We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity ($|y|<$ 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of $3.5 < p_{\rm T} < 9$ GeV/$c$ in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in $p$+$p$ collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
Ratios of NPE (non-photonic electron) to PHE (photonic electron) as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ in 0-10% central (yellow circles) and 40-80% peripheral (green squares) Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Vertical bars represent statistical uncertainties while boxes represent systematic uncertainties. Horizontal bars indicate the bin width.
Invariant yields of electrons from decays of prompt $J/\psi$ (dot-dashed line), $\Upsilon$ (dotted line), Drell-Yan (long dash-dotted line), light vector mesons (long dashed line) and the combined HDE (hadron decayed electron) contribution (solid line), estimated utilizing experimental measurements, theoretical calculations, and PYTHIA and $\rm E_{VT}G_{EN}$ event generators, in 0-10% central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Color bands represent systematic uncertainties.
Invariant yields of electrons from decays of prompt $J/\psi$ (dot-dashed line), $\Upsilon$ (dotted line), Drell-Yan (long dash-dotted line), light vector mesons (long dashed line) and the combined HDE (hadron decayed electron) contribution (solid line), estimated utilizing experimental measurements, theoretical calculations, and PYTHIA and $\rm E_{VT}G_{EN}$ event generators, in 40-80% central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Color bands represent systematic uncertainties.
Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four- and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U+U at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$= 193 GeV, Cu+Au at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$= 200 GeV and Au+Au spanning the range $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$= 11.5 - 200 GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and T$\mathrel{\protect\raisebox{-2.1pt}{R}}$ENTo model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.
The Au+Au 200 GeV measurements of the two and four-particle elliptic flow and the elliptic flow fluctuations of the $\pi$ particle.
The Au+Au 200 GeV measurements of the two and four-particle elliptic flow and the elliptic flow fluctuations of the K particle.
The Au+Au 200 GeV measurements of the two and four-particle elliptic flow and the elliptic flow fluctuations of the p particle.
The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of back-to-back azimuthal correlations of di-$\pi^0$s produced at forward pseudorapidities ($2.6<\eta<4.0$) in $p$+$p$, $p+$Al, and $p+$Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. We observe a clear suppression of the correlated yields of back-to-back $\pi^0$ pairs in $p+$Al and $p+$Au collisions compared to the $p$+$p$ data. The observed suppression of back-to-back pairs as a function of transverse momentum suggests nonlinear gluon dynamics arising at high parton densities. The larger suppression found in $p+$Au relative to $p+$Al collisions exhibits a dependence of the saturation scale, $Q_s^2$, on the mass number, $A$. A linear scaling of the suppression with $A^{1/3}$ is observed with a slope of $-0.09$$\pm$$0.01$.
The correlation functions (corrected for nonuniform detector efficiency in $\phi$; not corrected for the absolute detection efficiency) vs. azimuthal angle difference between forward ($2.6<\eta<4.0$) $\pi^{0}$s in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{_{NN}}}}=200$ GeV at low $p_{T}$ ($p^{trig}_{T}$=2-2.5 GeV/c, $p^{asso}_{T}$=1-1.5 GeV/c)
The correlation functions (corrected for nonuniform detector efficiency in $\phi$; not corrected for the absolute detection efficiency) vs. azimuthal angle difference between forward ($2.6<\eta<4.0$) $\pi^{0}$s in $p+$Al collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{_{NN}}}}=200$ GeV at low $p_{T}$ ($p^{trig}_{T}$=2-2.5 GeV/c, $p^{asso}_{T}$=1-1.5 GeV/c)
The correlation functions (corrected for nonuniform detector efficiency in $\phi$; not corrected for the absolute detection efficiency) vs. azimuthal angle difference between forward ($2.6<\eta<4.0$) $\pi^{0}$s in $p+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{_{NN}}}}=200$ GeV at low $p_{T}$ ($p^{trig}_{T}$=2-2.5 GeV/c, $p^{asso}_{T}$=1-1.5 GeV/c)
We report precision measurements of hypernuclei ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ lifetimes obtained from Au+Au collisions at \snn = 3.0 GeV and 7.2 GeV collected by the STAR experiment at RHIC, and the first measurement of ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ mid-rapidity yields in Au+Au collisions at \snn = 3.0 GeV. ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$, being the two simplest bound states composed of hyperons and nucleons, are cornerstones in the field of hypernuclear physics. Their lifetimes are measured to be $221\pm15(\rm stat.)\pm19(\rm syst.)$ ps for ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and $218\pm6(\rm stat.)\pm13(\rm syst.)$ ps for ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$. The $p_T$-integrated yields of ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ are presented in different centrality and rapidity intervals. It is observed that the shape of the rapidity distribution of ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ is different for 0--10% and 10--50% centrality collisions. Thermal model calculations, using the canonical ensemble for strangeness, describes the ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yield well, while underestimating the ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yield. Transport models, combining baryonic mean-field and coalescence (JAM) or utilizing dynamical cluster formation via baryonic interactions (PHQMD) for light nuclei and hypernuclei production, approximately describe the measured ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yields. Our measurements provide means to precisely assess our understanding of the fundamental baryonic interactions with strange quarks, which can impact our understanding of more complicated systems involving hyperons, such as the interior of neutron stars or exotic hypernuclei.
