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Phi meson production is studied by the NA49 collaboration in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A and 158A GeV beam energy. The data are compared to measurements at lower and higher energies and to microscopic and thermal models. The energy dependence of yields and spectral distributions is compatible with the assumption that partonic degrees of freedom set in at low SPS energies.

Results on charged pion and kaon production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A and 30A GeV are presented and compared to data at lower and higher energies. A rapid change of the energy dependence is observed around 30A GeV for the yields of pions and kaons as well as for the shape of the transverse mass spectra. The change is compatible with the prediction that the threshold for production of a state of deconfined matter at the early stage of the collisions is located at low SPS energies.

Kaons and protons carry large parts of two conserved quantities, strangeness and baryon number. It is argued that their correlation and thus also fluctuations are sensitive to conditions prevailing at the anticipated parton-hadron phase boundary. Fluctuations of the $(\mathrm{K}^+ + \mathrm{K}^-)/(\mathrm{p}+\bar{\mathrm{p}})$ and $\mathrm{K}^+/\mathrm{p}$ ratios have been measured for the first time by NA49 in central Pb+Pb collisions at 5 SPS energies between $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$= 6.3 GeV and 17.3 GeV. Both ratios exhibit a change of sign in $\sigma_{\mathrm{dyn}}$, a measure of non-statistical fluctuations, around $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8 GeV. Below this energy, $\sigma_{\mathrm{dyn}}$ is positive, indicating higher fluctuation compared to a mixed event background sample, while for higher energies, $\sigma_{\mathrm{dyn}}$ is negative, indicating correlated emission of kaons and protons. The results are compared to UrQMD calculations which which give a good description at the higher SPS energies, but fail to reproduce the transition to positive values.

The STAR collaboration reports the first observation of exclusive rho^0 photo-production, AuAu->AuAu rho^0, and rho^0 production accompanied by mutual nuclear Coulomb excitation, AuAu->Au*Au*rho^0, in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion collisions. The rho^0 have low transverse momenta, consistent with coherent coupling to both nuclei. The cross sections at sqrt(s_NN)=130GeV agree with theoretical predictions treating rho^0 production and Coulomb excitation as independent processes.

We present the first measurement of midrapidity vector meson φ production in Au+Au collisions at RHIC (sNN=130 GeV) from the STAR detector. For the 11% highest multiplicity collisions, the slope parameter from an exponential fit to the transverse mass distribution is T=379±50(stat)±45(syst) MeV, the yield dN/dy=5.73±0.37(stat)±0.69(syst) per event, and the ratio Nφ/Nh− is found to be 0.021±0.001(stat)±0.004(syst). The measured ratio Nφ/Nh− and T for the φ meson at midrapidity do not change for the selected multiplicity bins.

Data from the first physics run at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=130$ GeV, have been analyzed by the STAR Collaboration using three-pion correlations with charged pions to study whether pions are emitted independently at freezeout. We have made a high-statistics measurement of the three-pion correlation function and calculated the normalized three-particle correlator to obtain a quantitative measurement of the degree of chaoticity of the pion source. It is found that the degree of chaoticity seems to increase with increasing particle multiplicity.

We report the first measurement of inclusive antiproton production at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at 130 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The antiproton transverse mass distributions in the measured transverse momentum range of 0.25 < pT < 0.95 GeV/c are found to fall less steeply for more central collisions. The extrapolated antiproton rapidity density is found to scale approximately with the negative hadron multiplicity density.

We report the first observation of $K^{\star}(892)^{0}\to\pi K$ in relativistic heavy ion collisions. The transverse momentum spectrum of $(K^{\star0}+\bar{K}^{\star0})/2$ from central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV is presented. The ratios of the $K^{\star0}$ yield derived from these data to the yields of negative hadrons, charged kaons, and $\phi$ mesons have been measured in central and minimum bias collisions and compared with model predictions and comparable $e^{+}e^{-}$, $pp$, and $\bar{p}p$ results. The data indicate no dramatic reduction of $K^{\star0}$ production in relativistic heavy ion collisions despite expected losses due to rescattering effects.

