We report the first multi-differential measurements of strange hadrons of $K^{-}$, $\phi$ and $\Xi^{-}$ yields as well as the ratios of $\phi/K^-$ and $\phi/\Xi^-$ in Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = \rm{3\,GeV}}$ with the STAR experiment fixed target configuration at RHIC. The $\phi$ mesons and $\Xi^{-}$ hyperons are measured through hadronic decay channels, $\phi\rightarrow K^+K^-$ and $\Xi^-\rightarrow \Lambda\pi^-$. Collision centrality and rapidity dependence of the transverse momentum spectra for these strange hadrons are presented. The $4\pi$ yields and ratios are compared to thermal model and hadronic transport model predictions. At this collision energy, thermal model with grand canonical ensemble (GCE) under-predicts the $\phi/K^-$ and $\phi/\Xi^-$ ratios while the result of canonical ensemble (CE) calculations reproduce $\phi/K^-$, with the correlation length $r_c \sim 2.7$ fm, and $\phi/\Xi^-$, $r_c \sim 4.2$ fm, for the 0-10% central collisions. Hadronic transport models including high mass resonance decays could also describe the ratios. While thermal calculations with GCE work well for strangeness production in high energy collisions, the change to CE at $\rm{3\,GeV}$ implies a rather different medium property at high baryon density.
$K^-$ (a), invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
$\phi$ meson (b) invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
$\Xi^-$ (c) invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
We report cumulants of the proton multiplicity distribution from dedicated fixed-target Au+Au collisions at 3.0 GeV, measured by the STAR experiment in the kinematic acceptance of rapidity ($y$) and transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) within $-0.5 < y<0$ and $0.4 < p_{\rm T} <2.0 $ GeV/$c$. In the most central 0--5% collisions, a proton cumulant ratio is measured to be $C_4/C_2=-0.85 \pm 0.09 ~(\rm stat.) \pm 0.82 ~(\rm syst.)$, which is less than unity, the Poisson baseline. The hadronic transport UrQMD model reproduces our $C_4/C_2$ in the measured acceptance. Compared to higher energy results and the transport model calculations, the suppression in $C_4/C_2$ is consistent with fluctuations driven by baryon number conservation and indicates an energy regime dominated by hadronic interactions. These data imply that the QCD critical region, if created in heavy-ion collisions, could only exist at energies higher than 3 GeV.
$\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3.0 GeV data (black markers), GM (red histogram), and single and pile-up contributions from unfolding. Vertical lines on markers represent statistical uncertainties. Single, pile-up and single+pile-up collisions are shown in solid blue markers, dashed green and dashed magenta curves, respectively. Analysis is performed on 0–5% central events, indicated by a black arrow.
$\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3.0 GeV data (black markers), GM (red histogram), and single and pile-up contributions from unfolding. Vertical lines on markers represent statistical uncertainties. Single, pile-up and single+pile-up collisions are shown in solid blue markers, dashed green and dashed magenta curves, respectively. Analysis is performed on 0–5% central events, indicated by a black arrow.
Centrality dependence of the proton cumulant ratios for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3.0 GeV. Protons are from $-0.5 < y < 0$ and $0.4 < p_{T} < 2.0$ GeV/$c$. Systematic uncertainties are represented by gray bars. Statistical uncertainties are smaller than marker size. CBWC is applied to all cumulant ratios. While open squares represent the data without the VFC correction, blue triangles and red circles are the results with VFC using the $\langle N_{\rm{part}} \rangle$ distributions from the UrQMD and Glauber models, respectively. UrQMD model results are represented as gold dashed line.
High precision measurements of the form factors of proton, pion, and kaon for timelike momentum transfers of |Q^2|=s=14.2 and 17.4 GeV^2 have been made. Data taken with the CLEO-c detector at sqrt(s)=3.772 GeV and 4.170 GeV, with integrated luminosities of 805 pb^-1 and 586 pb^-1, respectively, have been used to study $e^+e^-$ annihilations into pi+pi-, K+K^-, and ppbar. The perturbative QCD prediction that at large Q^2 the quantity Q^2F(Q^2) for vector mesons is nearly constant, and varies only weakly as the strong coupling constant alpha_S(Q^2) is confirmed for both pions and kaons. In contrast, a significant difference is observed between the values of the corresponding pQCD suggested near-constant quantity, |Q^4|G_M(|Q^2|)/mu_p for protons at |Q^2|=14.2 GeV^2 and 17.4 GeV^2. The results suggest the constancy of |Q^2|G_M(|Q^2|)/mu_p, instead.
