We report on K*0 production at mid-rapidity in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}} = 62.4 and 200 GeV collected by the Solenoid Tracker at RHIC (STAR) detector. The K*0 is reconstructed via the hadronic decays K*0 \to K+ pi- and \bar{K*0} \to K-pi+. Transverse momentum, pT, spectra are measured over a range of pT extending from 0.2 GeV/c to 5 GeV/c. The center of mass energy and system size dependence of the rapidity density, dN/dy, and the average transverse momentum, <pT>, are presented. The measured N(K*0)/N(K) and N(\phi)/N(K*0) ratios favor the dominance of re-scattering of decay daughters of K*0 over the hadronic regeneration for the K*0 production. In the intermediate pT region (2.0 < pT < 4.0 GeV/c), the elliptic flow parameter, v2, and the nuclear modification factor, RCP, agree with the expectations from the quark coalescence model of particle production.

We report the measurement of $K^{*0}$ meson at midrapidity ($|y|<$ 1.0) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$~=~7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27 and 39 GeV collected by the STAR experiment during the RHIC beam energy scan (BES) program. The transverse momentum spectra, yield, and average transverse momentum of $K^{*0}$ are presented as functions of collision centrality and beam energy. The $K^{*0}/K$ yield ratios are presented for different collision centrality intervals and beam energies. The $K^{*0}/K$ ratio in heavy-ion collisions are observed to be smaller than that in small system collisions (e+e and p+p). The $K^{*0}/K$ ratio follows a similar centrality dependence to that observed in previous RHIC and LHC measurements. The data favor the scenario of the dominance of hadronic re-scattering over regeneration for $K^{*0}$ production in the hadronic phase of the medium.

We present results for the measurement of $\phi$ meson production via its charged kaon decay channel $\phi \to K^+K^-$ in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4$, 130, 200 GeV, and in p+p and d+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV from the STAR experiment at RHIC. The mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.5$) $\phi$ meson spectra in central Au+Au collisions are found to be well described by a single exponential distribution. On the other hand, the spectra from p+p, d+Au and peripheral Au+Au collisions show power-law tails at intermediate and high transverse momenta ($p_{T}$) and are described better by Levy distributions. The constant $\phi/K^-$ yield ratio vs. beam species, collision centrality and colliding energy is in contradiction with expectations from models having kaon coalescence as the dominant mechanism for $\phi$ production at RHIC. The $\Omega/\phi$ yield ratio as a function of $p_{T}$ is consistent with a model based on the recombination of thermal $s$ quarks up to $p_{T}\sim 4$ GeV/c, but disagrees at higher transverse momenta. The measured nuclear modification factor, $R_{dAu}$, for the $\phi$ meson increases above unity at intermediate $p_{T}$, similar to that for pions and protons, while $R_{AA}$ is suppressed due to jet quenching in central Au+Au collisions. Number of constituent quark scaling of both $R_{cp}$ and $v_{2}$ for the $\phi$ meson with respect to other hadrons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV at intermediate $p_{T}$ is observed. These observations support quark coalescence as being the dominant mechanism of hadronization in the intermediate $p_{T}$ region at RHIC.

We present STAR measurements of strange hadron ($\mathrm{K}^{0}_{\mathrm S}$, $\Lambda$, $\overline{\Lambda}$, $\Xi^-$, $\overline{\Xi}^+$, $\Omega^-$, $\overline{\Omega}^+$, and $\phi$) production at mid-rapidity ($|y| < 0.5$) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\mathrm{NN}}}}$ = 7.7 - 39 GeV from the Beam Energy Scan Program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Transverse momentum spectra, averaged transverse mass, and the overall integrated yields of these strange hadrons are presented versus the centrality and collision energy. Antibaryon-to-baryon ratios ($\overline{\Lambda}$/$\Lambda$, $\overline{\Xi}^+$/$\Xi^-$, $\overline{\Omega}^+$/$\Omega^-$) are presented as well, and used to test a thermal statistical model and to extract the temperature normalized strangeness and baryon chemical potentials at hadronic freeze-out ($\mu_{B}/T_{\rm ch}$ and $\mu_{S}/T_{\rm ch}$) in central collisions. Strange baryon-to-pion ratios are compared to various model predictions in central collisions for all energies. The nuclear modification factors ($R_{\textrm{CP}}$) and antibaryon-to-meson ratios as a function of transverse momentum are presented for all collision energies. The $\mathrm{K}^{0}_{\mathrm S}$$R_{\textrm{CP}}$ shows no suppression for $p_{\rm T}$ up to 3.5 $\mathrm{GeV} / c$ at energies of 7.7 and 11.5 GeV. The $\overline{\Lambda}$/$\mathrm{K}^{0}_{\mathrm S}$ ratio also shows baryon-to-meson enhancement at intermediate $p_{\rm T}$ ($\approx$2.5 $\mathrm{GeV} / c$) in central collisions at energies above 19.6 GeV. Both observations suggest that there is likely a change of the underlying strange quark dynamics at collision energies below 19.6 GeV.

