The STAR Collaboration reports on the photoproduction of $\pi^+\pi^-$ pairs in gold-gold collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV/nucleon-pair. These pion pairs are produced when a nearly-real photon emitted by one ion scatters from the other ion. We fit the $\pi^+\pi^-$ invariant mass spectrum with a combination of $\rho$ and $\omega$ resonances and a direct $\pi^+\pi^-$ continuum. This is the first observation of the $\omega$ in ultra-peripheral collisions, and the first measurement of $\rho-\omega$ interference at energies where photoproduction is dominated by Pomeron exchange. The $\omega$ amplitude is consistent with the measured $\gamma p\rightarrow \omega p$ cross section, a classical Glauber calculation and the $\omega\rightarrow\pi^+\pi^-$ branching ratio. The $\omega$ phase angle is similar to that observed at much lower energies, showing that the $\rho-\omega$ phase difference does not depend significantly on photon energy. The $\rho^0$ differential cross section $d\sigma/dt$ exhibits a clear diffraction pattern, compatible with scattering from a gold nucleus, with 2 minima visible. The positions of the diffractive minima agree better with the predictions of a quantum Glauber calculation that does not include nuclear shadowing than with a calculation that does include shadowing.
The $\pi^+\pi^-$ invariant-mass distribution for all selected $\pi\pi$ candidates with $p_T~<~100~\textrm{MeV}/c$.
The ratio $|B/A|$ of amplitudes of nonresonant $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\rho^0$ mesons in the present STAR analysis.
The ratio $|B/A|$ of amplitudes of nonresonant $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\rho^0$ mesons in the previous STAR analysis, Phys. Rev. C 77 034910 (2008).
We present results on the system size dependence of high transverse momentum di-hadron correlations at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV as measured by STAR at RHIC. Measurements in d+Au, Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions reveal similar jet-like correlation yields at small angular separation ($\Delta\phi\sim0$, $\Delta\eta\sim0$) for all systems and centralities. Previous measurements have shown that the away-side yield is suppressed in heavy-ion collisions. We present measurements of the away-side suppression as a function of transverse momentum and centrality in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions. The suppression is found to be similar in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at a similar number of participants. The results are compared to theoretical calculations based on the parton quenching model and the modified fragmentation model. The observed differences between data and theory indicate that the correlated yields presented here will provide important constraints on medium density profile and energy loss model parameters.
Di-hadron correlations in $\Delta\phi$ for small $|\Delta\eta|$ ($|\Delta\eta|<0.7$) and large ($0.7<|\Delta\eta|<1.7$), scaled to match small $|\Delta\eta|$ at large $\Delta\phi$.
Subtracted distributions for di-hadron correlations in $\Delta\phi$ for small $|\Delta\eta|$ ($|\Delta\eta|<0.7$) minus large ($0.7<|\Delta\eta|<1.7$), scaled to match small $|\Delta\eta|$ at large $\Delta\phi$.
Subtracted distributions for di-hadron correlations in $\Delta\eta$.
Forward-backward multiplicity correlation strengths have been measured for the first time with the STAR detector for Au+Au and $\textit{p+p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. Strong short and long range correlations are seen in central (0-10%) Au+Au collisions. The magnitude of these correlations decrease with decreasing centrality until only short range correlations are observed in 40-50% Au+Au collisions. The results are in agreement with predictions from the Dual Parton and Color Glass Condensate models.
FB Correlation strength for Au+Au at different centralities and p+p reactions as a function of $\Delta\eta$.
Backward-forward dispersion, $D_{bf}^{2}$ and forward-forward dispersion $D_{bf}^{2}$ for Au+Au 0-10% centrality and p+p reactions as a function of $\Delta\eta$.
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