In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a global spin polarization, $P_\mathrm{H}$, of $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons along the direction of the system angular momentum was discovered and measured across a broad range of collision energies and demonstrated a trend of increasing $P_\mathrm{H}$ with decreasing $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$. A splitting between $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ polarization may be possible due to their different magnetic moments in a late-stage magnetic field sustained by the quark-gluon plasma which is formed in the collision. The results presented in this study find no significant splitting at the collision energies of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=19.6$ and $27$ GeV in the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase II using the STAR detector, with an upper limit of $P_{\bar{\Lambda}}-P_{\Lambda}<0.24$% and $P_{\bar{\Lambda}}-P_{\Lambda}<0.35$%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. We derive an upper limit on the na\"ive extraction of the late-stage magnetic field of $B<9.4\cdot10^{12}$ T and $B<1.4\cdot10^{13}$ T at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=19.6$ and $27$ GeV, respectively, although more thorough derivations are needed. Differential measurements of $P_\mathrm{H}$ were performed with respect to collision centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity. With our current acceptance of $|y|<1$ and uncertainties, we observe no dependence on transverse momentum and rapidity in this analysis. These results challenge multiple existing model calculations following a variety of different assumptions which have each predicted a strong dependence on rapidity in this collision-energy range.
The first-order event-plane resolution determined by the STAR EPD as a function of collision centrality is roughly doubled in comparison to previous analyses using the STAR BBC. We see $R_{\rm EP}^{(1)}$ peak for mid-central collisions.
The mid-central $P_{\rm H}$ measurements reported in this work are shown alongside previous measurements in the upper panel, and are consistent with previous measurements at the energies studied here. The difference between integrated $P_{\bar{\Lambda}}$ and $P_{\Lambda}$ is shown at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$=19.6 and 27 GeV alongside previous measurements in the lower panel. The splittings observed with these high-statistics data sets are consistent with zero. Statistical uncertainties are represented as lines while systematic uncertainties are represented as boxes. The previous $P_{\bar{\Lambda}}-P_{\Lambda}$ result at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=7.7$ GeV is outside the axis range, but is consistent with zero within $2\sigma$.
$P_{\rm H}$ measurements are shown as a function of collision centrality at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=19.6 and 27 GeV. Statistical uncertainties are represented as lines while systematic uncertainties are represented as boxes. $P_{\rm H}$ increases with collision centrality at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=19.6 and 27 GeV, as expected from an angular-momentum-driven phenomenon.
The STAR Collaboration reports the measurement of semi-inclusive distributions of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum hadron trigger, in central and peripheral Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. Charged jets are reconstructed with the anti-kT algorithm for jet radii R between 0.2 and 0.5 and with low infrared cutoff of track constituents ($p_T>0.2$ GeV/c). A novel mixed-event technique is used to correct the large uncorrelated background present in heavy ion collisions. Corrected recoil jet distributions are reported at mid-rapidity, for charged-jet transverse momentum $p_T^\mathrm{jet,ch}<30$ GeV/c. Comparison is made to similar measurements for Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV, to calculations for p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV based on the PYTHIA Monte Carlo generator and on a Next-to-Leading Order perturbative QCD approach, and to theoretical calculations incorporating jet quenching. The recoil jet yield is suppressed in central relative to peripheral collisions, with the magnitude of the suppression corresponding to medium-induced charged energy transport out of the jet cone of $2.8\pm0.2\mathrm{(stat)}\pm1.5\mathrm{(sys)}$ GeV/c, for $10<p_T^\mathrm{jet,ch}<20$ GeV/c and R = 0.5. No medium-induced change in jet shape is observed for $R<0.5$. The azimuthal distribution of low-$p_T^\mathrm{jet,ch}$ recoil jets may be enhanced at large azimuthal angles to the trigger axis, due to scattering off quasi-particles in the hot QCD medium. Measurement of this distribution gives a 90% statistical confidence upper limit to the yield enhancement at large deflection angles in central Au+Au collisions of $50\pm30\mathrm{(sys)\%}$ of the large-angle yield in p+pcollisions predicted by PYTHIA.