The measured $^{3}_{\Lambda}$H and $^{4}_{\Lambda}$H lifetimes from STAR (2021)
B.R. times dN/dy of $^{3}_{\Lambda}$H vs y in 3 GeV 0-10% Au+Au collisions
B.R. times dN/dy of $^{4}_{\Lambda}$H vs y in 3 GeV 0-10% Au+Au collisions
Measurement by the STAR experiment at RHIC of the cold nuclear matter (CNM) effects experienced by inclusive $J/\psi$ at mid-rapidity in 0-100%$p$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\mathrm{NN}}}}$ = 200 GeV is presented. Such effects are quantified utilizing the nuclear modification factor, $R_{p\mathrm{Au}}$, obtained by taking a ratio of $J/\psi$ yield in $p$+Au collisions to that in $p$+$p$ collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The differential $J/\psi$ yield in both $p$+$p$ and $p$+Au collisions is measured through the dimuon decay channel, taking advantage of the trigger capability provided by the Muon Telescope Detector in the RHIC 2015 run. Consequently, the $J/\psi$$R_{p\mathrm{Au}}$ is derived within the transverse momentum ($p_{\mathrm{T}}$) range of 0 to 10 GeV/$c$. A suppression of approximately 30% is observed for $p_{\mathrm{T}}<2$ GeV/$c$, while $J/\psi$ $R_{p\mathrm{Au}}$ becomes compatible with unity for $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ greater than 3 GeV/$c$, indicating the $J/\psi$ yield is minimally affected by the CNM effects at high $p_{\mathrm{T}}$. Comparison to a similar measurement from 0-20% central Au+Au collisions reveals that the observed strong $J/\psi$ suppression above 3 Gev/$c$ is mostly due to the hot medium effects, providing strong evidence for the formation of the quark-gluon plasma in these collisions. Several model calculations show qualitative agreement with the measured $J/\psi$ $R_{p\mathrm{Au}}$, while their agreement with the $J/\psi$ yields in $p$+$p$ and $p$+Au collisions is worse.
Inclusive J/psi cross section times branching ratio of the dimuon decay channel in p+p collisions at 200 GeV. Global uncertainty of 12.5% not shown.
Inclusive J/psi cross section times branching ratio of the dimuon decay channel in p+Au collisions at 200 GeV. Global uncertainty of 1.5% not shown.
R_pAu of inclusive J/psi in p+Au collisions at 200 GeV. Global uncertainty of 13.9% not shown.
We report a new measurement of the production cross section for inclusive electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) at mid-rapidity ($|y|<$ 0.7) in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. The result is presented for 2.5 $<p_{\rm T}<$ 10 GeV/$c$ with an improved precision above 6 GeV/$c$ with respect to the previous measurements, providing more constraints on perturbative QCD calculations. Moreover, this measurement also provides a high-precision reference for measurements of nuclear modification factors for inclusive electrons from open-charm and -bottom hadron decays in heavy-ion collisions.