Born cross section of $e^+e^-\rightarrow h^+h^-$
Timelike form factor
Using 20.7 pb^-1 of e+e- annihilation data taken at sqrt{s} = 3.671 GeV with the CLEO-c detector, precision measurements of the electromagnetic form factors of the charged pion, charged kaon, and proton have been made for timelike momentum transfer of |Q^2| = 13.48 GeV^2 by the reaction e+e- to h+h-. The measurements are the first ever with identified pions and kaons of |Q^2| > 4 GeV^2, with the results F_pi(13.48 GeV^2) = 0.075+-0.008(stat)+-0.005(syst) and F_K(13.48 GeV^2) = 0.063+-0.004(stat)+-0.001(syst). The result for the proton, assuming G^p_E = G^p_M, is G^p_M(13.48 GeV^2) = 0.014+-0.002(stat)+-0.001(syst), which is in agreement with earlier results.
Born cross section of $e^+e^-\rightarrow h^+h^-$
Timelike form factor
We report precision measurements of hypernuclei ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ lifetimes obtained from Au+Au collisions at \snn = 3.0 GeV and 7.2 GeV collected by the STAR experiment at RHIC, and the first measurement of ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ mid-rapidity yields in Au+Au collisions at \snn = 3.0 GeV. ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$, being the two simplest bound states composed of hyperons and nucleons, are cornerstones in the field of hypernuclear physics. Their lifetimes are measured to be $221\pm15(\rm stat.)\pm19(\rm syst.)$ ps for ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and $218\pm6(\rm stat.)\pm13(\rm syst.)$ ps for ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$. The $p_T$-integrated yields of ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ are presented in different centrality and rapidity intervals. It is observed that the shape of the rapidity distribution of ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ is different for 0--10% and 10--50% centrality collisions. Thermal model calculations, using the canonical ensemble for strangeness, describes the ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yield well, while underestimating the ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yield. Transport models, combining baryonic mean-field and coalescence (JAM) or utilizing dynamical cluster formation via baryonic interactions (PHQMD) for light nuclei and hypernuclei production, approximately describe the measured ${}^3_\Lambda \rm{H}$ and ${}^4_\Lambda \rm{H}$ yields. Our measurements provide means to precisely assess our understanding of the fundamental baryonic interactions with strange quarks, which can impact our understanding of more complicated systems involving hyperons, such as the interior of neutron stars or exotic hypernuclei.
The measured $^{3}_{\Lambda}$H and $^{4}_{\Lambda}$H lifetimes from STAR (2021)
B.R. times dN/dy of $^{3}_{\Lambda}$H vs y in 3 GeV 0-10% Au+Au collisions
B.R. times dN/dy of $^{4}_{\Lambda}$H vs y in 3 GeV 0-10% Au+Au collisions
We report on the measurements of directed flow $v_1$ and elliptic flow $v_2$ for hadrons ($\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $K_{S}^0$, $p$, $\phi$, $\Lambda$ and $\Xi^{-}$) from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 GeV and $v_{2}$ for ($\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p$ and $\overline{p}$) at 27 and 54.4 GeV with the STAR experiment. While at the two higher energy midcentral collisions the number-of-constituent-quark (NCQ) scaling holds, at 3 GeV the $v_{2}$ at midrapidity is negative for all hadrons and the NCQ scaling is absent. In addition, the $v_1$ slopes at midrapidity for almost all observed hadrons are found to be positive, implying dominant repulsive baryonic interactions. The features of negative $v_2$ and positive $v_1$ slope at 3 GeV can be reproduced with a baryonic mean-field in transport model calculations. These results imply that the medium in such collisions is likely characterized by baryonic interactions.
Event plane resolution as a function of collision centrality from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=3 (a), 27 and 54.4 GeV (b). In case of the 3 GeV collisions, $\Psi_{1}$ is used to determine the event plane resolutions for the first and second harmonic coefficients shown as $R_{11}$ and $R_{12}$ in left panel. In the 27 and 54.4 GeV collisions, $\Psi_{2}$ is used to evaluate the second order event plane resolution, see right panel. In all cases, the statistic uncertainties are smaller than symbol sizes.
Rapidity($y$) dependence of $v_1$ (top panels) and $v_2$ (bottom panels) of proton and $\Lambda$ baryons (left panels), pions (middle panels) and kaons (right panels) in 10-40% centrality for the $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3GeV Au+Au collisions. Statistical and systematic uncertainties are shown as bars and gray bands, respectively. Some uncertainties are smaller than the data points. The UrQMD and JAM results are shown as bands:golden, red and blue bands stand for JAM mean-field, UrQMD mean-field and UrQMD cascade mode, respectively. The value of the incompressibility $\kappa$ = 380 MeV is used in the mean-field option. More detailed model descriptions and data comparisons can be found in Supplemental Material.
