The longitudinal spin transfer, $D_{LL}$, from high energy polarized protons to $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons has been measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200 \mathrm{GeV}$ with the STAR detector at RHIC. The measurements cover pseudorapidity, $\eta$, in the range $|\eta| < 1.2$ and transverse momenta, $p_\mathrm{T}$, up to $4 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The longitudinal spin transfer is found to be $D_{LL}= -0.03\pm 0.13(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.04(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\Lambda$ and $D_{LL} = -0.12 \pm 0.08(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.03(\mathrm{syst})$ for inclusive $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons with $<\eta> = 0.5$ and $<p_\mathrm{T}> = 3.7 \mathrm{GeV}/c$. The dependence on $\eta$ and $p_\mathrm{T}$ is presented.
The spin transfer $D_{LL}$ to (a) $\Lambda$ and (b) $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons produced at positive pseudorapidity with respect to the polarized proton beam from $MB$, $JP$, and $HT$ data versus hyperon transverse momenta $p_{T}$. The sizes of the statistical and systematic uncertainties are indicated by the vertical bars and bands, respectively. For clarity, the HT data points have been shifted slightly in $p_{T}$. The dotted vertical lines indicate the $p_{T}$ intervals in the analysis of HT and JP data.
The spin transfer $D_{LL}$ to (a) $\Lambda$ and (b) $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons produced at positive pseudorapidity with respect to the polarized proton beam from $MB$, $JP$, and $HT$ data versus hyperon transverse momenta $p_{T}$. The sizes of the statistical and systematic uncertainties are indicated by the vertical bars and bands, respectively. For clarity, the HT data points have been shifted slightly in $p_{T}$. The dotted vertical lines indicate the $p_{T}$ intervals in the analysis of HT and JP data.
The spin transfer $D_{LL}$ to (a) $\Lambda$ and (b) $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons produced at positive pseudorapidity with respect to the polarized proton beam from $MB$, $JP$, and $HT$ data versus hyperon transverse momenta $p_{T}$. The sizes of the statistical and systematic uncertainties are indicated by the vertical bars and bands, respectively. For clarity, the HT data points have been shifted slightly in $p_{T}$. The dotted vertical lines indicate the $p_{T}$ intervals in the analysis of HT and JP data.
The PHENIX collaboration presents a systematic study of $\pi^0$ production from $p$ $+$ $p$, $p$ $+$Al, $p$ $+$Au, $d$ $+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Measurements were performed with different centrality selections as well as the total inelastic, 0%--100%, selection for all collision systems. For 0%--100% collisions, the nuclear modification factors, $R_{xA}$, are consistent with unity for $p_T$ above 8 GeV/$c$, but exhibit an enhancement in peripheral collisions and a suppression in central collisions. The enhancement and suppression characteristics are similar for all systems for the same centrality class. It is shown that for high-$p_T$-$\pi^0$ production, the nucleons in the $d$ and $^3$He interact mostly independently with the Au nucleus and that the counter intuitive centrality dependence is likely due to a physical correlation between multiplicity and the presence of a hard scattering process. These observations disfavor models where parton energy loss has a significant contribution to nuclear modifications in small systems. Nuclear modifications at lower $p_T$ resemble the Cronin effect -- an increase followed by a peak in central or inelastic collisions and a plateau in peripheral collisions. The peak height has a characteristic ordering by system size as $p$ $+$Au $>$ $d$ $+$Au $>$ $^{3}$He$+$Au $>$ $p$ $+$Al. For collisions with Au ions, current calculations based on initial state cold nuclear matter effects result in the opposite order, suggesting the presence of other contributions to nuclear modifications, in particular at lower $p_T$.
