Charged-pion-interferometry measurements were made with respect to the 2$^{\rm nd}$- and 3$^{\rm rd}$-order event plane for Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. A strong azimuthal-angle dependence of the extracted Gaussian-source radii was observed with respect to both the 2$^{\rm nd}$- and 3$^{\rm rd}$-order event planes. The results for the 2$^{\rm nd}$-order dependence indicate that the initial eccentricity is reduced during the medium evolution, but not reversed in the final state, which is consistent with previous results. In contrast, the results for the 3$^{\rm rd}$-order dependence indicate that the initial triangular shape is significantly reduced and potentially reversed by the end of the medium evolution, and that the 3$^{\rm rd}$-order oscillations are largely dominated by the dynamical effects from triangular flow.

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured transverse energy and charged particle multiplicity at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 19.6, 130 and 200 GeV as a function of centrality. The presented results are compared to measurements from other RHIC experiments, and experiments at lower energies. The sqrt(s_NN) dependence of dE_T/deta and dN_ch/deta per pair of participants is consistent with logarithmic scaling for the most central events. The centrality dependence of dE_T/deta and dN_ch/deta is similar at all measured incident energies. At RHIC energies the ratio of transverse energy per charged particle was found independent of centrality and growing slowly with sqrt(s_NN). A survey of comparisons between the data and available theoretical models is also presented.

The PHENIX experiment presents results from the RHIC 2005 run with polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV, for inclusive \pi^0 production at mid-rapidity. Unpolarized cross section results are given for transverse momenta p_T=0.5 to 20 GeV/c, extending the range of published data to both lower and higher p_T. The cross section is described well for p_T < 1 GeV/c by an exponential in p_T, and, for p_T > 2 GeV/c, by perturbative QCD. Double helicity asymmetries A_LL are presented based on a factor of five improvement in uncertainties as compared to previously published results, due to both an improved beam polarization of 50%, and to higher integrated luminosity. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon polarization in the proton, and exclude maximal values for the gluon polarization.

We present azimuthal angle correlations of intermediate transverse momentum (1-4 GeV/c) hadrons from {dijets} in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 62.4 and 200 GeV. The away-side dijet induced azimuthal correlation is broadened, non-Gaussian, and peaked away from \Delta\phi=\pi in central and semi-central collisions in all the systems. The broadening and peak location are found to depend upon the number of participants in the collision, but not on the collision energy or beam nuclei. These results are consistent with sound or shock wave models, but pose challenges to Cherenkov gluon radiation models.

The PHENIX experiment has measured the suppression of semi-inclusive single high transverse momentum pi^0's in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV. The present understanding of this suppression is in terms of energy-loss of the parent (fragmenting) parton in a dense color-charge medium. We have performed a quantitative comparison between various parton energy-loss models and our experimental data. The statistical point-to-point uncorrelated as well as correlated systematic uncertainties are taken into account in the comparison. We detail this methodology and the resulting constraint on the model parameters, such as the initial color-charge density dN^g/dy, the medium transport coefficient <q^hat>, or the initial energy-loss parameter epsilon_0. We find that high transverse momentum pi^0 suppression in Au+Au collisions has sufficient precision to constrain these model dependent parameters at the +/1 20%-25% (one standard deviation) level. These constraints include only the experimental uncertainties, and further studies are needed to compute the corresponding theoretical uncertainties.

The double helicity asymmetry in neutral pion production for p_T = 1 to 12 GeV/c has been measured with the PHENIX experiment in order to access the gluon spin contribution, Delta-G, to the proton spin. Measured asymmetries are consistent with zero, and at a theory scale of \mu^2 = 4 GeV^2 give Delta-G^[0.02,0.3] = 0.1 to 0.2, with a constraint of -0.7 < Delta-G^[0.02,0.3] < 0.5 at Delta-chi^2 = 9 (~3 sigma) for our sampled gluon momentum fraction (x) range, 0.02 to 0.3. The results are obtained using predictions for our measured asymmetries generated from four representative fits to polarized deep inelastic scattering data. We also consider the dependence of the Delta-G constraint on the choice of theoretical scale, a dominant uncertainty in these predictions.