We report the first three-particle coincidence measurement in pseudorapidity ($\Delta\eta$) between a high transverse momentum ($p_{\perp}$) trigger particle and two lower $p_{\perp}$ associated particles within azimuth $\mid$$\Delta\phi$$\mid$$&lt;$0.7 in $\sqrt{{\it s}_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV $d$+Au and Au+Au collisions. Charge ordering properties are exploited to separate the jet-like component and the ridge (long-range $\Delta\eta$ correlation). The results indicate that the particles from the ridge are uncorrelated in $\Delta\eta$ not only with the trigger particle but also between themselves event-by-event. In addition, the production of the ridge appears to be uncorrelated to the presence of the narrow jet-like component.

Dihadron azimuthal correlations containing a high transverse momentum ($p_T$) trigger particle are sensitive to the properties of the nuclear medium created at RHIC through the strong interactions occurring between the traversing parton and the medium, i.e. jet-quenching. Previous measurements revealed a strong modification to dihadron azimuthal correlations in Au+Au collisions with respect to p+p and d+Au collisions. The modification increases with the collision centrality, suggesting a path-length or energy density dependence to the jet-quenching effect. This paper reports STAR measurements of dihadron azimuthal correlations in mid-central (20-60%) Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}=200$ GeV as a function of the trigger particle's azimuthal angle relative to the event plane, $\phi_s=|\phi_t-\psi_{\rm EP}|$. The azimuthal correlation is studied as a function of both the trigger and associated particle $p_T$. The subtractions of the combinatorial background and anisotropic flow, assuming Zero Yield At Minimum (ZYAM), are described. The correlation results are first discussed with subtraction of the even harmonic (elliptic and quadrangular) flow backgrounds. The away-side correlation is strongly modified, and the modification varies with $\phi_s$, with a double-peak structure for out-of-plane trigger particles. The near-side ridge (long range pseudo-rapidity $\Delta\eta$ correlation) appears to drop with increasing $\phi_s$ while the jet-like component remains approximately constant. The correlation functions are further studied with subtraction of odd harmonic triangular flow background arising from fluctuations. It is found that the triangular flow, while responsible for the majority of the amplitudes, is not sufficient to explain the $\phi_s$-dependence of the ridge or the away-side double-peak structure. ...

Measurements of the elliptic flow, $v_{2}$, of identified hadrons ($\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $K_{s}^{0}$, $p$, $\bar{p}$, $\phi$, $\Lambda$, $\bar{\Lambda}$, $\Xi^{-}$, $\bar{\Xi}^{+}$, $\Omega^{-}$, $\bar{\Omega}^{+}$) in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39 and 62.4 GeV are presented. The measurements were done at mid-rapidity using the Time Projection Chamber and the Time-of-Flight detectors of the STAR experiment during the Beam Energy Scan program at RHIC. A significant difference in the $v_{2}$ values for particles and the corresponding anti-particles was observed at all transverse momenta for the first time. The difference increases with decreasing center-of-mass energy, $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ (or increasing baryon chemical potential, $\mu_{B}$) and is larger for the baryons as compared to the mesons. This implies that particles and anti-particles are no longer consistent with the universal number-of-constituent quark (NCQ) scaling of $v_{2}$ that was observed at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 200 GeV. However, for the group of particles NCQ scaling at $(m_{T}-m_{0})/n_{q}>$ 0.4 GeV/$c^{2}$ is not violated within $\pm$10%. The $v_{2}$ values for $\phi$ mesons at 7.7 and 11.5 GeV are approximately two standard deviations from the trend defined by the other hadrons at the highest measured $p_{T}$ values.

First measurements of charge-independent correlations on angular difference variables $\eta_1 - \eta_2$ (pseudorapidity) and $\phi_1 - \phi_2$ (azimuth) are presented for primary charged hadrons with transverse momentum $0.15 \leq p_t \leq 2$ GeV/$c$ and $|\eta| \leq 1.3$ from Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130$ GeV. Strong charge-independent angular correlations are observed associated with jet-like structures and elliptic flow. The width of the jet-like peak on $\eta_1 - \eta_2$ increases by a factor 2.3 from peripheral to central collisions, suggesting strong coupling of semi-hard scattered partons to a longitudinally-expanding medium. New methods of jet analysis introduced here provide evidence for nonperturbative QCD medium effects in heavy ion collisions.

We report measurements of single-particle inclusive spectra and two-particle azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons at high transverse momentum (high $p_T$) in minimum bias and central d+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV. The inclusive yield is enhanced in d+Au collisions relative to binary-scaled p+p collisions, while the two-particle azimuthal distributions are very similar to those observed in p+p collisions. These results demonstrate that the strong suppression of the inclusive yield and back-to-back correlations at high $p_T$ previously observed in central Au+Au collisions are due to final-state interactions with the dense medium generated in such collisions.

Measurements of two-particle correlations on transverse momentum $p_t$ for Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130$ GeV are presented. Significant large-momentum-scale correlations are observed for charged primary hadrons with $0.15 \leq p_t \leq 2$ GeV/$c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta| \leq 1.3$. Such correlations were not observed in a similar study at lower energy and are not predicted by theoretical collision models. Their direct relation to mean-$p_t$ fluctuations measured in the same angular acceptance is demonstrated. Positive correlations are observed for pairs of particles which have large $p_t$ values while negative correlations occur for pairs in which one particle has large $p_t$ and the other has much lower $p_t$. The correlation amplitudes per final state particle increase with collision centrality. The observed correlations are consistent with a scenario in which the transverse momentum of hadrons associated with initial-stage semi-hard parton scattering is dissipated by the medium to lower $p_t$.