Systematic study of nuclear effects in $p$ $+$Al, $p$ $+$Au, $d$ $+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV using $\pi^0$ production

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Adare, A. ; Aidala, C. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 105 (2022) 064902, 2022.
Inspire Record 1965617 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.115023

The PHENIX collaboration presents a systematic study of $\pi^0$ production from $p$ $+$ $p$, $p$ $+$Al, $p$ $+$Au, $d$ $+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Measurements were performed with different centrality selections as well as the total inelastic, 0%--100%, selection for all collision systems. For 0%--100% collisions, the nuclear modification factors, $R_{xA}$, are consistent with unity for $p_T$ above 8 GeV/$c$, but exhibit an enhancement in peripheral collisions and a suppression in central collisions. The enhancement and suppression characteristics are similar for all systems for the same centrality class. It is shown that for high-$p_T$-$\pi^0$ production, the nucleons in the $d$ and $^3$He interact mostly independently with the Au nucleus and that the counter intuitive centrality dependence is likely due to a physical correlation between multiplicity and the presence of a hard scattering process. These observations disfavor models where parton energy loss has a significant contribution to nuclear modifications in small systems. Nuclear modifications at lower $p_T$ resemble the Cronin effect -- an increase followed by a peak in central or inelastic collisions and a plateau in peripheral collisions. The peak height has a characteristic ordering by system size as $p$ $+$Au $>$ $d$ $+$Au $>$ $^{3}$He$+$Au $>$ $p$ $+$Al. For collisions with Au ions, current calculations based on initial state cold nuclear matter effects result in the opposite order, suggesting the presence of other contributions to nuclear modifications, in particular at lower $p_T$.

28 data tables

Differential cross section of $\pi^0$ in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV

Invariant yield of $\pi^0$ from (a) p+Al, (b) p+Au, (c) d+Au, and (d) $^{3}$HeAu in different centrality selections at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV

Nuclear modification factors from inelastic (a) p+Al, (b) p+Au, (c) d+Au, and (d) $^{3}$HeAu collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV. The right boxes are the $N_{coll}$ uncertainties from the Glauber model, while the left box represents the overall normalization uncertainty from p+p collisions

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Transverse single spin asymmetries of forward neutrons in $p+p$, $p+$Al and $p+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV as a function of transverse and longitudinal momenta

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Aidala, C. ; Akiba, Y. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 105 (2022) 032004, 2022.
Inspire Record 1944868 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.131759

In 2015 the PHENIX collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider recorded $p+p$, $p+$Al, and $p+$Au collision data at center of mass energies of $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV with the proton beam(s) transversely polarized. At very forward rapidities $\eta>6.8$ relative to the polarized proton beam, neutrons were detected either inclusively or in (anti)correlation with detector activity related to hard collisions. The resulting single spin asymmetries, that were previously reported, have now been extracted as a function of the transverse momentum of the neutron as well as its longitudinal momentum fraction $x_F$. The explicit kinematic dependence, combined with the correlation information allows for a closer look at the interplay of different mechanisms suggested to describe these asymmetries, such as hadronic interactions or electromagnetic interactions in ultra-peripheral collisions, UPC. Events that are correlated with a hard collision indeed display a mostly negative asymmetry that increases in magnitude as a function of transverse momentum with only little dependence on $x_F$. In contrast, events that are not likely to have emerged from a hard collision display positive asymmetries for the nuclear collisions with a kinematic dependence that resembles that of a UPC based model. Because the UPC interaction depends strongly on the charge of the nucleus, those effects are very small for $p+p$ collisions, moderate for $p+$Al collisions, and large for $p+$Au collisions.

8 data tables

Measured forward neutron single spin asymmetries in p+p collisions as a function of pT in bins of xF

Measured forward neutron single spin asymmetries in p+Al collisions as a function of pT in bins of xF

Measured forward neutron single spin asymmetries in p+Au collisions as a function of pT in bins of xF

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Kinematic dependence of azimuthal anisotropies in $p$ $+$ Au, $d$ $+$ Au, $^3$He $+$ Au at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV 

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Adare, A. ; Aidala, C. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 105 (2022) 024901, 2022.
Inspire Record 2026169 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.132366

There is strong evidence for the formation of small droplets of quark-gluon plasma in $p/d/^{3}$He+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and in $p$+$p$/Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. In particular, the analysis of data at RHIC for different geometries obtained by varying the projectile size and shape has proven insightful. In the present analysis, we find excellent agreement with the previously published PHENIX at RHIC results on elliptical and triangular flow with an independent analysis via the two-particle correlation method, which has quite different systematic uncertainties and an independent code base. In addition, the results are extended to other detector combinations with different kinematic (pseudorapidity) coverage. These results provide additional constraints on contributions from nonflow and longitudinal decorrelations.