Signal-to-background ratio as a function of $p_{T}$, where the signals are non-photonic electrons [$N_{\rm INE}\times P_{\rm e} - N_{\rm PHE}/\varepsilon_{PHE}$ in Eq.$1$ shown in paper text] and the backgrounds are photonic electrons [$N_{\rm PHE}/\varepsilon_{PHE}$ in Eq.$1$], in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. The vertical bars represent statistical uncertainties while the boxes represent systematic uncertainties.
Invariant cross sections of the electrons from decays of prompt $J/\Psi$ (dot-dashed line), $\Upsilon$ (dotted line), Drell-Yan (long dash-dotted line), light vector mesons (long dashed line) and the combined HDE (hadron decayed electron) contributions (solid line) in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. The bands represent systematic uncertainties.
(a) The NPE (non-photonic electron) cross section after subtracting the light vector meson contribution at STAR in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV from $2012$ (filled circles) along with published STAR data from $2005$ and $2008$ (filled down triangles), published PHENIX data from $2005$ (filled up triangles) and power-law fit (curve). (b) Ratio of data over power-law fit. The vertical bars and the boxes represent statistical and systematic uncertainties, respectively.
Understanding gluon density distributions and how they are modified in nuclei are among the most important goals in nuclear physics. In recent years, diffractive vector meson production measured in ultra-peripheral collisions (UPCs) at heavy-ion colliders has provided a new tool for probing the gluon density. In this Letter, we report the first measurement of $J/\psi$ photoproduction off the deuteron in UPCs at the center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}=200~\rm GeV$ in d$+$Au collisions. The differential cross section as a function of momentum transfer $-t$ is measured. In addition, data with a neutron tagged in the deuteron-going Zero-Degree Calorimeter is investigated for the first time, which is found to be consistent with the expectation of incoherent diffractive scattering at low momentum transfer. Theoretical predictions based on the Color Glass Condensate saturation model and the gluon shadowing model are compared with the data quantitatively. A better agreement with the saturation model has been observed. With the current measurement, the results are found to be directly sensitive to the gluon density distribution of the deuteron and the deuteron breakup, which provides insights into the nuclear gluonic structure.
Upper - differential cross section as a function of $p^{2}_{T, J/\psi}$ of \jpsi photoproduction in UPCs at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}=200\rm~GeV$. Data for the total diffractive process are shown with solid markers, while data with neutron tagging in the deuteron-going ZDC are shown with open markers. Theoretical predictions based on the saturation model (Color Glass Condensate)[Phys.Rev.C 101 (2020) 1, 015203] and the gluon shadowing model (LTA) [V. Guzey, M. Strikman, E. Kryshen, M. Zhalov] are compared with data, shown as solid lines. Statistical uncertainty is represented by the error bars, and the systematic uncertainty is denoted by the shaded box. For the lower, ratios of total data and models are presented as a function of $-t \approx p^{2}_{T, J/\psi}$. Color bands are statistical uncertainty based on the data only, while systematic uncertainty is indicated by the gray box.
The chiral magnetic effect (CME) is predicted to occur as a consequence of a local violation of $\cal P$ and $\cal CP$ symmetries of the strong interaction amidst a strong electro-magnetic field generated in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Experimental manifestation of the CME involves a separation of positively and negatively charged hadrons along the direction of the magnetic field. Previous measurements of the CME-sensitive charge-separation observables remain inconclusive because of large background contributions. In order to better control the influence of signal and backgrounds, the STAR Collaboration performed a blind analysis of a large data sample of approximately 3.8 billion isobar collisions of $^{96}_{44}$Ru+$^{96}_{44}$Ru and $^{96}_{40}$Zr+$^{96}_{40}$Zr at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=200$ GeV. Prior to the blind analysis, the CME signatures are predefined as a significant excess of the CME-sensitive observables in Ru+Ru collisions over those in Zr+Zr collisions, owing to a larger magnetic field in the former. A precision down to 0.4% is achieved, as anticipated, in the relative magnitudes of the pertinent observables between the two isobar systems. Observed differences in the multiplicity and flow harmonics at the matching centrality indicate that the magnitude of the CME background is different between the two species. No CME signature that satisfies the predefined criteria has been observed in isobar collisions in this blind analysis.
fig2_left_low_isobarpaper_star_blue_case2_zrzr_nonzeros.
fig2_left_low_isobarpaper_star_grey_data_zrzr_nonzeros.
fig2_left_low_isobarpaper_star_red_case3_zrzr_nonzeros.
