arXiv subjects

A. Francisco

Publications and source records attributed to A. Francisco.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Beam energy dependence of net-$Λ$ fluctuations measured by the STAR experiment at RHIC

The measurements of particle multiplicity distributions have generated considerable interest in understanding the fluctuations of conserved quantum numbers in the Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) hadronization regime, in particular near a possible critical point and near the chemical freeze-out. We report the measurement of efficiency and centrality bin width corrected cumulant ratios ($C_{2}/C_{1}$, $C_{3}/C_{2}$) of net-$Λ$ distributions, in the context of both strangeness and baryon number conservation, as a function of collision energy, centrality and rapidity. The results are for Au + Au collisions at five beam energies ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV) recorded with the Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC (STAR). We compare our results to the Poisson and negative binomial (NBD) expectations, as well as to Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD) and Hadron Resonance Gas (HRG) model predictions. Both NBD and Poisson baselines agree with data within the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The ratios of the measured cumulants show no features of critical fluctuations. The chemical freeze-out temperatures extracted from a recent HRG calculation, which was successfully used to describe the net-proton, net-kaon and net-charge data, indicate $Λ$ freeze-out conditions similar to those of kaons. However, large deviations are found when comparing to temperatures obtained from net-proton fluctuations. The net-$Λ$ cumulants show a weak, but finite, dependence on the rapidity coverage in the acceptance of the detector, which can be attributed to quantum number conservation.

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arXiv2019

Underlying event measurements in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 200 $ GeV at RHIC

Particle production sensitive to non-factorizable and non-perturbative processes that contribute to the underlying event associated with a high transverse momentum ($p_{T}$) jet in proton+proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=200 GeV is studied with the STAR detector. Each event is divided into three regions based on the azimuthal angle with respect to the highest-$p_{T}$ jet direction: in the leading jet direction ("Toward"), opposite to the leading jet ("Away"), and perpendicular to the leading jet ("Transverse"). In the Transverse region, the average charged particle density is found to be between 0.4 and 0.6 and the mean transverse momentum, $\langle p_{T}\rangle$, between 0.5-0.7 GeV/$c$ for particles with $p_{T}$$>$0.2 GeV/$c$ at mid-pseudorapidity ($|η|$$<$1) and jet $p_{T}$$>$15 GeV/$c$. Both average particle density and $\langle p_{T}\rangle$ depend weakly on the leading jet $p_{T}$. Closer inspection of the Transverse region hints that contributions to the underlying event from initial- and final-state radiation are significantly smaller in these collisions than at the higher energies, up to 13 TeV, recorded at the LHC. Underlying event measurements associated with a high-$p_{T}$ jet will contribute to our understanding of QCD processes at hard and soft scales at RHIC energies, as well as provide constraints to modeling of underlying event dynamics.

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arXiv2019

Methods for a blind analysis of isobar data collected by the STAR collaboration

In 2018, the STAR collaboration collected data from $_{44}^{96}Ru+_{44}^{96}Ru$ and $_{40}^{96}Zr+_{40}^{96}Zr$ at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV to search for the presence of the chiral magnetic effect in collisions of nuclei. The isobar collision species alternated frequently between $_{44}^{96}Ru+_{44}^{96}Ru$ and $_{40}^{96}Zr+_{40}^{96}Zr$. In order to conduct blind analyses of studies related to the chiral magnetic effect in these isobar data, STAR developed a three-step blind analysis procedure. Analysts are initially provided a "reference sample" of data, comprised of a mix of events from the two species, the order of which respects time-dependent changes in run conditions. After tuning analysis codes and performing time-dependent quality assurance on the reference sample, analysts are provided a species-blind sample suitable for calculating efficiencies and corrections for individual $\approx30$-minute data-taking runs. For this sample, species-specific information is disguised, but individual output files contain data from a single isobar species. Only run-by-run corrections and code alteration subsequent to these corrections are allowed at this stage. Following these modifications, the "frozen" code is passed over the fully un-blind data, completing the blind analysis. As a check of the feasibility of the blind analysis procedure, analysts completed a "mock data challenge," analyzing data from $Au+Au$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=27$ GeV, collected in 2018. The $Au+Au$ data were prepared in the same manner intended for the isobar blind data. The details of the blind analysis procedure and results from the mock data challenge are presented.

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arXiv2019

Beam-energy dependence of identified two-particle angular correlations in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

The two-particle angular correlation functions, $R_2$, of pions, kaons, and protons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4, and 200 GeV were measured by the STAR experiment at RHIC. These correlations were measured for both like-sign and unlike-sign charge combinations and versus the centrality. The correlations of pions and kaons show the expected near-side ({\it i.e.}, at small relative angles) peak resulting from short-range mechanisms. The amplitudes of these short-range correlations decrease with increasing beam energy. However, the proton correlation functions exhibit strong anticorrelations in the near-side region. This behavior is observed for the first time in an A+A collision system. The observed anticorrelation is $p_{T}$-independent and decreases with increasing beam energy and centrality. The experimental results are also compared to the Monte Carlo models UrQMD, Hijing, and AMPT.

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