59 data tables

$v_2$ vs $p_T$, p+Au at 200 GeV, 0-5% central, BBCS-FVTXS-CNT detector combination

$v_2$ vs $p_T$, d+Au at 200 GeV, 0-5% central, BBCS-FVTXS-CNT detector combination

$v_2$ vs $p_T$, 3He+Au at 200 GeV, 0-5% central, BBCS-FVTXS-CNT detector combination

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Probing gluon spin-momentum correlations in transversely polarized protons through midrapidity isolated direct photons in $p^\uparrow+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Aidala, C. ; Akiba, Y. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.Lett. 127 (2021) 162001, 2021.
Inspire Record 1848987 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.131760

Studying spin-momentum correlations in hadronic collisions offers a glimpse into a three-dimensional picture of proton structure. The transverse single-spin asymmetry for midrapidity isolated direct photons in $p^\uparrow+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV is measured with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Because direct photons in particular are produced from the hard scattering and do not interact via the strong force, this measurement is a clean probe of initial-state spin-momentum correlations inside the proton and is in particular sensitive to gluon interference effects within the proton. This is the first time direct photons have been used as a probe of spin-momentum correlations at RHIC. The uncertainties on the results are a fifty-fold improvement with respect to those of the one prior measurement for the same observable, from the Fermilab E704 experiment. These results constrain gluon spin-momentum correlations in transversely polarized protons.

2 data tables

The direct photon background fraction from Figure 1. This is the estimated fraction of photons in the isolated direct photon sample that came from either $\pi^0 \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ or $\eta \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ decays but the second decay photon is not measured and so these background photons are not eliminated by the tagging cut. These fractions are calculated for the PHENIX EMCal during the 2015 $p$+$p$ run

The transverse single-spin asymmetry of isolated direct photons for $|\eta|<0.35$ in $p^\uparrow$$+$$p$ collisions with $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. This data appears in both Figure 2 and Table I. An additional scale uncertainty of 3.4% due to the polarization uncertainty is not included.


Transverse momentum dependent forward neutron single spin asymmetries in transversely polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Aidala, C. ; Akiba, Y. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 103 (2021) 032007, 2021.
Inspire Record 1834002 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.106656

In 2015, the PHENIX collaboration has measured very forward ($\eta>6.8$) single-spin asymmetries of inclusive neutrons in transversely polarized proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions at a center of mass energy of 200 GeV. A previous publication from this data set concentrated on the nuclear dependence of such asymmetries. In this measurement the explicit transverse-momentum dependence of inclusive neutron single spin asymmetries for proton-proton collisions is extracted using a bootstrapping-unfolding technique on the transverse momenta. This explicit transverse-momentum dependence will help improve the understanding of the mechanisms that create these asymmetries.

4 data tables

Measured and unfolded forward neutron single spin asymmetries using 3rd order polynomial parameterization in unfolding

Measured and unfolded forward neutron single spin asymmetries using a Power law parameterization in unfolding

Measured and unfolded forward neutron single spin asymmetries using an exponential parameterization in unfolding

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Transverse single-spin asymmetries of midrapidity $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons in polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Aidala, C. ; Akiba, Y. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 103 (2021) 052009, 2021.
Inspire Record 1833997 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.105043

We present a measurement of the transverse single-spin asymmetry for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons in $p^\uparrow$ $+$ $p$ collisions in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta|<0.35$ and at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In comparison with previous measurements in this kinematic region, these results have a factor of 3 smaller uncertainties. As hadrons, $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons are sensitive to both initial- and final-state nonperturbative effects for a mix of parton flavors. Comparisons of the differences in their transverse single-spin asymmetries have the potential to disentangle the possible effects of strangeness, isospin, or mass. These results can constrain the twist-3 trigluon collinear correlation function as well as the gluon Sivers function.

2 data tables

Data from Figs. 2, 4, and 5 of the transverse single-spin asymmetry of neutral pions measured at $|\eta|<0.35$ in $p^\uparrow$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. An additional scale uncertainty of 3.4\% due to the polarization uncertainty is not shown. The total $\sigma_{\rm syst}$ in the lowest $p_T$ bin includes an additional systematic uncertainty of $1.06\times10^{-4}$ from bunch shuffling.

Data from Figs. 3 and 4 of the transverse single-spin asymmetry of eta mesons measured at $|\eta|<0.35$ in $p^\uparrow$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. An additional scale uncertainty of 3.4\% due to the polarization uncertainty is not shown. The total $\sigma_{\rm syst}$ in the lowest $p_T$ bin includes an additional systematic uncertainty of $6.20\times10^{-4}$ from bunch shuffling.


Measurement of charged pion double spin asymmetries at midrapidity in longitudinally polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Adare, A. ; Aidala, C. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 102 (2020) 032001, 2020.
Inspire Record 1789851 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.95883

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured the longitudinal double spin asymmetries, $A_{LL}$, for charged pions at midrapidity ($|\eta|<0.35$) in longitudinally polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon spin contribution to the total spin of the proton in the parton momentum fraction $x$ range between 0.04 and 0.09. One can infer the sign of the gluon polarization from the ordering of pion asymmetries with charge alone. The asymmetries are found to be consistent with global quantum-chromodynamics fits of deep-inelastic scattering and data at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV, which show a nonzero positive contribution of gluon spin to the proton spin.