Differential cross section of $\pi^0$ in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV
Nuclear modification factors from inelastic (a) p+Al, (b) p+Au, (c) d+Au, and (d) $^{3}$HeAu collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV. The right boxes are the $N_{coll}$ uncertainties from the Glauber model, while the left box represents the overall normalization uncertainty from p+p collisions
Nuclear modification factors in p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and $^{3}$He+Au in five centrality bins and for inelastic collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV. The right boxes are the uncertainties of the $N_{coll}$ collisions from the Glauber model, while the left box represents the overall normalization uncertainty from p+p collisions
Recently, the PHENIX Collaboration has published second- and third-harmonic Fourier coefficients $v_2$ and $v_3$ for midrapidity ($|\eta|<0.35$) charged hadrons in 0%--5% central $p$$+$Au, $d$ $+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV utilizing three sets of two-particle correlations for two detector combinations with different pseudorapidity acceptance [Phys. Rev. C {\bf 105}, 024901 (2022)]. This paper extends these measurements of $v_2$ to all centralities in $p$ $+$Au, $d$ $+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions, as well as $p$$+$$p$ collisions, as a function of transverse momentum ($p_T$) and event multiplicity. The kinematic dependence of $v_2$ is quantified as the ratio $R$ of $v_2$ between the two detector combinations as a function of event multiplicity for $0.5$ $<$ $p_T$ $<$ $1$ and $2$ $<$ $p_T$ $<$ $2.5$ GeV/$c$. A multiphase-transport (AMPT) model can reproduce the observed $v_2$ in most-central to midcentral $d$$+$Au and $^3$He$+$Au collisions. However, the AMPT model systematically overestimates the measurements in $p$ $+$ $p$, $p$ $+$Au, and peripheral $d$$+$Au and $^3$He$+$Au collisions, indicating a higher nonflow contribution in AMPT than in the experimental data. The AMPT model fails to describe the observed $R$ for $0.5$ $<$ $p_T$$<$ $1$ GeV/$c$, but there is qualitative agreement with the measurements for $2$ $<$ $p_T$ $<$ $2.5$ GeV/$c$.
Azimuthal anisotropy $v_2\{BB\}$ as a function of transverse momentum $p_T$ in $p$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 200 GeV.
Azimuthal anisotropy $v_2\{BF\}$ as a function of transverse momentum $p_T$ in $p$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 200 GeV.
Azimuthal anisotropy $v_2\{BB\}$ as a function of transverse momentum $p_T$ in $d$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 200 GeV.
The cross section for coherent photonuclear production of J/$\psi$ is presented as a function of the electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of Pb. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. Cross sections are presented in five different J/$\psi$ rapidity ranges within $|y|<4$, with the J/$\psi$ reconstructed via its dilepton decay channels. In some events the J/$\psi$ is not accompanied by EMD, while other events do produce neutrons from EMD at beam rapidities either in one or the other beam direction, or in both. The cross sections in a given rapidity range and for different configurations of neutrons from EMD allow for the extraction of the energy dependence of this process in the range $17 < W_{\gamma\, \mathrm{Pb, n}} <920$ GeV, where $W_{\gamma\, \mathrm{Pb, n}}$ is the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of the $\gamma\,\mathrm{Pb}$ system. This range corresponds to a Bjorken-$x$ interval spanning about three orders of magnitude: $ 1.1\times10^{-5}<x<3.3\times 10^{-2}$. In addition to the ultra-peripheral and photonuclear cross sections, the nuclear suppression factor is obtained. These measurements point to a strong depletion of the gluon distribution in Pb nuclei over a broad, previously unexplored, energy range. These results, together with previous ALICE measurements, provide unprecedented information to probe quantum chromodynamics at high energies.
Measured coherent J/psi cross section for the 0N0N class. Note that for each rapidity range the 0n0n uncertainty related to migrations is preceded by a ∓, while the other neutron classes have a ±; this means that these uncertainties are anti-correlated.
Measured coherent J/psi cross section for the 0NXN+XN0N class. Note that for each rapidity range the 0n0n uncertainty related to migrations is preceded by a ∓, while the other neutron classes have a ±; this means that these uncertainties are anti-correlated.