The first measurements of light antinucleus production in Au+Au collisions at RHIC are reported. The observed production rates for antideuterons and antihelions are much larger than in lower energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. A coalescence model analysis of the yields indicates that there is little or no increase in the antinucleon freeze-out volume compared to collisions at SPS energy. These analyses also indicate that the antihelion freeze-out volume is smaller than the antideuteron freeze-out volume.

We report the first measurement of strange ($\Lambda$) and anti-strange ($\bar{\Lambda}$) baryon production from $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Rapidity density and transverse mass distributions at mid-rapidity are presented as a function of centrality. The yield of $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons is found to be approximately proportional to the number of negative hadrons. The production of $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons relative to negative hadrons increases very rapidly with transverse momentum. The magnitude of the increase cannot be described by existing hadronic string fragmentation models.

The balance function is a new observable based on the principle that charge is locally conserved when particles are pair produced. Balance functions have been measured for charged particle pairs and identified charged pion pairs in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 130 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using STAR. Balance functions for peripheral collisions have widths consistent with model predictions based on a superposition of nucleon-nucleon scattering. Widths in central collisions are smaller, consistent with trends predicted by models incorporating late hadronization.

Mid-rapidity transverse mass spectra and multiplicity densities of charged and neutral kaons are reported for Au+Au collisions at $\snn$=130 GeV at RHIC. The spectra are exponential in transverse mass, with an inverse slope of about 280 MeV in central collisions. The multiplicity densities for these particles scale with the negative hadron pseudo-rapidity density. The charged kaon to pion ratios are $K^+/\pi^- = 0.161 \pm 0.002 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.024 {\rm (syst)}$ and $K^-/\pi^- = 0.146 \pm 0.002 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.022 {\rm (syst)}$ for the most central collisions. The $K^+/\pi^-$ ratio is lower than the same ratio observed at the SPS while the $K^-/\pi^-$ is higher than the SPS result. Both ratios are enhanced by about 50% relative to p+p and $\bar{\rm p}$+p collision data at similar energies.

Values of the ratios in the mid-rapidity yields of anti-Lambda/Lambda = 0.71 +/- 0.01(stat.) +/- 0.04(sys.), anti-Xi+/Xi- = 0.83 +/- 0.04(stat.) +/- 0.05 (sys.), anti-Omega+/Omega- = 0.95 +/- 0.15(stat) +/- 0.05(sys.) and K+/K- 1.092 +/- 0.023(combined) were obtained in central sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV Au+Au collisions using the STAR detector. The ratios indicate that a fraction of the net-baryon number from the initial system is present in the excess of hyperons over anti-hyperons at mid-rapidity. The trend in the progression of the baryon ratios, with increasing strange quark content, is similar to that observed in heavy-ion collisions at lower energies. The value of these ratios may be related to the charged kaon ratio in the framework of simple quark-counting and thermal models.

Elliptic flow holds much promise for studying the early-time thermalization attained in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions. Flow measurements also provide a means of distinguishing between hydrodynamic models and calculations which approach the low density (dilute gas) limit. Among the effects that can complicate the interpretation of elliptic flow measurements are azimuthal correlations that are unrelated to the reaction plane (non-flow correlations). Using data for Au + Au collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130 GeV from the STAR TPC, it is found that four-particle correlation analyses can reliably separate flow and non-flow correlation signals. The latter account for on average about 15% of the observed second-harmonic azimuthal correlation, with the largest relative contribution for the most peripheral and the most central collisions. The results are also corrected for the effect of flow variations within centrality bins. This effect is negligible for all but the most central bin, where the correction to the elliptic flow is about a factor of two. A simple new method for two-particle flow analysis based on scalar products is described. An analysis based on the distribution of the magnitude of the flow vector is also described.

Inclusive transverse momentum distributions of charged hadrons within 0.2<pT<6.0 GeV/c have been measured over a broad range of centrality for Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN)=130 GeV. Hadron yields are suppressed at high pT in central collisions relative to peripheral collisions and to a nucleon-nucleon reference scaled for collision geometry. Peripheral collisions are not suppressed relative to the nucleon-nucleon reference. The suppression varies continuously at intermediate centralities. The results indicate significant nuclear medium effects on high pT hadron production in heavy ion collisions at high energy.