Distribution of p_{T,jet}^{reco,ch} for Au + Au collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV for R = 0.2 jets in central events.
Distribution of p_{T,jet}^{reco,ch} for Au + Au collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV for R = 0.2 jets in central events, mixed events.
Distribution of p_{T,jet}^{reco,ch} for Au + Au collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV for R = 0.2 jets in peripheral events.
We present measurements of elliptic flow ($v_2$) of electrons from the decays of heavy-flavor hadrons ($e_{HF}$) by the STAR experiment. For Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = $ 200 GeV we report $v_2$, for transverse momentum ($p_T$) between 0.2 and 7 GeV/c using three methods: the event plane method ($v_{2}${EP}), two-particle correlations ($v_2${2}), and four-particle correlations ($v_2${4}). For Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 62.4 and 39 GeV we report $v_2${2} for $p_T< 2$ GeV/c. $v_2${2} and $v_2${4} are non-zero at low and intermediate $p_T$ at 200 GeV, and $v_2${2} is consistent with zero at low $p_T$ at other energies. The $v_2${2} at the two lower beam energies is systematically lower than at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = $ 200 GeV for $p_T < 1$ GeV/c. This difference may suggest that charm quarks interact less strongly with the surrounding nuclear matter at those two lower energies compared to $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 200$ GeV.
Signal-to-background (S/B) ratio as a function of transverse momentum, Au+Au 200 GeV, 0-60% central events with minimum bias trigger
Signal-to-background (S/B) ratio as a function of transverse momentum, Au+Au 200 GeV, 0-60% central events with with High Tower (high pT) trigger
Signal-to-background (S/B) ratio as a function of transverse momentum, Au+Au 39 GeV, 0-60% central events with minimum bias trigger
We report measurements of the charge-separated $W^{+(-)} \to e^{+(-)} + \nu_e(\bar{\nu}_e)$ and $Z/\gamma^* \to e^+e^-$ production cross sections at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 500 GeV. These results are based on 13.2 pb$^{-1}$ of data recorded in 2009 by the STAR detector at RHIC. Production cross sections for W bosons that decay via the $e \nu$ channel were measured to be $\sigma(pp \to W^+ X) \cdot BR(W^+ \to e^+ \nu_e)$ = 117.3 \pm 5.9(stat) \pm 6.2(syst) \pm 15.2(lumi) pb, and $\sigma(pp \to W^- X) \cdot BR(W^- \to e^- \bar{\nu}_e)$ = 43.3 \pm 4.6(stat) \pm 3.4(syst) \pm 5.6(lumi) pb. For $Z/\gamma^*$ production, $\sigma(pp \to Z/\gamma^* X) \cdot BR(Z/\gamma^* \to e^+ e^-)$ = 7.7 \pm 2.1(stat) $^{+0.5}_{-0.9}$(syst) \pm 1.0(lumi) pb for di-lepton invariant masses $m_{e^+e^-}$ between 70 and 110 GeV/$c^2$. First measurements of the W cross section ratio, $\sigma(pp \to W^+ X) / \sigma(pp \to W^- X)$, at $\sqrt{s}$ = 500 GeV are also reported. Theoretical predictions, calculated using recent parton distribution functions, are found to agree with the measured cross sections.
(Color online) Distributions of the invariant mass of pairs of oppositely charged $e^{\pm}$ candidates after sequentially applying the selection criteria described in Sec. IV A to both $e^{\pm}$ candidates.