Rapidity($y$) dependence of $v_1$ (top panels) and $v_2$ (bottom panels) of proton and $\Lambda$ baryons (left panels), pions (middle panels) and kaons (right panels) in 10-40% centrality for the $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3GeV Au+Au collisions. Statistical and systematic uncertainties are shown as bars and gray bands, respectively. Some uncertainties are smaller than the data points. The UrQMD and JAM results are shown as bands:golden, red and blue bands stand for JAM mean-field, UrQMD mean-field and UrQMD cascade mode, respectively. The value of the incompressibility $\kappa$ = 380 MeV is used in the mean-field option. More detailed model descriptions and data comparisons can be found in Supplemental Material.
In high-energy heavy-ion collisions, partonic collectivity is evidenced by the constituent quark number scaling of elliptic flow anisotropy for identified hadrons. A breaking of this scaling and dominance of baryonic interactions is found for identified hadron collective flow measurements in $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 3 GeV Au+Au collisions. In this paper, we report measurements of the first- and second-order azimuthal anisotropic parameters, $v_1$ and $v_2$, of light nuclei ($d$, $t$, $^{3}$He, $^{4}$He) produced in $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 3 GeV Au+Au collisions at the STAR experiment. An atomic mass number scaling is found in the measured $v_1$ slopes of light nuclei at mid-rapidity. For the measured $v_2$ magnitude, a strong rapidity dependence is observed. Unlike $v_2$ at higher collision energies, the $v_2$ values at mid-rapidity for all light nuclei are negative and no scaling is observed with the atomic mass number. Calculations by the Jet AA Microscopic Transport Model (JAM), with baryonic mean-field plus nucleon coalescence, are in good agreement with our observations, implying baryonic interactions dominate the collective dynamics in 3 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC.
The rapidity and $p_{T}$ dependencies of $v_{1}$ for $p$ in 10-40% mid-central Au+Au collisions at 3 GeV.
The rapidity and $p_{T}$ dependencies of $v_{1}$ for $d$ in 10-40% mid-central Au+Au collisions at 3 GeV.
The $p_{T}$ dependencies of $v_{1}$ within $-0.1<y<0$ for $t$ in 10-40% mid-central Au+Au collisions at 3 GeV.
Global hyperon polarization, $\overline{P}_\mathrm{H}$, in Au+Au collisions over a large range of collision energy, $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$, was recently measured and successfully reproduced by hydrodynamic and transport models with intense fluid vorticity of the quark-gluon plasma. While naïve extrapolation of data trends suggests a large $\overline{P}_\mathrm{H}$ as the collision energy is reduced, the behavior of $\overline{P}_\mathrm{H}$ at small $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}<7.7$ GeV is unknown. Operating the STAR experiment in fixed-target mode, we measured the polarization of $\Lambda$ hyperons along the direction of global angular momentum in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=3$ GeV. The observation of substantial polarization of $4.91\pm0.81(\rm stat.)\pm0.15(\rm syst.)$% in these collisions may require a reexamination of the viscosity of any fluid created in the collision, of the thermalization timescale of rotational modes, and of hadronic mechanisms to produce global polarization.
The measured invariant-mass distributions of two classes of $\Lambda$-hyperon decays. The decay classes are defined using the scalar triple product $\left(\vec{p}_\Lambda\times\vec{p}_p^*\right)\cdot \vec{B}_{\rm STAR}$, which is positive for right decays and negative for left decays. The right decay class has a notably sharper invariant-mass distribution than the left decay class, and this is due to the effects of daughter tracks crossing in the STAR TPC with the STAR magnetic field anti-parallel to the lab frame's z direction. The opposite pattern is obtained by flipping the sign of the STAR magnetic field or by reconstructing $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons.
The signal polarizations extracted according to the restricted invariant-mass method as a function of $\phi_\Lambda - \phi_p^*$, for positive-rapidity $\Lambda$ hyperons. The sinusoidal behavior is driven by non-zero net $v_1$. The vertical shift corresponds to the vorticity-driven polarization; in collider mode, where the net $v_1$ is zero, this dependence on $\phi_\Lambda - \phi_p^*$ does not exist.