We have measured the cross section and single spin asymmetries from forward $W^{\pm}\rightarrow\mu^{\pm}\nu$ production in longitudinally polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV using the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The cross sections are consistent with previous measurements at this collision energy, while the most forward and backward longitudinal single spin asymmetries provide new insights into the sea quark helicities in the proton. The charge of the W bosons provides a natural flavor separation of the participating partons.

The transverse single-spin asymmetries of neutral pions and non-identified charged hadrons have been measured at mid-rapidity in polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. The data cover a transverse momentum (p_T) range 0.5-5.0 GeV/c for charged hadrons and 1.0-5.0 GeV/c for neutral pions, at a Feynman-x (x_F) value of approximately zero. The asymmetries seen in this previously unexplored kinematic region are consistent with zero within statistical errors of a few percent. In addition, the inclusive charged hadron cross section at mid-rapidity from 0.5 < p_T < 7.0 GeV/c is presented and compared to NLO pQCD calculations. Successful description of the unpolarized cross section above ~2 GeV/c using NLO pQCD suggests that pQCD is applicable in the interpretation of the asymmetry results in the relevant kinematic range.

Measurements of the midrapidity transverse energy distribution, $d\Et/d\eta$, are presented for $p$$+$$p$, $d$$+$Au, and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and additionally for Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4$ and 130 GeV. The $d\Et/d\eta$ distributions are first compared with the number of nucleon participants $N_{\rm part}$, number of binary collisions $N_{\rm coll}$, and number of constituent-quark participants $N_{qp}$ calculated from a Glauber model based on the nuclear geometry. For Au$+$Au, $\mean{d\Et/d\eta}/N_{\rm part}$ increases with $N_{\rm part}$, while $\mean{d\Et/d\eta}/N_{qp}$ is approximately constant for all three energies. This indicates that the two component ansatz, $dE_{T}/d\eta \propto (1-x) N_{\rm part}/2 + x N_{\rm coll}$, which has been used to represent $E_T$ distributions, is simply a proxy for $N_{qp}$, and that the $N_{\rm coll}$ term does not represent a hard-scattering component in $E_T$ distributions. The $dE_{T}/d\eta$ distributions of Au$+$Au and $d$$+$Au are then calculated from the measured $p$$+$$p$ $E_T$ distribution using two models that both reproduce the Au$+$Au data. However, while the number-of-constituent-quark-participant model agrees well with the $d$$+$Au data, the additive-quark model does not.

We have measured the azimuthal anisotropy of pi0's for 1 < pT < 18 GeV/c for Au+Au collisions at sqrt s_NN = 200 GeV. The observed anisotropy shows a gradual decrease in 3 < pT < 7 - 10 GeV/c, but remains positive beyond 10 GeV/c. The magnitude of this anisotropy is under-predicted, up to at least 10 GeV/c, by current perturbative QCD (pQCD) energy-loss model calculations. An estimate of the increase in anisotropy expected from initial-geometry modification due to gluon saturation effects and initial-geometry fluctuations is insufficient to account for this discrepancy. Calculations which implement a path length dependence steeper than what is implied by current pQCD energy-loss models, show reasonable agreement with the data.

PHENIX has measured the e^+e^- pair continuum in sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV Au+Au and p+p collisions over a wide range of mass and transverse momenta. The e^+e^- yield is compared to the expectations from hadronic sources, based on PHENIX measurements. In the intermediate mass region, between the masses of the phi and the J/psi meson, the yield is consistent with expectations from correlated c^bar-c production, though other mechanisms are not ruled out. In the low mass region (below the phi) the p+p inclusive mass spectrum is well described by known contributions from light meson decays. In contrast, the Au+Au minimum bias inclusive mass spectrum in this region shows an enhancement by a factor of 4.7+/-0.4(stat)+/-1.5(syst)+/-0.9(model) At low mass (m_ee<0.3 GeV/c^2) and high p_T (1<p_T<5 GeV/c) an enhanced e^+e^- pair yield is observed that is consistent with production of virtual direct photons. This excess is used to infer the yield of real direct photons. In central Au+Au collisions, the excess of the direct photon yield over the p+p is exponential in p_T, with inverse slope T=221+/-19(stat)+/-19(syst) MeV. Hydrodynamical models with initial temperatures ranging from T_init ~=300--600 MeV at times of 0.6--0.15 fm/c after the collision are in qualitative agreement with the direct photon data in Au+Au. For low p_T<1 GeV/c the low mass region shows a further significant enhancement that increases with centrality and has an inverse slope of T ~=100 MeV. Theoretical models under predict the low mass, low p_T enhancement.