According to first-principle lattice QCD calculations, the transition from quark-gluon plasma to hadronic matter is a smooth crossover in the region μB ≤ T c. In this range the ratio, C6=C2, of net-baryon distributions are predicted to be negative. In this Letter, we report the first measurement of the midrapidity net-proton C6=C2 from 27, 54.4, and 200 GeV Au þ Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The dependence on collision centrality and kinematic acceptance in (p T , y) are analyzed. While for 27 and 54.4 GeV collisions the C6=C2 values are close to zero within uncertainties, it is observed that for 200 GeV collisions, the C6=C2 ratio becomes progressively negative from peripheral to central collisions. Transport model calculations without critical dynamics predict mostly positive values except for the most central collisions within uncertainties. These observations seem to favor a smooth crossover in the high-energy nuclear collisions at top RHIC energy.
Event by event net-proton multiplicity, $\Delta N_{p}$, distributions for Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27, 54.4, and 200 GeV in 0-10% and 30-40% centralities at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) for the transverse momentum range of 0.4 < $p_{T}$ (GeV/c) < 2.0. These distributions are normalized by the corresponding numbers of events and are not corrected for detector efficiencies. Statistical uncertainties are shown as vertical lines. The dashed lines show the Skellam distributions for each collision energy and centrality. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the data to the Skellam expectations.
Event by event net-proton multiplicity, $\Delta N_{p}$, distributions for Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27, 54.4, and 200 GeV in 0-10% and 30-40% centralities at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) for the transverse momentum range of 0.4 < $p_{T}$ (GeV/c) < 2.0. These distributions are normalized by the corresponding numbers of events and are not corrected for detector efficiencies. Statistical uncertainties are shown as vertical lines. The dashed lines show the Skellam distributions for each collision energy and centrality. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the data to the Skellam expectations.
Event by event net-proton multiplicity, $\Delta N_{p}$, distributions for Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27, 54.4, and 200 GeV in 0-10% and 30-40% centralities at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) for the transverse momentum range of 0.4 < $p_{T}$ (GeV/c) < 2.0. These distributions are normalized by the corresponding numbers of events and are not corrected for detector efficiencies. Statistical uncertainties are shown as vertical lines. The dashed lines show the Skellam distributions for each collision energy and centrality. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the data to the Skellam expectations.
The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of the transverse single-spin asymmetry (TSSA) of inclusive $\pi^0$ at center-of-mass energies ($\sqrt s$) of 200 GeV and 500 GeV in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions in the pseudo-rapidity region 2.7 to 4.0. The results at the two different energies show a continuous increase of the TSSA with Feynman-$x$, and, when compared to previous measurements, no dependence on $\sqrt s$ from 19.4 GeV to 500 GeV is found. To investigate the underlying physics leading to this large TSSA, different topologies have been studied. $\pi^0$ with no nearby particles tend to have a higher TSSA than inclusive $\pi^0$. The TSSA for inclusive electromagnetic jets, sensitive to the Sivers effect in the initial state, is substantially smaller, but shows the same behavior as the inclusive $\pi^0$ asymmetry as a function of Feynman-$x$. To investigate final-state effects, the Collins asymmetry of $\pi^0$ inside electromagnetic jets has been measured. The Collins asymmetry is analyzed for its dependence on the $\pi^0$ momentum transverse to the jet thrust axis and its dependence on the fraction of jet energy carried by the $\pi^0$. The asymmetry was found to be small in each case for both center-of-mass energies. All the measurements are compared to QCD-based theoretical calculations for transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions. Some discrepancies are found, which indicates new mechanisms might be involved.
Transverse single-spin asymmetry as a function of Feynman-x for \pi^0 production in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at 200 GeV.
Transverse single-spin asymmetry as a function of Feynman-x for \pi^0 production in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at 500 GeV.
average transverse momentum of the \pi^0 for each xF bin in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at 200 GeV.