The PHENIX experiment measured the centrality dependence of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlation functions in $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$~GeV Au$+$Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The data are well represented by Lévy-stable source distributions. The extracted source parameters are the correlation-strength parameter $\lambda$, the Lévy index of stability $\alpha$, and the Lévy-scale parameter $R$ as a function of transverse mass $m_T$ and centrality. The $\lambda(m_T)$ parameter is constant at larger values of $m_T$, but decreases as $m_T$ decreases. The Lévy scale parameter $R(m_T)$ decreases with $m_T$ and exhibits proportionality to the length scale of the nuclear overlap region. The Lévy exponent $\alpha(m_T)$ is independent of $m_T$ within uncertainties in each investigated centrality bin, but shows a clear centrality dependence. At all centralities, the Lévy exponent $\alpha$ is significantly different from that of Gaussian ($\alpha=2$) or Cauchy ($\alpha=1$) source distributions. Comparisons to the predictions of Monte-Carlo simulations of resonance-decay chains show that in all but the most peripheral centrality class (50%-60%), the obtained results are inconsistent with the measurements, unless a significant reduction of the in-medium mass of the $\eta'$ meson is included. In each centrality class, the best value of the in-medium $\eta'$ mass is compared to the mass of the $\eta$ meson, as well as to several theoretical predictions that consider restoration of $U_A(1)$ symmetry in hot hadronic matter.
The transverse-mass dependence of the Lévy-index of stability parameter $\alpha$ in 0-10% centrality bin obtained from Lévy fits with Eq. (9).
Direct photons have been measured in sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV d+Au collisions at midrapidity. A wide p_T range is covered by measurements of nearly-real virtual photons (1<p_T<6 GeV/c) and real photons (5<p_T<16 GeV/c). The invariant yield of the direct photons in d+Au collisions over the scaled p+p cross section is consistent with unity. Theoretical calculations assuming standard cold nuclear matter effects describe the data well for the entire p_T range. This indicates that the large enhancement of direct photons observed in Au+Au collisions for 1.0<p_T<2.5 GeV/c is due to a source other than the initial-state nuclear effects.
$R_{dA}$ ($d$+Au data/scaled $p+p$ fit). Nuclear modification factor for $d$+Au, $R_{dA}$, as a function of $p_{T}$ . The closed and open symbols show the results from the virtual- and real-photon measurements, respectively. The values in the table are equal to this mean value. The bars and bands represent the point-to-point (ptp.) and $p_{T}$-correlated (cor.) uncertainties, respectively. The box on the right shows the uncertainty of $T_{dA}$ for $d$+Au. The curves indicate the theoretical calculations [24] with different combinations of the CNM effects such as the Cronin enhancement, isospin effect, nuclear shadowing and initial state energy loss.
Measurements of transverse-single-spin asymmetries ($A_{N}$) in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$62.4 and 200 GeV with the PHENIX detector at RHIC are presented. At midrapidity, $A_{N}$ is measured for neutral pion and eta mesons reconstructed from diphoton decay, and at forward rapidities, neutral pions are measured using both diphotons and electromagnetic clusters. The neutral-pion measurement of $A_{N}$ at midrapidity is consistent with zero with uncertainties a factor of 20 smaller than previous publications, which will lead to improved constraints on the gluon Sivers function. At higher rapidities, where the valence quark distributions are probed, the data exhibit sizable asymmetries. In comparison with previous measurements in this kinematic region, the new data extend the kinematic coverage in $\sqrt{s}$ and $p_T$, and it is found that the asymmetries depend only weakly on $\sqrt{s}$. The origin of the forward $A_{N}$ is presently not understood quantitatively. The extended reach to higher $p_T$ probes the transition between transverse momentum dependent effects at low $p_T$ and multi-parton dynamics at high $p_T$.
Neutral pion $A_N$ at $\sqrt{s} = 62.4$ GeV as a function of $x_F$ in pseudorapidity $3.1 < |\eta| < 3.5$, with statistical and systematic uncertainties.
All of the experimental data points presented in the original paper are correct and unchanged (including statistical and systematic uncertainties). However, herein we correct a comparison between the experimental data and a theoretical picture, because we discovered a mistake in the code used. All of the most probable sigma_breakup values differ by less than 0.4 mb from those originally presented. However, the one standard deviation uncertainties (that include contributions from both the statistical and systematic uncertainties on the experimental data points) are approximately 30-60% larger than originally reported. We give a table of the new comparison results and corrected versions of Figs. 8-11 of the original paper and we note that no correction is needed for results from the data-driven method in Fig. 13.
Breakup cross section of c-c_bar pairs inside cold nuclear matter for different ranges of rapidity.The breakup cross section is calculated with two models of shadowing for nuclear PDFs ; the EKS model and the NDSG model. The uncertainties given, containing statistical and systematical error, are corresponding to one standard deviation.
The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider measured $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons at midrapidity in U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=192$ GeV in a wide transverse momentum range. Measurements were performed in the $\pi^0(\eta)\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay modes. A strong suppression of $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ meson production at high transverse momentum was observed in central U$+$U collisions relative to binary scaled $p$$+$$p$ results. Yields of $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons measured in U$+$U collisions show similar suppression pattern to the ones measured in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV for similar numbers of participant nucleons. The $\eta$/$\pi^0$ ratios do not show dependence on centrality or transverse momentum, and are consistent with previously measured values in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, nucleus-nucleus, and $e^+e^-$ collisions.
$\eta/\pi^0$ ratio from figure 3 from minimum bias U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point.
$\eta/\pi^0$ ratio from figure 3 from 0-20% U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point.
$\eta/\pi^0$ ratio from figure 3 from 20-40% U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point.
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.
$v_2$ vs $p_T$, p+Au at 200 GeV, 0-5% central, BBCS-FVTXS-CNT detector combination