Experiment E735 searched for evidence of the transition to quark-gluon plasma in p p collisions at √ s = 1.8 TeV. Using data from a high statistics run in 1988–1989, results are presented on multiplicity distributions, hyperon and phi production, and Bose-Einstein correlations. Some data were also taken at lower collision energies and results will be compared to previous experiments.
In an inclusive experiment, isotopically resolved fragments, 3≤Z≤13, produced in high-energy proton-nucleus collisions have been studied using a low mass time-of-flight, gas ΔE-silicon E spectrometer and an internal gas jet. Measurement of the kinetic energy spectra from 5 to 100 MeV enabled an accurate determination of fragment cross sections from both xenon and krypton targets. Fragment spectra showed no significant dependence on beam energy for protons between 80 and 350 GeV/c. The observed isobaric yield is given by YαAf−τ, where τ∼2.6 for both targets; this also holds for correlated fragment data. The power law is the signature for the fragment formation mechanism. We treat the formation of fragments as a liquid-gas transition at the critical point. The critical temperature Tc can be determined from the fragment isotopic yields, provided one can set an energy scale for the fragment free energy. The high energy tails of the kinetic energy spectra provide evidence that the fragments originate from a common remnant system somewhat lighter than the target which disassembles simultaneously via Coulomb repulsion into a multibody final state. Fragment Coulomb energies are about 110 of the tangent sphere values. The remnant is characterized by a parameter T, obtained from the high energy tails of the kinetic energy distributions. T is interpreted as reflecting the Fermi momentum of a nucleon in this system. Since T≫Tc, and T is approximately that value expected for a cold nucleus, we conclude that the kinetic energy spectra are dominated by this nonthermal contribution. [NUCLEAR REACTIONS Xe(p,X), Kr(p,X), 80≤Eq≤350 GeV; measured σ(E,θ), X=Li to Al, θ=34∘. Fragmentation.]
The mass spectrum of muon pairs in the range 5 to 15 GeV is studied in the inclusive reaction p+nucleus→μ++μ−+anything. The ϒ and continuum distribution are presented as is the A dependence of the continuum. Comparison with a parton-annihilation model yields a sea-quark distribution.
The production of the ϒ family in proton-nucleus collisions is clarified by a sixfold increase in statistics. Constraining ϒ,ϒ′ masses to those observed at DORIS we find the statistical significance of the ϒ′′ to be 11 standard deviations. The dependence of ϒ production on pt, y, and s is presented. Limits for other resonance production in the mass range 4-18 GeV are determined.
Dimuon production is studied in 400-GeV proton-nucleus collisions. A strong enhancement is observed at 9.5 GeV mass in a sample of 9000 dimuon events with a mass $m_{\mu^+\mu^-} \to$ 5 GeV.
We present proton-nucleus dimuon-production cross sections for masses between 4 and 15 GeV, center-of-mass rapidities between -0.23 and 0.6 and incident energies of 200, 300, and 400 GeV. The data confirm scaling to the 20% level. The dependence of continuum 〈pT〉 on beam energy is also presented.
We have used the spin-precession technique to measure the Σ− magnetic moment (μΣ). A Σ− beam with a polarization of 22% was produced by a 400-GeV proton beam striking a Cu target at nominal production angles of ±3 mrad. We simultaneously recorded 21 000 Σ−→ne−ν¯ decays and 650 000 Σ−→nπ− decays at Σ− beam momenta of 253 and 308 GeV/c. We find μΣ=−1.166±0.014±0.010 nuclear magnetons, where the quoted errors are statistical and systematic, respectively.
Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of lead-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 7 inverse microbarns, ATLAS has measured jets with a calorimeter over the pseudorapidity interval |$\eta$| < 2.1 and over the transverse momentum range 38 < pT < 210 GeV. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-$k_t$ algorithm with values for the distance parameter that determines the nominal jet radius of R = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The centrality dependence of the jet yield is characterized by the jet "central-to-peripheral ratio," $R_{cp}$. Jet production is found to be suppressed by approximately a factor of two in the 10% most central collisions relative to peripheral collisions. $R_{cp}$ varies smoothly with centrality as characterized by the number of participating nucleons. The observed suppression is only weakly dependent on jet radius and transverse momentum. These results provide the first direct measurement of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions and complement previous measurements of dijet transverse energy imbalance at the LHC.
The ATLAS experiment has observed 1995 Z boson candidates in data corresponding to 0.15 inverse nb of integrated luminosity obtained in the 2011 LHC Pb+Pb run at sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV. The Z bosons are reconstructed via di-electron and di-muon decay channels, with a background contamination of less than 3%. Results from the two channels are consistent and are combined. Within the statistical and systematic uncertainties, the per-event Z boson yield is proportional to the number of binary collisions estimated by the Glauber model. The elliptic anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution of the Z boson with respect to the event plane is found to be consistent with zero.
We measure triangular flow relative to the reaction plane at 3 GeV center-of-mass energy in Au+Au collisions at RHIC. A significant $v_3$ signal is observed for protons, whose magnitude increases for higher rapidity, higher transverse momentum, and more peripheral collisions. The triangular flow is essentially rapidity-odd with a rapidity slope at mid-rapidity, $dv_3/dy|_{(y=0)}$, opposite in sign compared to the slope for directed flow. No significant $v_3$ signal is observed for charged pions and kaons. Comparisons with models suggest that a mean field potential is required to describe these results, and that the triangular shape of the participant nucleons is the result of stopping and nuclear geometry.
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