The Beam Energy Scan (BES) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) was extended to energies below $\sqrt{\textit{s}_{NN}}$ = 7.7 GeV in 2015 by successful implementation of the fixed-target mode of operation in the STAR (Solenoidal Track At RHIC) experiment. In the fixed-target mode, ions circulate in one ring of the collider and interact with a stationary target at the entrance of the STAR Time Projection Chamber. The first results for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{\textit{s}_{NN}}$ = 4.5 GeV are presented, including directed and elliptic flow of identified hadrons, and radii from pion femtoscopy. The proton flow and pion femtoscopy results agree quantitatively with earlier measurements by Alternating Gradient Synchrotron experiments at similar energies. This validates running the STAR experiment in the fixed-target configuration. Pion directed and elliptic flow are presented for the first time at this beam energy. Pion and proton elliptic flow show behavior which hints at constituent quark scaling, but large error bars preclude reliable conclusions. The ongoing second phase of BES (BES-II) will provide fixed-target data sets with 100 times more events at each of several energies down to $\sqrt{\textit{s}_{NN}}$ = 3.0 GeV.
Centrality selection for STAR FXT sqrt(sNN) = 4.5 GeV Au+Au collisions
Rapidity dependence of directed flow, v1(y), for protons with transverse momentum 0.4 < pT < 2.0 GeV/c from events with 10-25% centrality.
Rapidity dependence of directed flow, v1(y), for negative pions with transverse momentum pT > 0.2 GeV/c and total momentum magnitude |p| < 1.6 GeV/c from events within 10-30% centrality. Here, the BBC-based Event Plane method is used. Plotted error bars are statistical only, and systematic errors are of comparable size.
We present spectra of charged pions and protons in 0-10% central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV at mid-rapidity ($y=0$) and forward pseudorapidity ($\eta=2.2$) measured with the BRAHMS experiment at RHIC. The spectra are compared to spectra from p+p collisions at the same energy scaled by the number of binary collisions. The resulting nuclear modification factors for central Au+Au collisions at both $y=0$ and $\eta=2.2$ exhibit suppression for charged pions but not for (anti-)protons at intermediate $p_T$. The $\bar{p}/\pi^-$ ratios have been measured up to $p_T\sim 3$ GeV/$c$ at the two rapidities and the results indicate that a significant fraction of the charged hadrons produced at intermediate $p_T$ range are (anti-)protons at both mid-rapidity and $\eta = 2.2$.
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}y}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ in $\mathrm{Au}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}y}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\mathrm{\pi}^{-}$ in $\mathrm{Au}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}y}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\mathrm{p}$ in $\mathrm{Au}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$
We study the energy dependence of the transverse momentum (pT) spectra for charged pions, protons and anti-protons for Au+Au collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Data are presented at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.5) for 0.2 < pT < 12 GeV/c. In the intermediate pT region (2 < pT < 6 GeV/c), the nuclear modification factor is higher at 62.4 GeV than at 200 GeV, while at higher pT (pT >7 GeV/c) the modification is similar for both energies. The p/pi+ and pbar/pi- ratios for central collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 GeV peak at pT ~ 2 GeV/c. In the pT range where recombination is expected to dominate, the p/pi+ ratios at 62.4 GeV are larger than at 200 GeV, while the pbar/pi- ratios are smaller. For pT > 2 GeV/c, the pbar/pi- ratios at the two beam energies are independent of pT and centrality indicating that the dependence of the pbar/pi- ratio on pT does not change between 62.4 and 200 GeV. These findings challenge various models incorporating jet quenching and/or constituent quark coalescence.
Midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) transverse momentum spectra for pions, protons, anti-protons for various event centrality classes for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 GeV. Also shown to study the energy dependence are the central 0-12% pion, proton, anti-proton spectra for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV.
The insets show pi−/pi+ ratios at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 GeV and anti-proton/proton ratios at sqrt(sNN) = 62.4 (0-10%) and 200 GeV (0-12%).
The minimum bias data shown here were extracted from the figures by xyscan. Hence, the dataset is not full (especially in the lower pT range where it is hard to distinguish points), and the statistical errors shown here are an upper limit of the statistical uncertainty based on the marker sizes.
The PHENIX Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured open heavy-flavor production in minimum bias Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV via the yields of electrons from semileptonic decays of charm and bottom hadrons. Previous heavy-flavor electron measurements indicated substantial modification in the momentum distribution of the parent heavy quarks due to the quark-gluon plasma created in these collisions. For the first time, using the PHENIX silicon vertex detector to measure precision displaced tracking, the relative contributions from charm and bottom hadrons to these electrons as a function of transverse momentum are measured in Au$+$Au collisions. We compare the fraction of electrons from bottom hadrons to previously published results extracted from electron-hadron correlations in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and find the fractions to be similar within the large uncertainties on both measurements for $p_T>4$ GeV/$c$. We use the bottom electron fractions in Au$+$Au and $p$$+$$p$ along with the previously measured heavy flavor electron $R_{AA}$ to calculate the $R_{AA}$ for electrons from charm and bottom hadron decays separately. We find that electrons from bottom hadron decays are less suppressed than those from charm for the region $3<p_T<4$ GeV/$c$.
Bottom and charm hadron invariant yields as a function of $p_{T}$.
Bottom hadron fraction with respect to heavy flavor electron as a function of $p_{T}$.
Bottom and charm hadron $R_{AA}$ as a function of $p_{T}$.
