Muon production at forward rapidity (1.5 < |\eta| < 1.8) has been measured by the PHENIX experiment over the transverse momentum range 1 < p_T \le 3 GeV/c in sqrt(s) = 200 GeV p+p collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. After statistically subtracting contributions from light hadron decays an excess remains which is attributed to the semileptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy flavor, i.e. charm quarks or, at high p_T, bottom quarks. The resulting muon spectrum from heavy flavor decays is compared to PYTHIA and a next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculation. PYTHIA is used to determine the charm quark spectrum that would produce the observed muon excess. The corresponding differential cross section for charm quark production at forward rapidity is determined to be d\sigmac c^bar)/dy|_(y=1.6)=0.243 +/- 0.013 (stat.) +/- 0.105 (data syst.) ^(+0.049(-0.087) (PYTHIA syst.) mb.
Differential charm cross section at forward rapidity of 1.6 An additional +0.049 -0.087 systematic uncertainty associated with the PYTHIA normalization is not included in the values given.
The invariant differential cross section for inclusive electron production in $p + p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$~GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range $0.4 \le p_T \le 5.0$~GeV/$c$ in the central rapidity region ($|\eta| \le 0.35$). The contribution to the inclusive electron spectrum from semileptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy flavor, {\it i.e.} charm quarks or, at high $p_T$, bottom quarks, is determined via three independent methods. The resulting electron spectrum from heavy flavor decays is compared to recent leading and next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The total cross section of charm quark-antiquark pair production is determined to be $\sigma_{c\bar{c}} = 0.92 \pm 0.15 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.54 {\rm (sys.)}$~mb.
Inclusive electron invariant differential cross section.
Non-photonic electron invariant cross section.
The transverse single-spin asymmetries of neutral pions and non-identified charged hadrons have been measured at mid-rapidity in polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. The data cover a transverse momentum (p_T) range 0.5-5.0 GeV/c for charged hadrons and 1.0-5.0 GeV/c for neutral pions, at a Feynman-x (x_F) value of approximately zero. The asymmetries seen in this previously unexplored kinematic region are consistent with zero within statistical errors of a few percent. In addition, the inclusive charged hadron cross section at mid-rapidity from 0.5 < p_T < 7.0 GeV/c is presented and compared to NLO pQCD calculations. Successful description of the unpolarized cross section above ~2 GeV/c using NLO pQCD suggests that pQCD is applicable in the interpretation of the asymmetry results in the relevant kinematic range.
Invariant cross section vs. $p_T$ for the production of charged hadrons at mid-rapidity.
Mid-rapidity neutral pion transverse single-spin asymmetry, $A_N$, vs. transverse momentum.
Mid-rapidity charged hadron transverse single-spin asymmetry, $A_N$, vs. transverse momentum.
A measurement of direct photons in p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV is presented. A photon excess above background from pi^0 --> gamma+gamma, eta --> gamma+gamma, and other decays is observed in the transverse momentum range 5.5 < p_T < 7 GeV/c. The result is compared to a next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculation. Within errors, good agreement is found between the QCD calculation and the measured result.
<p>Measured cross section and NLO pQCD calculations for direct-photon production in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$200 GeV. The normalization error of 9.6% is not shown. The two data points plotted with an arrow indicate the beginning of the low- and high-$p_\mathrm{T}$ ranges where the direct photon signal is consistent with zero. The upper edges of the arrows indicate an upper limit (90% confidence level) for the direct photon cross section calculated from the statistical and systematic uncertainty.</p>
J/psi production has been measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)= 200 GeV over a wide rapidity and transverse momentum range by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. Distributions of the rapidity and transverse momentum, along with measurements of the mean transverse momentum and total production cross section are presented and compared to available theoretical calculations. The total J/psi cross section is 3.99 +/- 0.61(stat) +/- 0.58(sys) +/- 0.40(abs) micro barns. The mean transverse momentum is 1.80 +/- 0.23(stat) +/- 0.16(sys) GeV/c.
Measured J/PSI distribution in PT for the e+e- channel. The value of B, the branching fraction to either electrons or muons is the average value from PDG : 5.9%.The rapidity range is -0.35<y<0.35. Incertainties are 1-sigma statistical errors on the (signal - background) net yield. There is a 10% overall absolute cross section normalization error in addition to the error given.
Measured J/PSI distribution in PT for the mu+mu- channel. The value of B, the branching fraction to either electrons or muons, is the average value from PDG: 5.9%.The rapidity range is -2.2<y<-1.2. Incertainties are 1-sigma statistical errors on the (signal - background) net yield.There is a 10% overall absolute cross section normalization error in addition to the error given.
J/PSI distribution in rapidity. The data at rapidity = 0 is from the electron arm, the data from the muon arm, corresponding to forward rapidity is divided in two bins.The value of B,the branching fraction to either electrons or muons, is 5.9%, the average value from PDG.Incertainties are 1-sigma statistical errors on the (signal - background) net yield.There is a 10% overall absolute cross section normalization error in addition to the error given.
The invariant differential cross section for inclusive neutral pion production in p+p collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV has been measured at mid-rapidity |eta| < 0.35 over the range 1 < p_T <~ 14 GeV/c by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. Predictions of next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations are consistent with these measurements. The precision of our result is sufficient to differentiate between prevailing gluon-to-pion fragmentation functions.
The invariant differential cross section as a function of PT. The mean PT here is defined as the PT for which the cross section equals its average over thebin.
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