Measurements of transverse-single-spin asymmetries ($A_{N}$) in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$62.4 and 200 GeV with the PHENIX detector at RHIC are presented. At midrapidity, $A_{N}$ is measured for neutral pion and eta mesons reconstructed from diphoton decay, and at forward rapidities, neutral pions are measured using both diphotons and electromagnetic clusters. The neutral-pion measurement of $A_{N}$ at midrapidity is consistent with zero with uncertainties a factor of 20 smaller than previous publications, which will lead to improved constraints on the gluon Sivers function. At higher rapidities, where the valence quark distributions are probed, the data exhibit sizable asymmetries. In comparison with previous measurements in this kinematic region, the new data extend the kinematic coverage in $\sqrt{s}$ and $p_T$, and it is found that the asymmetries depend only weakly on $\sqrt{s}$. The origin of the forward $A_{N}$ is presently not understood quantitatively. The extended reach to higher $p_T$ probes the transition between transverse momentum dependent effects at low $p_T$ and multi-parton dynamics at high $p_T$.

The azimuthal distribution of identified pi^0 and inclusive photons has been measured in sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions with the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The second harmonic parameter (v_2) was measured to describe the observed anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution. The measured inclusive photon v_2 is consistent with the value expected for the photons from hadron decay and is also consistent with the lack of direct photon signal over the measured p_T range 1-6 GeV/c. An attempt is made to extract v_2 of direct photons.

The PHENIX Collaboration has measured the ratio of the yields of $\psi(2S)$ to $\psi(1S)$ mesons produced in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV over the forward and backward rapidity intervals $1.2<|y|<2.2$. We find that the ratio in $p$$+$$p$ collisions is consistent with measurements at other collision energies. In collisions with nuclei, we find that in the forward ($p$-going or $^{3}$He-going) direction, the relative yield of $\psi(2S)$ mesons to $\psi(1S)$ mesons is consistent with the value measured in \pp collisions. However, in the backward (nucleus-going) direction, the $\psi(2S)$ is preferentially suppressed by a factor of $\sim$2. This suppression is attributed in some models to breakup of the weakly-bound $\psi(2S)$ through final state interactions with comoving particles, which have a higher density in the nucleus-going direction. These breakup effects may compete with color screening in a deconfined quark-gluon plasma to produce sequential suppression of excited quarkonia states.

We present azimuthal angular correlations between charged hadrons and energy deposited in calorimeter towers in central $d$$+$Au and minimum bias $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The charged hadron is measured at midrapidity $|\eta|<0.35$, and the energy is measured at large rapidity ($-3.7<\eta<-3.1$, Au-going direction). An enhanced near-side angular correlation across $|\Delta\eta| >$ 2.75 is observed in $d$$+$Au collisions. Using the event plane method applied to the Au-going energy distribution, we extract the anisotropy strength $v_2$ for inclusive charged hadrons at midrapidity up to $p_T=4.5$ GeV/$c$. We also present the measurement of $v_2$ for identified $\pi^{\pm}$ and (anti)protons in central $d$$+$Au collisions, and observe a mass-ordering pattern similar to that seen in heavy ion collisions. These results are compared with viscous hydrodynamic calculations and measurements from $p$$+$Pb at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. The magnitude of the mass-ordering in $d$$+$Au is found to be smaller than that in $p$$+$Pb collisions, which may indicate smaller radial flow in lower energy $d$$+$Au collisions.