Measured coherent J/psi cross section for the XN0N forward class. Note that for each rapidity range the 0n0n uncertainty related to migrations is preceded by a ∓, while the other neutron classes have a ±; this means that these uncertainties are anti-correlated.
Charmonium is a valuable probe in heavy-ion collisions to study the properties of the quark gluon plasma, and is also an interesting probe in small collision systems to study cold nuclear matter effects, which are also present in large collision systems. With the recent observations of collective behavior of produced particles in small system collisions, measurements of the modification of charmonium in small systems have become increasingly relevant. We present the results of J/ψ measurements at forward and backward rapidity in various small collision systems, p+p, p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au, at √sNN =200 GeV. The results are presented in the form of the observable RAB, the nuclear modification factor, a measure of the ratio of the J/ψ invariant yield compared to the scaled yield in p+p collisions. We examine the rapidity, transverse momentum, and collision centrality dependence of nuclear effects on J/ψ production with different projectile sizes p and 3He, and different target sizes Al and Au. The modification is found to be strongly dependent on the target size, but to be very similar for p+Au and 3He+Au. However, for 0%–20% central collisions at backward rapidity, the modification for 3He+Au is found to be smaller than that for p+Au, with a mean fit to the ratio of 0.89±0.03(stat)±0.08(syst), possibly indicating final state effects due to the larger projectile size.
J/psi invariant yields in p+p collisions as a function of pT at forward and backward rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
J/psi nuclear modification in p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au collisions as a function of centrality and rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
J/psi nuclear modification in p+Al collisions as a function of centrality and rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
There is strong evidence for the formation of small droplets of quark-gluon plasma in $p/d/^{3}$He+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and in $p$+$p$/Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. In particular, the analysis of data at RHIC for different geometries obtained by varying the projectile size and shape has proven insightful. In the present analysis, we find excellent agreement with the previously published PHENIX at RHIC results on elliptical and triangular flow with an independent analysis via the two-particle correlation method, which has quite different systematic uncertainties and an independent code base. In addition, the results are extended to other detector combinations with different kinematic (pseudorapidity) coverage. These results provide additional constraints on contributions from nonflow and longitudinal decorrelations.
$v_2$ vs $p_T$, p+Au at 200 GeV, 0-5% central, BBCS-FVTXS-CNT detector combination
We report on the nuclear dependence of transverse single-spin asymmetries (TSSAs) in the production of positively-charged hadrons in polarized $p^{\uparrow}+p$, $p^{\uparrow}+$Al and $p^{\uparrow}+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The measurements have been performed at forward rapidity ($1.4<\eta<2.4$) over the range of $1.8<p_{T}<7.0$ GeV$/c$ and $0.1<x_{F}<0.2$. We observed a positive asymmetry $A_{N}$ for positively-charged hadrons in \polpp collisions, and a significantly reduced asymmetry in $p^{\uparrow}$+$A$ collisions. These results reveal a nuclear dependence of charged hadron $A_N$ in a regime where perturbative techniques are relevant. These results provide new opportunities to use \polpA collisions as a tool to investigate the rich phenomena behind TSSAs in hadronic collisions and to use TSSA as a new handle in studying small-system collisions.
$A_N$ as a function of $A^{1/3}$ for positively-charged hadrons at 1.4 < $\eta$ < 2.4, 0.1 < $x_F$ < 0.2, and 1.8 < $p_T$ < 7.0 GeV/$c$ in $p^{\uparrow}$+$p$, $p^{\uparrow}$+Al, and $p^{\uparrow}$+Au collisions.
$A_N$ as a function of $N^{Avg.}_{coll}$ for positively-charged hadrons at 1.4 < $\eta$ < 2.4, 0.1 < $x_F$ < 0.2, and 1.8 < $p_T$ < 7.0 GeV/$c$ in $p^{\uparrow}$+$p$, $p^{\uparrow}$+Al, and $p^{\uparrow}$+Au collisions.
