au participants is chosen. Only statistical errors are shown. The increase in baryon number transport with centrality, shown by the net $\Lambda$ yield, is matched by the increase of $\overline{\Lambda}$-$\Lambda$ pair production, thus keeping the $\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio constant over a wide centrality range.
$\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio and net $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ yields as a function of collision centrality on both the deuteron (left) and the gold side (right). On the deuteron side, centrality is expressed by the number of collisions per deuteron participant, while on the gold side the number of Au participants is chosen. Only statistical errors are shown. The increase in baryon number transport with centrality, shown by the net $\Lambda$ yield, is matched by the increase of $\overline{\Lambda}$-$\Lambda$ pair production, thus keeping the $\overline{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio constant over a wide centrality range.
The STAR collaboration reports the first observation of exclusive rho^0 photo-production, AuAu->AuAu rho^0, and rho^0 production accompanied by mutual nuclear Coulomb excitation, AuAu->Au*Au*rho^0, in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion collisions. The rho^0 have low transverse momenta, consistent with coherent coupling to both nuclei. The cross sections at sqrt(s_NN)=130GeV agree with theoretical predictions treating rho^0 production and Coulomb excitation as independent processes.