Measurements of double-helicity asymmetries for inclusive hadron production in polarized p+p collisions are sensitive to helicity--dependent parton distribution functions, in particular to the gluon helicity distribution, Delta(g). This study focuses on the extraction of the double-helicity asymmetry in eta production: polarized p+p --> eta + X, the eta cross section, and the eta/pi^0 cross section ratio. The cross section and ratio measurements provide essential input for the extraction of fragmentation functions that are needed to access the helicity-dependent parton distribution functions.

Azimuthal angle \Delta\phi correlations are presented for charged hadrons from dijets for 0.4 < p_T < 10 GeV/c in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV. With increasing p_T, the away-side distribution evolves from a broad to a concave shape, then to a convex shape. Comparisons to p+p data suggest that the away-side can be divided into a partially suppressed 'head' region centered at Delta\phi ~ \pi, and an enhanced 'shoulder' region centered at Delta\phi ~ \pi +/- 1.1. The p_T spectrum for the 'head' region softens toward central collisions, consistent with the onset of jet quenching. The spectral slope for the 'shoulder' region is independent of centrality and trigger p_T, which offers constraints on energy transport mechanisms and suggests that the 'shoulder' region contains the medium response to energetic jets.

We present measurements of J/psi yields in d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV recorded by the PHENIX experiment and compare with yields in p+p collisions at the same energy per nucleon-nucleon collision. The measurements cover a large kinematic range in J/psi rapidity (-2.2 < y < 2.4) with high statistical precision and are compared with two theoretical models: one with nuclear shadowing combined with final state breakup and one with coherent gluon saturation effects. To remove model dependent systematic uncertainties we also compare the data to a simple geometric model. We find that calculations where the nuclear modification is linear or exponential in the density weighted longitudinal thickness are difficult to reconcile with the forward rapidity data.

The momentum distribution of electrons from semi-leptonic decays of charm and bottom for mid-rapidity |y|<0.35 in p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV is measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) over the transverse momentum range 2 < p_T < 7 GeV/c. The ratio of the yield of electrons from bottom to that from charm is presented. The ratio is determined using partial D/D^bar --> e^{+/-} K^{-/+} X (K unidentified) reconstruction. It is found that the yield of electrons from bottom becomes significant above 4 GeV/c in p_T. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log (FONLL) perturbative quantum chromodynamics (pQCD) calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties. The extracted total bottom production cross section at this energy is \sigma_{b\b^bar}= 3.2 ^{+1.2}_{-1.1}(stat) ^{+1.4}_{-1.3}(syst) micro b.

We present measurements of azimuthal correlations of charged hadron pairs in $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV Au$+$Au collisions after subtracting an underlying event using a model that includes higher-order azimuthal anisotropy $v_2$, $v_3$, and $v_4$. After subtraction, the away-side ($\Delta\phi\sim\pi)$ of the highest transverse-momentum trigger ($p_T>4$ GeV/$c$) correlations is suppressed compared to that of correlations measured in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. At the lowest associated particle $p_T$, the away-side shape and yield are modified. These observations are consistent with the scenario of radiative-jet energy loss. For the lowest-$p_T$ trigger correlations, an away-side yield exists and we explore the dependence of the shape of the away-side within the context of an underlying-event model. Correlations are also studied differentially versus event-plane angle $\Psi_n$. The angular correlations show an asymmetry when selecting the sign of the trigger-particle azimuthal angle with respect to the $\Psi_2$ event plane. This asymmetry and the measured suppression of the pair yield out of plane is consistent with a path-length-dependent energy loss. No $\Psi_3$ dependence can be resolved within experimental uncertainties.

Event-by-event fluctuations of the average transverse momentum of produced particles near mid-rapidity have been measured by the PHENIX Collaboration in sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV Au+Au and p+p collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The fluctuations are observed to be in excess of the expectation for statistically independent particle emission for all centralities. The excess fluctuations exhibit a dependence on both the centrality of the collision and on the transverse momentum window over which the average is calculated. Both the centrality and p_T dependence can be well reproduced by a simulation of random particle production with the addition of contributions from hard scattering processes.