(Color online) Distributions of the invariant mass of $Z/\gamma^{*} \to e^{+}e^{−}$ candidate events satisfying all selection criteria described in Sec. IVC. The $Z/\gamma^{*} \to e^{+}e^{−}$ MC distribution (dashed line) is shown for comparison. Note the larger bin widths relative to Fig. 7
(Color online) $E^{e}_{T}$ distribution of $W^{+}$ (top) and $W^{−}$ (bottom) candidate events, background components, and $W \to e\nu$ MC signal for comparison. Note the factor of two difference in the vertical scales.
We present the measurement of the transverse single-spin asymmetry of weak boson production in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 500~\text{GeV}$ by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The measured observable is sensitive to the Sivers function, one of the transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions, which is predicted to have the opposite sign in proton-proton collisions from that observed in deep inelastic lepton-proton scattering. These data provide the first experimental investigation of the non-universality of the Sivers function, fundamental to our understanding of QCD.
$P_{T}$ Recoil distribution of events simulated with PYTHIA 6.4 and reconstructed before and after the boson's PT correction has been applied.
Estimated background contributions for the $W^+ -> ev$ data yields.
Estimated background contributions for the $W^- -> ev$ data yields.
Event-by-event fluctuations of the ratio of inclusive charged to photon multiplicities at forward rapidity in Au+Au collision at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV have been studied. Dominant contribution to such fluctuations is expected to come from correlated production of charged and neutral pions. We search for evidences of dynamical fluctuations of different physical origins. Observables constructed out of moments of multiplicities are used as measures of fluctuations. Mixed events and model calculations are used as baselines. Results are compared to the dynamical net-charge fluctuations measured in the same acceptance. A non-zero statistically significant signal of dynamical fluctuations is observed in excess to the model prediction when charged particles and photons are measured in the same acceptance. We find that, unlike dynamical net-charge fluctuation, charge-neutral fluctuation is not dominated by correlation due to particle decay. Results are compared to the expectations based on the generic production mechanism of pions due to isospin symmetry, for which no significant (<1%) deviation is observed.
Multiplicity distributions of raw charged particles and photons.
The $v_{dyn}$ and the three terms of $v_{dyn}$ vs $\sqrt{\langle N_{ch}\rangle \langle N_{\gamma}\rangle }$ for real events. $\omega_{ch}^{real}$ is plotted.
The $v_{dyn}$ and the three terms of $v_{dyn}$ vs $\sqrt{\langle N_{ch}\rangle \langle N_{\gamma}\rangle }$ for mixed events. $\omega_{ch}^{mixed}$ is plotted.
We report the beam energy (\sqrt s_{NN} = 7.7 - 200 GeV) and collision centrality dependence of the mean (M), standard deviation (\sigma), skewness (S), and kurtosis (\kappa) of the net-proton multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions. The measurements are carried out by the STAR experiment at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) and within the transverse momentum range 0.4 < pT < 0.8 GeV/c in the first phase of the Beam Energy Scan program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. These measurements are important for understanding the Quantum Chromodynamic (QCD) phase diagram. The products of the moments, S\sigma and \kappa\sigma^{2}, are sensitive to the correlation length of the hot and dense medium created in the collisions and are related to the ratios of baryon number susceptibilities of corresponding orders. The products of moments are found to have values significantly below the Skellam expectation and close to expectations based on independent proton and anti-proton production. The measurements are compared to a transport model calculation to understand the effect of acceptance and baryon number conservation, and also to a hadron resonance gas model.
$\Delta N_p$ multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{S_{NN}}=7.7$ GeV for 0-5 percent, 30-40 percent and 70-80 percent collision centralities at midrapidity.
$\Delta N_p$ multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{S_{NN}}=11.5$ GeV for 0-5 percent, 30-40 percent and 70-80 percent collision centralities at midrapidity.
$\Delta N_p$ multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{S_{NN}}=19.6$ GeV for 0-5 percent, 30-40 percent and 70-80 percent collision centralities at midrapidity.
