The extreme temperatures and energy densities generated by ultra-relativistic collisions between heavy nuclei produce a state of matter with surprising fluid properties. Non-central collisions have angular momentum on the order of 1000$\hbar$, and the resulting fluid may have a strong vortical structure that must be understood to properly describe the fluid. It is also of particular interest because the restoration of fundamental symmetries of quantum chromodynamics is expected to produce novel physical effects in the presence of strong vorticity. However, no experimental indications of fluid vorticity in heavy ion collisions have so far been found. Here we present the first measurement of an alignment between the angular momentum of a non-central collision and the spin of emitted particles, revealing that the fluid produced in heavy ion collisions is by far the most vortical system ever observed. We find that $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ hyperons show a positive polarization of the order of a few percent, consistent with some hydrodynamic predictions. A previous measurement that reported a null result at higher collision energies is seen to be consistent with the trend of our new observations, though with larger statistical uncertainties. These data provide the first experimental access to the vortical structure of the "perfect fluid" created in a heavy ion collision. They should prove valuable in the development of hydrodynamic models that quantitatively connect observations to the theory of the Strong Force. Our results extend the recent discovery of hydrodynamic spin alignment to the subatomic realm.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy. A 0.8% error on the alpha value used in the paper is corrected in this table. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy calculated using the new $\alpha_\Lambda=0.732$ updated on PDG2020. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
We present a measurement of the polarization of Antilambda hyperons produced in nu_mu charged current interactions. The full data sample from the NOMAD experiment has been analyzed using the same V0 identification procedure and analysis method reported in a previous paper for the case of Lambda hyperons. The Antilambda polarization has been measured for the first time in a neutrino experiment. The polarization vector is found to be compatible with zero.
Lambdabar polarization in regions of Feynman X (XL).
Lambdabar polarization in regions of the Bjorken scaling variable X.
The diffractive production of ρ0(770 @#@) mesons in muon-proton interactions is studied in the kinematic region 0.15 GeV2< Q2< 20 GeV2 and 20 GeV < ? < 420 GeV. The data were obtained in the Fermilab fixed-target experiment E665 with primary muons of 470 GeV energy. Results are presented on the Q2, x and ? dependence of the cross section, on the shape of the ρ+ρt - mass spectrum, on the slope of the diffraction peak and on the production and decay angular distributions of the ρ0(770). The cross section for diffractive production of ρ0 by virtual photons on protons depends mainly on Q2. At fixed Q2, no significant dependence on x or ? is observed. The extrapolation to Q2 = 0 yields a photoproduction cross section of (10.30 ± 0.33) μb. The slope of the t′ distribution has a value of (7.0 ± 0.2) GeV−2, with a tendency to decrease as Q2 increases. The production and decay angular distributions of the ρ0 depend strongly on Q2 and are consistent with s-channel helicity conservation. The ratio R = σl/σt deduced from the decay angular distributions rises strongly with Q2, passing the value of 1 at Q2≈ 2 GeV2.
Statistical errors only.
Statistical errors only.
Cross section extrapolated to Q**2 = 0.
Results on photoproduction of π + π − π 0 in the photon energy range 20–70 GeV are presented. For the ω meson, the production cross-section is found to be 1010±15 (statistical)±290 (systematic) nb and is constant over the incident photon energy range. Spin-density matrix elements are evaluated for ω meson production. The φ meson is observed with a total photoproduction cross section (corrected for branching ratio to π + π − π 0 ) of 610±35±170 nb. A third resonance, at 1.67 GeV, is seen in the mass spectrum and its interpretation is discussed. The production of a broad π + π − π 0 continuum, mainly via ϱπ, and peaking at 1.2 GeV, contributes with a cross section of about 2.5 ωb. The spin-parity content is analysed by the moments of the π + π − π 0 decay angular distribution in the helicity frame and by maximum likelihood fits to the π + π − π 0 Dalitz plot. It is found that production of J P = 1 − states accounts for less than half of the total mass spectrum above 900 MeV. There is a broad enhancement in the 1 + wave around 1.15 GeV indicating photoproduction of the H(1190) meson.
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EXPONENTIAL FITS TO D(SIG)/DT IN OMEGA MASS REGION.
EXPONENTIAL FITS TO D(SIG)/DT OVER FULL ENERGY FOR THREE MASS REGIONS CORRESPONDING TO OMEGA, PHI AND OMEGA*.
Results are presented on the inclusive photoproduction of λ and λ for incident photon energies between 25 and 70 GeV. The slope parameter of the p T 2 distribution is found to be 2.83±0.1 GeV −2 for λ and 3.28±0.25 GeV −2 for λ . The x F distributions, measured in the range −0.2 to 0.7, show that while λ are produced centrally, λ production extends to more negative values of x F ; the shapes show no energy dependence and are similar to those in pion-induced reactions. The polarization of the produced λ is less than 10%. The results are discussed in terms of vector dominance and quark fusion models.
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The polarization of the recoil proton has been measured in both high-energy elastic and inclusive proton-proton scattering at the internal-target area of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The polarization in elastic scattering was measured at a number of center-of-mass energies up to s=19.7 GeV. Indications of negative polarization were seen at the higher center-of-mass energies for t values of -0.6, -0.8, and -1.0 (GeV/c)2. In the inclusive process p+p→p↑+X the polarization was found to be independent of beam energy from 100 to 400 GeV for xF values of -0.7, -0.8, -0.9. The polarization at PT=1.0 GeV/c, xF=−0.7 and xF=−0.8 was less than 2.5%. This is significantly lower than the corresponding measurements reported for Λ0 inclusive polarization.
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