STAR Results on High Transverse Momentum, Heavy Flavor and Electromagnetic Probes

Abstract

We summarize here recent results from the STAR collaboration focusing on processes involving large momentum transfers. Measurements of angular correlations of di-hadrons are explored in both the pseudorapidity (eta) and azimuthal (phi) projections. In central Au+Au, an elongated structure is found in the eta projection which persists up to the highest measured pT. After quantifying the particle yield in this structure and subtracting it from the near-side yield, we observe that the remainder exhibits a behavior strikingly similar to that of the near-side yield in d+Au. For heavy flavor production, using electron-hadron correlations in p+p collisions, we obtain an estimate of the b-quark contribution to the non-photonic electrons in the pT region 3-6 GeV/c, and find it consistent with FONLL calculations. Together with the observed suppression of non-photonic electrons in Au+Au, this strongly suggests suppression of b-quark production in Au+Au collisions. We discuss results on the mid-rapidity Upsilon cross-section in p+p collisions. Finally, we present a proof-of-principle measurement of photon-hadron correlations in p+p collisions, paving the way for the tomographic study of the matter produced in central Au+Au via gamma-jet measurements.