Azimuthal correlations for large transverse momentum charged hadrons have been measured over a wide pseudo-rapidity range and full azimuth in Au+Au and p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. The small-angle correlations observed in p+p collisions and at all centralities of Au+Au collisions are characteristic of hard-scattering processes already observed in elementary collisions. A strong back-to-back correlation exists for p+p and peripheral Au + Au. In contrast, the back-to-back correlations are reduced considerably in the most central Au+Au collisions, indicating substantial interaction as the hard-scattered partons or their fragmentation products traverse the medium.

We report on the rapidity and centrality dependence of proton and anti-proton transverse mass distributions from Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 130GeV as measured by the STAR experiment at RHIC. Our results are from the rapidity and transverse momentum range of |y|<0.5 and 0.35 <p_t<1.00GeV/c. For both protons and anti-protons, transverse mass distributions become more convex from peripheral to central collisions demonstrating characteristics of collective expansion. The measured rapidity distributions and the mean transverse momenta versus rapidity are flat within |y|<0.5. Comparisons of our data with results from model calculations indicate that in order to obtain a consistent picture of the proton(anti-proton) yields and transverse mass distributions the possibility of pre-hadronic collective expansion may have to be taken into account.

We report STAR results on the azimuthal anisotropy parameter v2 for strange particles K0S, L and Lbar at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sNN = 130 GeV at RHIC. The value of v2 as a function of transverse momentum of the produced particles pt and collision centrality is presented for both particles up to pt 3.0 GeV/c. A strong pt dependence in v2 is observed up to 2.0 GeV/c. The v2 measurement is compared with hydrodynamic model calculations. The physics implications of the pt integrated v2 magnitude as a function of particle mass are also discussed.

We present STAR measurements of charged hadron production as a function of centrality in Au + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV. The measurements cover a phase space region of 0.2 < p_T < 6.0 GeV/c in transverse momentum and -1 < eta < 1 in pseudorapidity. Inclusive transverse momentum distributions of charged hadrons in the pseudorapidity region 0.5 < |eta| < 1 are reported and compared to our previously published results for |eta| < 0.5. No significant difference is seen for inclusive p_T distributions of charged hadrons in these two pseudorapidity bins. We measured dN/deta distributions and truncated mean p_T in a region of p_T > p_T^cut, and studied the results in the framework of participant and binary scaling. No clear evidence is observed for participant scaling of charged hadron yield in the measured p_T region. The relative importance of hard scattering process is investigated through binary scaling fraction of particle production.

A measurement of the transverse momentum spectra of jets in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV is reported. Jets are reconstructed from charged particles using the anti-$k_{\rm T}$ jet algorithm with jet resolution parameters $R$ of $0.2$ and $0.3$ in pseudo-rapidity $|\eta|<0.5$. The transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}$ of charged particles is measured down to $0.15$ GeV/$c$ which gives access to the low $p_{\rm T}$ fragments of the jet. Jets found in heavy-ion collisions are corrected event-by-event for average background density and on an inclusive basis (via unfolding) for residual background fluctuations and detector effects. A strong suppression of jet production in central events with respect to peripheral events is observed. The suppression is found to be similar to the suppression of charged hadrons, which suggests that substantial energy is radiated at angles larger than the jet resolution parameter $R=0.3$ considered in the analysis. The fragmentation bias introduced by selecting jets with a high $p_{\rm T}$ leading particle, which rejects jets with a soft fragmentation pattern, has a similar effect on the jet yield for central and peripheral events. The ratio of jet spectra with $R=0.2$ and $R=0.3$ is found to be similar in Pb-Pb and simulated PYTHIA pp events, indicating no strong broadening of the radial jet structure in the reconstructed jets with $R<0.3$.