We report the first measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry $A_{LL}$ for mid-rapidity di-jet production in polarized $pp$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. The di-jet cross section was measured and is shown to be consistent with next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD predictions. $A_{LL}$ results are presented for two distinct topologies, defined by the jet pseudorapidities, and are compared to predictions from several recent NLO global analyses. The measured asymmetries, the first such correlation measurements, support those analyses that find positive gluon polarization at the level of roughly 0.2 over the region of Bjorken-$x > 0.05$.
The particle-level di-jet differential cross section. The systematic uncertainty on the data contains contributions from track finding efficiency, track transverse momentum resolution, calorimeter energy resolution, and unfolding uncertainties. For the theory, values are given for the underlying event and hadronization (UEH) correction uncertainty and the quadrature sum of the UEH and theoretical uncertainties. Both the UEH and theoretical uncertainties include contributions from factorization and renormalization scale uncertainties and PDF uncertainties. An 8.8% uncertainty common to all points due to the integrated luminosity determination is also present, but not included in the systematic values quoted below.
Values of gluon X1 and X2 obtained from the PYTHIA detector-level simulation for the same-sign di-jet topology compared to the gluon X distribution for inclusive jets. The inclusive distribution has been scaled down by a factor of 20 compared to the di-jet distributions.
Values of gluon X1 and X2 obtained from the PYTHIA detector-level simulation for the opposite-sign di-jet topology compared to the gluon X distribution for inclusive jets. The inclusive distribution has been scaled down by a factor of 20 compared to the di-jet distributions.
The differential cross section and spin asymmetries for neutral pions produced within the intermediate pseudorapidity range 0.8 < {\eta} < 2.0 in polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt{s} = 200 GeV are presented. Neutral pions were detected using the endcap electromagnetic calorimeter in the STAR detector at RHIC. The cross section was measured over a transverse momentum range of 5 < p_T < 16 GeV/c and is found to be within the scale uncertainty of a next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculation. The longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, A_LL, is measured in the same pseudorapidity range. This quantity is sensitive to the gluonic contribution to the proton spin, {\Delta}g(x), at low Bjorken-x (down to x approx 0.01), where it is less constrained by measurements at central pseudorapidity. The measured A_LL is consistent with model predictions. The parity-violating asymmetry, A_L, is also measured and found to be consistent with zero. The transverse single-spin asymmetry, A_N, is measured within a previously unexplored kinematic range in Feynman-x and p_T. Such measurements may aid our understanding of the on-set and kinematic dependence of the large asymmetries observed at more forward pseudorapidity ({\eta} approx 3) and their underlying mechanisms. The A_N results presented are consistent with a twist-3 model prediction of a small asymmetry within the present kinematic range.
Distributions of x1 and x2 in two different bins of reconstructed $\pi^{0}$ pT for events at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV over 0.8 < $\eta$ < 2.
Comparison of data to Monte Carlo for the distributions of two-photon invariant mass (left) and energy for the higher (center) and lower (right) energy photon.
Comparison of data to Monte Carlo for the distributions of two-photon invariant mass (left) and energy for the higher (center) and lower (right) energy photon.
The inclusive $J/\psi$ transverse momentum ($p_{T}$) spectra and nuclear modification factors are reported at midrapidity ($|y|<1.0$) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV taken by the STAR experiment. A suppression of $J/\psi$ production, with respect to {\color{black}the production in $p+p$ scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions}, is observed in central Au+Au collisions at these three energies. No significant energy dependence of nuclear modification factors is found within uncertainties. The measured nuclear modification factors can be described by model calculations that take into account both suppression of direct $J/\psi$ production due to the color screening effect and $J/\psi$ regeneration from recombination of uncorrelated charm-anticharm quark pairs.
J/psi invariant yields in Au+Au collisions = 39 GeV as a function of pT for different centralities.
J/psi invariant yields in Au+Au collisions = 62.4 GeV as a function of pT for different centralities.
J/psi invariant yields in Au+Au collisions = 200 GeV as a function of pT for different centralities.
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