The observation of an anomalous J/ ψ suppression in Pb–Pb collisions by the NA50 Collaboration can be considered as the most striking indication for the deconfinement of quarks and gluons at SPS energies. In this Letter, we determine the J/ ψ suppression pattern as a function of the forward hadronic energy E ZDC measured in a Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC). The direct connection between E ZDC and the geometry of the collision allows us to calculate, within a Glauber approach, the precise relation between the number of participant nucleons N part and E ZDC . Then, we check if the experimental data can be better explained by a sudden or a smooth onset of the anomalous J/ ψ suppression as a function of the number of participants.
Minimum Bias E(C=ZDC) spectrum. Data extracted from fig with g3data, statistical errors not included and are set to 0, the systematic errors given by g3data due to extraction.
Number of participants as a function of E(C=ZDC) Data exctracted from fig with g3data, the systematic errors given by g3data due to extraction, and those marked (stat) are in this case the r.m.s. of the Npart distribution at fixed E(C=ZDC).;.
SIG(J/PSI)/SIG(DY) as a function of E(C=ZDC) with the standard analyses of the 1996 DATA 1996, standard analyses.
We present a new measurement of J/psi production in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 GeV/nucleon, from the data sample collected in year 2000 by the NA50 Collaboration, under improved experimental conditions with respect to previous years. With the target system placed in vacuum, the setup was better adapted to study, in particular, the most peripheral nuclear collisions with unprecedented accuracy. The analysis of this data sample shows that the (J/psi)/Drell-Yan cross-sections ratio measured in the most peripheral Pb-Pb interactions is in good agreement with the nuclear absorption pattern extrapolated from the studies of proton-nucleus collisions. Furthermore, this new measurement confirms our previous observation that the (J/psi)/Drell-Yan cross-sections ratio departs from the normal nuclear absorption pattern for semi-central Pb-Pb collisions and that this ratio persistently decreases up to the most central collisions.
Centrality classes based on the transverse energy measurement Errors are rms values obtained with fit.
Cross sections ratio J/PSI/Drell-Yan as a function of ET IN GEV obtained withthe ET Centrality estimator.
Cross sections ratio J/PSI/Drell-Yan as a function of NPART obtained withthe ET Centrality estimator.
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