We present a systematic analysis of two-pion interferometry in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at RHIC. We extract the HBT radii and study their multiplicity, transverse momentum, and azimuthal angle dependence. The Gaussianess of the correlation function is studied. Estimates of the geometrical and dynamical structure of the freeze-out source are extracted by fits with blast wave parameterizations. The expansion of the source and its relation with the initial energy density distribution is studied.

The results from the STAR Collaboration on directed flow (v_1), elliptic flow (v_2), and the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the anisotropic azimuthal distribution of particles from Au+Au collisions at sqrtsNN = 200 GeV are summarized and compared with results from other experiments and theoretical models. Results for identified particles are presented and fit with a Blast Wave model. Different anisotropic flow analysis methods are compared and nonflow effects are extracted from the data. For v_2, scaling with the number of constituent quarks and parton coalescence is discussed. For v_4, scaling with v_2^2 and quark coalescence is discussed.

We present the directed flow ($v_1$) measured in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 62.4 GeV in the mid-pseudorapidity region $|\eta|<1.3$ and in the forward pseudorapidity region $2.5 < |\eta| < 4.0$. The results are obtained using the three-particle cumulant method, the event plane method with mixed harmonics, and for the first time at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the standard method with the event plane reconstructed from spectator neutrons. Results from all three methods are in good agreement. Over the pseudorapidity range studied, charged particle directed flow is in the direction opposite to that of fragmentation neutrons.

We present the results of charged particle fluctuations measurements in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=130$ GeV using the STAR detector. Dynamical fluctuations measurements are presented for inclusive charged particle multiplicities as well as for identified charged pions, kaons, and protons. The net charge dynamical fluctuations are found to be large and negative providing clear evidence that positive and negative charged particle production is correlated within the pseudorapidity range investigated. Correlations are smaller than expected based on model-dependent predictions for a resonance gas or a quark gluon gas which undergoes fast hadronization and freeze-out. Qualitative agreement is found with comparable scaled p+p measurements and a HIJING model calculation based on independent particle collisions, although a small deviation from the 1/N scaling dependence expected from this model is observed.

The system created in non-central relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions possesses large orbital angular momentum. Due to spin-orbit coupling, particles produced in such a system could become globally polarized along the direction of the system angular momentum. We present the results of Lambda and anti-Lambda hyperon global polarization measurements in Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=62.4 GeV and 200 GeV performed with the STAR detector at RHIC. The observed global polarization of Lambda and anti-Lambda hyperons in the STAR acceptance is consistent with zero within the precision of the measurements. The obtained upper limit, |P_{Lambda,anti-Lambda}| <= 0.02, is compared to the theoretical values discussed recently in the literature.

Mid-rapidity open charm spectra from direct reconstruction of $D^{0}$($\bar{D^0}$)$\to K^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}$ in d+Au collisions and indirect electron/positron measurements via charm semileptonic decays in p+p and d+Au collisions at \srt = 200 GeV are reported. The $D^{0}$($\bar{D^0}$) spectrum covers a transverse momentum ($p_T$) range of 0.1 $<p_T<$ 3 \GeVc whereas the electron spectra cover a range of 1 $<p_T<$ 4 GeV/$c$. The electron spectra show approximate binary collision scaling between p+p and d+Au collisions. From these two independent analyses, the differential cross section per nucleon-nucleon binary interaction at mid-rapidity for open charm production from d+Au collisions at RHIC is $d\sigma^{NN}_{c\bar{c}}/dy$=0.30$\pm$0.04 (stat.)$\pm$0.09(syst.) mb. The results are compared to theoretical calculations. Implications for charmoniumm results in A+A collisions are discussed.

Pion-kaon correlation functions are constructed from central Au+Au data taken at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130$ GeV. The results suggest that pions and kaons are not emitted at the same average space-time point. Space-momentum correlations, i.e. transverse flow, lead to a space-time emission asymmetry of pions and kaons that is consistent with the data. This result provides new independent evidence that the system created at RHIC undergoes a collective transverse expansion.