The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider measured $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons at midrapidity in U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=192$ GeV in a wide transverse momentum range. Measurements were performed in the $\pi^0(\eta)\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay modes. A strong suppression of $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ meson production at high transverse momentum was observed in central U$+$U collisions relative to binary scaled $p$$+$$p$ results. Yields of $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons measured in U$+$U collisions show similar suppression pattern to the ones measured in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV for similar numbers of participant nucleons. The $\eta$/$\pi^0$ ratios do not show dependence on centrality or transverse momentum, and are consistent with previously measured values in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, nucleus-nucleus, and $e^+e^-$ collisions.
$\pi^0$ spectra from figure 2a from minimum bias U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point. Type C uncertainties affect the scale of the data.
$\pi^0$ spectra from figure 2a from 0-20% U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point. Type C uncertainties affect the scale of the data.
$\pi^0$ spectra from figure 2a from 20-40% U+U collisions. Type A uncertainties are uncorrelated point-to-point. Type B uncertainties are correlated point-to-point. Type C uncertainties affect the scale of the data.
A study of multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of inclusive photons measured in pp and p$-$Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon$-$nucleon collision of $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV using the ALICE detector in the forward pseudorapidity region $2.3 < \eta_{\rm lab} < 3.9$ is presented. Measurements in p$-$Pb collisions are reported for two beam configurations in which the directions of the proton and lead ion beam were reversed. The pseudorapidity distributions in p$-$Pb collisions are obtained for seven centrality classes which are defined based on different event activity estimators, i.e., the charged-particle multiplicity measured at midrapidity as well as the energy deposited in a calorimeter at beam rapidity. The inclusive photon multiplicity distributions for both pp and p$-$Pb collisions are described by double negative binomial distributions. The pseudorapidity distributions of inclusive photons are compared to those of charged particles at midrapidity in \pp collisions and for different centrality classes in p$-$Pb collisions. The results are compared to predictions from various Monte Carlo event generators. None of the generators considered in this paper reproduces the inclusive photon multiplicity distributions in the reported multiplicity range. The pseudorapidity distributions are, however, better described by the same generators.
Inclusive photon multiplicity distribution measured within $2.3<\eta_{\rm lab}<3.9$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5020~\mathrm{GeV}$.
Inclusive photon multiplicity distribution measured within $2.3<\eta_{\rm lab}<3.9$ in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5020~\mathrm{GeV}$.
Inclusive photon multiplicity distribution measured within $2.3<\eta_{\rm lab}<3.9$ in Pb-p collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5020~\mathrm{GeV}$.
During 2015 the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) provided collisions of transversely polarized protons with Au and Al nuclei for the first time, enabling the exploration of transverse-single-spin asymmetries with heavy nuclei. Large single-spin asymmetries in very forward neutron production have been previously observed in transversely polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions at RHIC, and the existing theoretical framework that was successful in describing the single-spin asymmetry in $p$$+$$p$ collisions predicts only a moderate atomic-mass-number ($A$) dependence. In contrast, the asymmetries observed at RHIC in $p$$+$$A$ collisions showed a surprisingly strong $A$ dependence in inclusive forward neutron production. The observed asymmetry in $p$$+$Al collisions is much smaller, while the asymmetry in $p$$+$Au collisions is a factor of three larger in absolute value and of opposite sign. The interplay of different neutron production mechanisms is discussed as a possible explanation of the observed $A$ dependence.
Forward neutron $A_N$ in $p$+$A$ collisions for $A$ = 1 ($p$), 27 (Al), and 197 (Au), for ZDC inclusive, ZDC $\otimes$ BBC-tag, and ZDC $\otimes$ BBC-veto triggered samples. The 3% scale uncertainty is from the polarization normalization uncertaintiy.
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