The integrated Global $\Lambda$-hyperon Polarization in mid-central collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=3$ GeV. The trend of increasing $\overline{P}_{\rm H}$ with decreasing $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ is maintained at this low collision energy. Previous experimental results are scaled by the updated $\Lambda$-hyperon decay parameter $\alpha_\Lambda=0.732$ for comparison with this result. Recent model calculations extended to low collision energy show disagreement between our data and AMPT and rough agreement with the 3-Fluid Dynamics (3FD) model. Previous measurements shown alongside our data can be found at: https://www.hepdata.net/record/ins750410?version=2; https://www.hepdata.net/record/ins1510474?version=1; https://www.hepdata.net/record/ins1672785?version=2; https://www.hepdata.net/record/ins1752507?version=2.
We report measurements of the photon beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the reaction $\vec{\gamma} p\to K^+\Sigma^0$(1193) using the GlueX spectrometer in Hall D at Jefferson Lab. Data were collected using a linearly polarized photon beam in the energy range of 8.2-8.8 GeV incident on a liquid hydrogen target. The beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ was measured as a function of the Mandelstam variable $t$, and a single value of $\Sigma$ was extracted for events produced in the $u$-channel. These are the first exclusive measurements of the photon beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the reaction in this energy range. For the $t$-channel, the measured beam asymmetry is close to unity over the $t$-range studied, $-t=(0.1-1.4)~$(GeV/$c$)$^{2}$, with an average value of $\Sigma = 1.00\pm 0.05$. This agrees with theoretical models that describe the reaction via the natural-parity exchange of the $K^{*}$(892) Regge trajectory. A value of $\Sigma = 0.41 \pm 0.09$ is obtained for the $u$-channel integrated up to $-u=2.0$~(GeV/$c$)$^{2}$.
Beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the low $-t$ region where the horizontal error bars indicate the rms widths of the $t$ bin. The uncertainties on $\Sigma$ are statistical and systematic (uncorrelated across t bins), respectively. There is an additional fully correlated systematic uncertainty of 2.1% on the magnitude of $\Sigma$.
Average beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the low $-u$ region where the uncertainty on $\Sigma$ is the statistical and systematic (uncorrelated across t bins), respectively. There is an additional fully correlated systematic uncertainty of 2.1% on the magnitude of $\Sigma$.
We report on the measurement of the beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the reactions $\vec{\gamma}p\rightarrow p\eta$ and $\vec{\gamma}p \rightarrow p\eta^{\prime}$ from the GlueX experiment, using an 8.2--8.8 GeV linearly polarized tagged photon beam incident on a liquid hydrogen target in Hall D at Jefferson Lab. These measurements are made as a function of momentum transfer $-t$, with significantly higher statistical precision than our earlier $\eta$ measurements, and are the first measurements of $\eta^{\prime}$ in this energy range. We compare the results to theoretical predictions based on $t$--channel quasi-particle exchange. We also compare the ratio of $\Sigma_{\eta}$ to $\Sigma_{\eta^{\prime}}$ to these models, as this ratio is predicted to be sensitive to the amount of $s\bar{s}$ exchange in the production. We find that photoproduction of both $\eta$ and $\eta^{\prime}$ is dominated by natural parity exchange with little dependence on $-t$.
Values and errors for the photon beam asymmetry $\Sigma_{\eta}$ for the reaction $\gamma p \rightarrow \eta p$ with $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$. For the binning in $t$, we report the range of the data, the event-weighted mean of all $t$ values, and the RMS of that distribution. For $\Sigma_{\eta}$, we report the value, statistical error, and systematic error. The total error is the sum of the previous two in quadrature. Not reported here is the $2.1\%$ relative uncertainty due to the determination of the polarization of the photon beam.
Values and errors for the photon beam asymmetry $\Sigma_{\eta\prime}$ for the reaction $\gamma p \rightarrow \eta^{\prime} p$ with $\eta^{\prime}\rightarrow \eta\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ and the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$. For the binning in $t$, we report the range of the data, the event-weighted mean of all $t$ values, and the RMS of that distribution. For $\Sigma_{\eta\prime}$, we report the value, statistical error, and systematic error. The total error is the sum of the previous two in quadrature. Not reported here is the $2.1\%$ relative uncertainty due to the determination of the polarization of the photon beam.
Values and errors for the ratio of photon beam asymmetries $\Sigma_{\eta\prime}/\Sigma_{\eta}$ for the reported reactions. To form the ratio, the $\eta$ analysis is done with the same binning in $t$ as the $\eta^\prime$ analysis, and for each bin we report the range of the data, the event-weighted mean of all $t$ values, and the RMS of that distribution. For $\Sigma_{\eta\prime}/\Sigma_{\eta}$, we report the value, statistical error, and systematic error. The total error is the sum of the previous two in quadrature.}
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