Two-pion correlation functions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130$ GeV have been measured by the STAR (Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC) detector. The source size extracted by fitting the correlations grows with event multiplicity and decreases with transverse momentum. Anomalously large sizes or emission durations, which have been suggested as signals of quark-gluon plasma formation and rehadronization, are not observed. The HBT parameters display a weak energy dependence over a broad range in $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$.

We report first results on elliptic flow of identified particles at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV using the STAR TPC at RHIC. The elliptic flow as a function of transverse momentum and centrality differs significantly for particles of different masses. This dependence can be accounted for in hydrodynamic models, indicating that the system created shows a behavior consistent with collective hydrodynamical flow. The fit to the data with a simple model gives information on the temperature and flow velocities at freeze-out.

We report on p-Lambda, p-Lambda bar, p bar-Lambda and p bar-Lambda bar correlation functions constructed in central Au-Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The proton and lambda source size is inferred from the p-Lambda and p bar-Lambda bar correlation functions. They are found to be smaller than the pion source size also measured by the STAR detector. This could be a consequence of the collision fireball's collective expansion. The p-Lambda bar and p bar-Lambda correlations, which are measured for the first time, exhibit a large anti-correlation. Annihilation channels and/or a negative real part of the spin-averaged scattering length must be included in the final-state interactions calculation to reproduce the measured correlation function.

The transverse mass spectra and mid-rapidity yields for $\Xi$s and $\Omega$s plus their anti-particles are presented. The 10% most central collision yields suggest that the amount of multi-strange particles produced per produced charged hadron increases from SPS to RHIC energies. A hydrodynamically inspired model fit to the spectra, which assumes a thermalized source, seems to indicate that these multi-strange particles experience a significant transverse flow effect, but are emitted when the system is hotter and the flow is smaller than values obtained from a combined fit to $\pi$, K, p and $\Lambda$s.

We report the first inclusive photon measurements about mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) from Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 130 GeV at RHIC. Photon pair conversions were reconstructed from electron and positron tracks measured with the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) of the STAR experiment. With this method, an energy resolution of Delta(E)/E = 2% at 0.5 GeV has been achieved. Reconstructed photons have also been used to measure the transverse momentum (pt) spectra of pi0 mesons about mid-rapidity (|y|<1) via the pi0 -> photon photon decay channel. The fractional contribution of the pi0 -> photon photon decay to the inclusive photon spectrum decreases by 20% +/- 5% between pt = 1.65 GeV/c and pt = 2.4 GeV/c in the most central events, indicating that relative to pi0 -> photon photon decay the contribution of other photon sources is substantially increasing.

Transverse energy ($E_T$) distributions have been measured for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}= 200$ GeV by the STAR collaboration at RHIC. $E_T$ is constructed from its hadronic and electromagnetic components, which have been measured separately. $E_T$ production for the most central collisions is well described by several theoretical models whose common feature is large energy density achieved early in the fireball evolution. The magnitude and centrality dependence of $E_T$ per charged particle agrees well with measurements at lower collision energy, indicating that the growth in $E_T$ for larger collision energy results from the growth in particle production. The electromagnetic fraction of the total $E_T$ is consistent with a final state dominated by mesons and independent of centrality.

We report on the first measurement of elliptic flow $v_2(p_T)$ of multi-strange baryons $\Xi+\bar{Xi}$ and $\Omega+\bar{Omega} in heavy-ion collisions. In minimum bias Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV, a significant amount of elliptic flow, comparable to other non-strange baryons, is observed for multi-strange baryons which are expected to be particularly sensitive to the dynamics of the partonic stage of heavy-ion collisions. The $p_T$ dependence of $v_2$ of the multi-strange baryons confirms the number of constituent quark scaling previously observed for lighter hadrons. These results support the idea that a substantial fraction of the observed collective motion is developed at the early partonic stage in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions at RHIC.