Measurements of neutral pion production at midrapidity in sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions as a function of transverse momentum, p_T, collision centrality, and angle with respect to reaction plane are presented. The data represent the final pi^0 results from the PHENIX experiment for the first RHIC Au+Au run at design center-of-mass-energy. They include additional data obtained using the PHENIX Level-2 trigger with more than a factor of three increase in statistics over previously published results for p_T > 6 GeV/c. We evaluate the suppression in the yield of high-p_T pi^0's relative to point-like scaling expectations using the nuclear modification factor R_AA. We present the p_T dependence of R_AA for nine bins in collision centrality. We separately integrate R_AA over larger p_T bins to show more precisely the centrality dependence of the high-p_T suppression. We then evaluate the dependence of the high-p_T suppression on the emission angle \Delta\phi of the pions with respect to event reaction plane for 7 bins in collision centrality. We show that the yields of high-p_T pi^0's vary strongly with \Delta\phi, consistent with prior measurements. We show that this variation persists in the most peripheral bin accessible in this analysis. For the peripheral bins we observe no suppression for neutral pions produced aligned with the reaction plane while the yield of pi^0's produced perpendicular to the reaction plane is suppressed by more than a factor of 2. We analyze the combined centrality and \Delta\phi dependence of the pi^0 suppression in different p_T bins using different possible descriptions of parton energy loss dependence on jet path-length averages to determine whether a single geometric picture can explain the observed suppression pattern.

Measurements of the fractional momentum loss ($S_{\rm loss}\equiv{\delta}p_T/p_T$) of high-transverse-momentum-identified hadrons in heavy ion collisions are presented. Using $\pi^0$ in Au$+$Au and Cu$+$Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and and charged hadrons in Pb$+$Pb collisions measured by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, we studied the scaling properties of $S_{\rm loss}$ as a function of a number of variables: the number of participants, $N_{\rm part}$, the number of quark participants, $N_{\rm qp}$, the charged-particle density, $dN_{\rm ch}/d\eta$, and the Bjorken energy density times the equilibration time, $\varepsilon_{\rm Bj}\tau_{0}$. We find that the $p_T$ where $S_{\rm loss}$ has its maximum, varies both with centrality and collision energy. Above the maximum, $S_{\rm loss}$ tends to follow a power-law function with all four scaling variables. The data at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV and 2.76 TeV, for sufficiently high particle densities, have a common scaling of $S_{\rm loss}$ with $dN_{\rm ch}/d\eta$ and $\varepsilon_{\rm Bj}\tau_{0}$, lending insight on the physics of parton energy loss.

Measurements of the anisotropy parameter v_2 of identified hadrons (pions, kaons, and protons) as a function of centrality, transverse momentum p_T, and transverse kinetic energy KE_T at midrapidity (|\eta|<0.35) in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV are presented. Pions and protons are identified up to p_T = 6 GeV/c, and kaons up to p_T = 4 GeV/c, by combining information from time-of-flight and aerogel Cherenkov detectors in the PHENIX Experiment. The scaling of v_2 with the number of valence quarks (n_q) has been studied in different centrality bins as a function of transverse momentum and transverse kinetic energy. A deviation from previously observed quark-number scaling is observed at large values of KE_T/n_q in noncentral Au+Au collisions (20--60%), but this scaling remains valid in central collisions (0--10%).

We present measurements of elliptic and triangular azimuthal anisotropy of charged particles detected at forward rapidity $1<|\eta|<3$ in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, as a function of centrality. The multiparticle cumulant technique is used to obtain the elliptic flow coefficients $v_2\{2\}$, $v_2\{4\}$, $v_2\{6\}$, and $v_2\{8\}$, and triangular flow coefficients $v_3\{2\}$ and $v_3\{4\}$. Using the small-variance limit, we estimate the mean and variance of the event-by-event $v_2$ distribution from $v_2\{2\}$ and $v_2\{4\}$. In a complementary analysis, we also use a folding procedure to study the distributions of $v_2$ and $v_3$ directly, extracting both the mean and variance. Implications for initial geometrical fluctuations and their translation into the final state momentum distributions are discussed.