1 data table

Double-spin asymmetries $A_{LL}$ as a function of transverse momentum for positive and negative pions.


$J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ production at forward rapidity in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U.A. ; Adare, A. ; Aidala, C. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 101 (2020) 052006, 2020.
Inspire Record 1773662 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.140524

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured the differential cross section, mean transverse momentum, mean transverse momentum squared of inclusive $J/\psi$ and cross-section ratio of $\psi(2S)$ to $J/\psi$ at forward rapidity in \pp collisions at \sqrts = 510 GeV via the dimuon decay channel. Comparison is made to inclusive $J/\psi$ cross sections measured at \sqrts = 200 GeV and 2.76--13 TeV. The result is also compared to leading-order nonrelativistic QCD calculations coupled to a color-glass-condensate description of the low-$x$ gluons in the proton at low transverse momentum ($p_T$) and to next-to-leading order nonrelativistic QCD calculations for the rest of the $p_T$ range. These calculations overestimate the data at low $p_T$. While consistent with the data within uncertainties above $\approx3$ GeV/$c$, the calculations are systematically below the data. The total cross section times the branching ratio is BR $d\sigma^{J/\psi}_{pp}/dy (1.2<|y|<2.2, 0

3 data tables

The total cross section times the branching ratio.

The inclusive $J/\psi$ differential cross section as a function of $p_T$ at 1.2 < $|y|$ < 2.2 at 510 GeV.

The inclusive $J/\psi$ differential cross section integrated over 0 < $p_T$ < 10 GeV/$c$ as a function of rapidity at 510 GeV.


Measurement of $J/\psi$ at forward and backward rapidity in $p+p$, $p+A$l, $p+A$u, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200~{\rm GeV}$

The PHENIX collaboration Acharya, U. ; Adare, A. ; Aidala, C. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 102 (2020) 014902, 2020.
Inspire Record 1762446 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.98626

Charmonium is a valuable probe in heavy-ion collisions to study the properties of the quark gluon plasma, and is also an interesting probe in small collision systems to study cold nuclear matter effects, which are also present in large collision systems. With the recent observations of collective behavior of produced particles in small system collisions, measurements of the modification of charmonium in small systems have become increasingly relevant. We present the results of J/ψ measurements at forward and backward rapidity in various small collision systems, p+p, p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au, at √sNN =200 GeV. The results are presented in the form of the observable RAB, the nuclear modification factor, a measure of the ratio of the J/ψ invariant yield compared to the scaled yield in p+p collisions. We examine the rapidity, transverse momentum, and collision centrality dependence of nuclear effects on J/ψ production with different projectile sizes p and 3He, and different target sizes Al and Au. The modification is found to be strongly dependent on the target size, but to be very similar for p+Au and 3He+Au. However, for 0%–20% central collisions at backward rapidity, the modification for 3He+Au is found to be smaller than that for p+Au, with a mean fit to the ratio of 0.89±0.03(stat)±0.08(syst), possibly indicating final state effects due to the larger projectile size.

36 data tables

J/psi invariant yields in p+p collisions as a function of pT at forward and backward rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.

J/psi nuclear modification in p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au collisions as a function of centrality and rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.

J/psi nuclear modification in p+Al collisions as a function of centrality and rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.

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Nuclear-modification factor of charged hadrons at forward and backward rapidity in $p$$+$Al and $p$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX collaboration Aidala, C. ; Akiba, Y. ; Alfred, M. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 101 (2020) 034910, 2020.
Inspire Record 1741109 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.106658

The PHENIX experiment has studied nuclear effects in $p$$+$Al and $p$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV on charged hadron production at forward rapidity ($1.4<\eta<2.4$, $p$-going direction) and backward rapidity ($-2.2<\eta<-1.2$, $A$-going direction). Such effects are quantified by measuring nuclear modification factors as a function of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity in various collision multiplicity selections. In central $p$$+$Al and $p$$+$Au collisions, a suppression (enhancement) is observed at forward (backward) rapidity compared to the binary scaled yields in $p$+$p$ collisions. The magnitude of enhancement at backward rapidity is larger in $p$$+$Au collisions than in $p$$+$Al collisions, which have a smaller number of participating nucleons. However, the results at forward rapidity show a similar suppression within uncertainties. The results in the integrated centrality are compared with calculations using nuclear parton distribution functions, which show a reasonable agreement at the forward rapidity but fail to describe the backward rapidity enhancement.

11 data tables

RpA of charged hadrons as a function of pT at forward and backward rapidity in p+Al 0%-100% centrality.

RpA of charged hadrons as a function of pT at forward and backward rapidity in p+Au 0%-100% centrality.

RpA of charged hadrons as a function of eta at forward and backward rapidity in p+Al and p+Au 0%-100% centrality.

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