Transverse mass and rapidity distributions for charged pions, charged kaons, protons and antiprotons are reported for sqrt{s_NN}=200 GeV pp and Au+Au collisions at RHIC. The transverse mass distributions are rapidity independent within |y|<0.5, consistent with a boost-invariant system in this rapidity interval. Spectral shapes and relative particle yields are similar in pp and peripheral Au+Au collisions and change smoothly to central Au+Au collisions. No centrality dependence was observed in the kaon and antiproton production rates relative to the pion production rate from medium-central to central collisions. Chemical and kinetic equilibrium model fits to our data reveal strong radial flow and relatively long duration from chemical to kinetic freeze-out in central Au+Au collisions. The chemical freeze-out temperature appears to be independent of initial conditions at RHIC energies.

We present the first measurement of multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of photons in the pseudorapidity region 2.3 $\le$ $\eta$ $\le$ 3.7 for different centralities in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 62.4 GeV. We find that the photon yield in this pseudorapidity range scales with the number of participating nucleons at all collision centralities studied. The pseudorapidity distribution of photons, dominated by neutral pion decays, has been compared to those of identified charged pions, photons, and inclusive charged particles from heavy ion and nucleon-nucleon collisions at various energies. The photon production in the measured pseudorapidity region has been shown to be consistent with the energy and centrality independent limiting fragmentation scenario.

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 $p_t$.

We present the first large-acceptance measurement of event-wise mean transverse momentum mean p_t fluctuations for Au-Au collisions at nucleon-nucleon center-of-momentum collision energy sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130 GeV. The observed non-statistical mean p_t fluctuations substantially exceed in magnitude fluctuations expected from the finite number of particles produced in a typical collision. The r.m.s. fractional width excess of the event-wise mean p_t distribution is 13.7 +/- 0.1(stat) +/- 1.3(syst)% relative to a statistical reference, for the 15% most-central collisions and for charged hadrons within pseudorapidity range |eta|<1, 2pi azimuth and 0.15 < p_t < 2 GeV/c. The width excess varies smoothly but non-monotonically with collision centrality, and does not display rapid changes with centrality which might indicate the presence of critical fluctuations. The reported mean p_t fluctuation excess is qualitatively larger than those observed at lower energies and differs markedly from theoretical expectations. Contributions to mean p_t mean fluctuations from semi-hard parton scattering in the initial state and dissipation in the bulk colored medium are discussed.

Measurements of the production of forward pi0 mesons from p+p and d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV are reported. The p+p yield generally agrees with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The d+Au yield per binary collision is suppressed as eta increases, decreasing to ~30% of the p+p yield at <eta>=4.00, well below shadowing expectations. Exploratory measurements of azimuthal correlations of the forward pi0 with charged hadrons at eta~0 show a recoil peak in p+p that is suppressed in d+Au at low pion energy. These observations are qualitatively consistent with a saturation picture of the low-x gluon structure of heavy nuclei.

We have studied J/psi production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV at the LHC through its muon pair decay. The polar and azimuthal angle distributions of the decay muons were measured, and results on the J/$\psi$ polarization parameters $\lambda_{\theta}$ and $\lambda_\phi$ were obtained. The study was performed in the kinematic region 2.5<y<4, 2<$p_{\rm T}$<8 GeV/$c$, in the helicity and Collins-Soper reference frames. In both frames, the polarization parameters are compatible with zero, within uncertainties.

We report the first measurement of the net-charge fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV, measured with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The dynamical fluctuations per unit entropy are observed to decrease when going from peripheral to central collisions. An additional reduction in the amount of fluctuations is seen in comparison to the results from lower energies. We examine the dependence of fluctuations on the pseudorapidity interval, which may account for the dilution of fluctuations during the evolution of the system. We find that the fluctuations at LHC are smaller compared to the measurements at the Relativistic heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), and as such, closer to what has been theoretically predicted for the formation of Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP).

We report high statistics measurements of inclusive charged hadron production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at \sqrtsNN=200 GeV. A large, approximately constant hadron suppression is observed in central Au+Au collisions for $5\lt\pT\lt12$ GeV/c. The collision energy dependence of the yields and the centrality and \pT dependence of the suppression provide stringent constraints on theoretical models of suppression. Models incorporating initial-state gluon saturation or partonic energy loss in dense matter are largely consistent with observations. We observe no evidence of \pT-dependent suppression, which may be expected from models incorporating jet attentuation in cold nuclear matter or scattering of fragmentation hadrons.