We present measurements of three-dimensional correlation functions of like-sign low transverse momentum kaon pairs from sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV Au+Au collisions. A Cartesian surface-spherical harmonic decomposition technique was used to extract the kaon source function. The latter was found to have a three-dimensional Gaussian shape and can be adequately reproduced by Therminator event generator simulations with resonance contributions taken into account. Compared to the pion one, the kaon source function is generally narrower and does not have the long tail along the pair transverse momentum direction. The kaon Gaussian radii display a monotonic decrease with increasing transverse mass m_T over the interval of 0.55<=m_T<=1.15 GeV/c^2. While the kaon radii are adequately described by the m_T-scaling in the outward and sideward directions, in the longitudinal direction the lowest m_T value exceeds the expectations from a pure hydrodynamical model prediction.
Independent correlation moments Rl(q) for orders l = 0,2,4 for midrapidity, low transverse momentum kaon pairs from the 20% most central Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV
Kaon correlation function profiles for midrapidity, low transverse momentum kaon pairs from the 20% most central Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV
Kaon source function profiles extracted from the data
We present a systematic analysis of two-pion interferometry in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 62.4 GeV and Cu+Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 62.4 and 200 GeV using the STAR detector at RHIC. The multiplicity and transverse momentum dependences of the extracted femtoscopic radii are studied. The scaling of the apparent freeze-out volume with charged particle multiplicity is studied for the RHIC energy domain. The multiplicity scaling of the measured radii is found to be independent of colliding system and collision energy.
HBT parameters for all centralities of 62.4 GeV Au+Au
HBT parameters for 200 and 62.4 GeV Au+Au, 0-5%
Energy dependence of the pi- HBT parameters for central Au+Au, Pb+Pb, and Pb+Au collisions (AGS,SPS and RHIC) at midrapidity and k_T ~ 0.2-0.3 GeV/c.
We present the first statistically meaningful results from two-K0s interferometry in heavy-ion collisions. A model that takes the effect of the strong interaction into account has been used to fit the measured correlation function. The effects of single and coupled channel were explored. At the mean transverse mass m_T = 1.07 GeV, we obtain the values R = 4.09 +/- 0.46 (stat.) +/- 0.31 (sys) fm and lambda = 0.92 +/- 0.23 (stat) +/- 0.13 (sys), where R and lambda are the invariant radius and chaoticity parameters respectively. The results are qualitatively consistent with m_T systematics established with pions in a scenario characterized by a strong collective flow.
K0s invariant mass distribution
Signal to (Signal + Background) ratio for K0s decay length > 6 cm.
Mean KT distribution of K0s pairs
Data from the first physics run at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=130$ GeV, have been analyzed by the STAR Collaboration using three-pion correlations with charged pions to study whether pions are emitted independently at freezeout. We have made a high-statistics measurement of the three-pion correlation function and calculated the normalized three-particle correlator to obtain a quantitative measurement of the degree of chaoticity of the pion source. It is found that the degree of chaoticity seems to increase with increasing particle multiplicity.
Values for the three-pion correlation function using high multiplicity negative pions. Errors are statistical+systematic.
Three-pion correlator values (r3/2) for positive and negative pions in central and mid-central events. Errors are statistical+systematic.
Three-pion correlator intercept values (r3(0)/2) for positive and negative pions in central and mid-central events compared with other experiments. Errors are statistical+systematic.
We present the results of a systematic study of the shape of the pion distribution in coordinate space at freeze-out in Au+Au collisions at RHIC using two-pion Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) interferometry. Oscillations of the extracted HBT radii vs. emission angle indicate sources elongated perpendicular to the reaction plane. The results indicate that the pressure and expansion time of the collision system are not sufficient to completely quench its initial shape.
Squared HBT radii relative to the reaction plane angle for three centrality classes.
Squared HBT radii relative to the reaction plane angle for four kT (GeV/c) bins, 20-30% centrality events.
Fourier coefficients of azimuthal oscillations of HBT radii vs number of participating nucleons, for three kT (GeV/c) bins. Larger participant numbers correspond to more central collisions.
We present spectra of charged hadrons from Au+Au and d+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV measured with the BRAHMS experiment at RHIC. The spectra for different collision centralities are compared to spectra from ${\rm p}+\bar{{\rm p}}$ collisions at the same energy scaled by the number of binary collisions. The resulting ratios (nuclear modification factors) for central Au+Au collisions at $\eta=0$ and $\eta=2.2$ evidence a strong suppression in the high $p_{T}$ region ($>$2 GeV/c). In contrast, the d+Au nuclear modification factor (at $\eta=0$) exhibits an enhancement of the high $p_T$ yields. These measurements indicate a high energy loss of the high $p_T$ particles in the medium created in the central Au+Au collisions. The lack of suppression in d+Au collisions makes it unlikely that initial state effects can explain the suppression in the central Au+Au collisions.
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}\eta}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\frac{h^{+}+h^{-}}{2}$ in $\mathrm{Au}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$ near $\eta=0$, per centrality
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}\eta}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\frac{h^{+}+h^{-}}{2}$ in $\mathrm{d}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$ near $\eta=0$
$\frac{1}{2\pi p_{\mathrm{T}}}\frac{\mathrm{d}^2N}{\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}\mathrm{d}\eta}$ versus $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ for $\mathrm{h}^{-}$ in $\mathrm{Au}-\mathrm{Au}$ at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=200\,\mathrm{Ge\!V}$ near $\eta=2.2$, per centrality
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