We report results on the ratio of mid-rapidity anti-proton to proton yields in Au+Au collisions at $\rts = 130$ GeV per nucleon pair as measured by the STAR experiment at RHIC. Within the rapidity and transverse momentum range of $|y|<0.5$ and 0.4 $<p_t<$ 1.0 GeV/$c$, the ratio is essentially independent of either transverse momentum or rapidity, with an average of $0.65\pm 0.01_{\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.07_{\rm (syst.)}$ for minimum bias collisions. Within errors, no strong centrality dependence is observed. The results indicate that at this RHIC energy, although the $p$-$\pb$ pair production becomes important at mid-rapidity, a significant excess of baryons over anti-baryons is still present.

The minimum bias multiplicity distribution and the transverse momentum and pseudorapidity distributions for central collisions have been measured for negative hadrons (h-) in Au+Au interactions at sqrt(s_nn) = 130 GeV. The multiplicity density at midrapidity for the 5% most central interactions is dNh-/deta|_{eta = 0} = 280 +- 1(stat)+- 20(syst), an increase per participant of 38% relative to ppbar collisions at the same energy. The mean transverse momentum is 0.508 +- 0.012 GeV/c and is larger than in central Pb+Pb collisions at lower energies. The scaling of the h- yield per participant is a strong function of pt. The pseudorapidity distribution is almost constant within |eta|<1.

Correlations in the hadron distributions produced in relativistic Au+Au collisions are studied in the discrete wavelet expansion method. The analysis is performed in the space of pseudorapidity (|eta| < 1) and azimuth (full 2 pi) in bins of transverse momentum (p_t) from 0.14 < p_t < 2.1 GeV/c. In peripheral Au+Au collisions a correlation structure ascribed to mini-jet fragmentation is observed. It evolves with collision centrality and p_t in a way not seen before which suggests strong dissipation of minijet fragmentation in the longitudinally-expanding medium.

The pseudorapidity asymmetry and centrality dependence of charged hadron spectra in d+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV are presented. The charged particle density at mid-rapidity, its pseudorapidity asymmetry and centrality dependence are reasonably reproduced by a Multi-Phase Transport model, by HIJING, and by the latest calculations in a saturation model. Ratios of transverse momentum spectra between backward and forward pseudorapidity are above unity for \pT below 5 GeV/$c$. The ratio of central to peripheral spectra in d+Au collisions shows enhancement at 2 $<$ \pT $<$ 6 GeV/$c$, with a larger effect at backward rapidity than forward rapidity. Our measurements are in qualitative agreement with gluon saturation and in contrast to calculations based on incoherent multiple partonic scatterings.

The short-lived $K(892)^{*}$ resonance provides an efficient tool to probe properties of the hot and dense medium produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We report measurements of $K^{*}$ in $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au and $p+p$ collisions reconstructed via its hadronic decay channels $K(892)^{*0} \to K\pi$ and $K(892)^{*\pm} \to K_S^0\pi^{\pm}$ using the STAR detector at RHIC. The $K^{*0}$ mass has been studied as a function of $p_T$ in minimum bias $p+p$ and central Au+Au collisions. The $K^{*}$ $p_T$ spectra for minimum bias $p+p$ interactions and for Au+Au collisions in different centralities are presented. The $K^{*}/K$ yield ratios for all centralities in Au+Au collisions are found to be significantly lower than the ratio in minimum bias $p+p$ collisions, indicating the importance of hadronic interactions between chemical and kinetic freeze-outs. A significant non-zero $K^{*0}$ elliptic flow ($v_2$) is observed in Au+Au collisions and compared to the $K_S^0$ and $\Lambda$ $v_2$. The nuclear modification factor of $K^{*}$ at intermediate $p_{T}$ is similar to that of $K_{S}^{0}$, but different from $\Lambda$. This establishes a baryon-meson effect over a mass effect in the particle production at intermediate $p_T$ ($2 < p_T \leq 4$ GeV/$c$).