arXiv subjects

F. Pühlhofer

Publications and source records attributed to F. Pühlhofer.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Production of deuterium, tritium, and $^3$He in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A, and 158A GeV at the CERN SPS

Production of $d$, $t$, and $^3$He nuclei in central Pb+Pb interactions was studied at five collision energies ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 6.3, 7.6, 8.8, 12.3, and 17.3 GeV) with the NA49 detector at the CERN SPS. Transverse momentum spectra, rapidity distributions, and particle ratios were measured. Yields are compared to predictions of statistical models. Phase-space distributions of light nuclei are discussed and compared to those of protons in the context of a coalescence approach. The coalescence parameters $B_2$ and $B_3$, as well as coalescence radii for $d$ and $^3$He were determined as a function of transverse mass at all energies.

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arXiv2015

Critical fluctuations of the proton density in A+A collisions at $158A$ GeV

We look for fluctuations expected for the QCD critical point using an intermittency analysis in the transverse momentum phase space of protons produced around midrapidity in the 12.5\% most central C+C, Si+Si and Pb+Pb collisions at the maximum SPS energy of 158$A$~GeV. We find evidence of power-law fluctuations for the Si+Si data. The fitted power-law exponent $ϕ_{2} = 0.96^{+0.38}_{-0.25}\text{ (stat.)}$ $\pm 0.16\text{ (syst.)}$ is consistent with the va\-lue expected for critical fluctuations. Power-law fluctuations had previously also been observed in low-mass $π^+ π^-$ pairs in the same Si+Si collisions.

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arXiv2013

Phase-space dependence of particle-ratio fluctuations in Pb+Pb collisions from 20A to 158A GeV beam energy

A novel approach, the identity method, was used for particle identification and the study of fluctuations of particle yield ratios in Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). This procedure allows to unfold the moments of the unknown multiplicity distributions of protons (p), kaons (K), pions ($π$) and electrons (e). Using these moments the excitation function of the fluctuation measure $ν_{\text{\text{dyn}}}$[A,B] was measured, with A and B denoting different particle types. The obtained energy dependence of $ν_{\text{dyn}}$ agrees with previously published NA49 results on the related measure $σ_{\text{dyn}}$. Moreover, $ν_{\text{dyn}}$ was found to depend on the phase space coverage for [K,p] and [K,$π$] pairs. This feature most likely explains the reported differences between measurements of NA49 and those of STAR in central Au+Au collisions.

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arXiv2012

System-size and centrality dependence of charged kaon and pion production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 40A GeV and158A GeV beam energy

Measurements of charged pion and kaon production are presented in centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV beam energy as well as in semi-central C+C and Si+Si interactions at 40A GeV. Transverse mass spectra, rapidity spectra and total yields are determined as a function of centrality. The system-size and centrality dependence of relative strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV beam energy are derived from the data presented here and published data for C+C and Si+Si collisions at 158A GeV beam energy. At both energies a steep increase with centrality is observed for small systems followed by a weak rise or even saturation for higher centralities. This behavior is compared to calculations using transport models (UrQMD and HSD), a percolation model and the core-corona approach.

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arXiv2011

Energy dependence of kaon-to-proton ratio fluctuations in central Pb+Pb collisions from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 6.3 to 17.3 GeV

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 $σ_{\mathrm{dyn}}$, a measure of non-statistical fluctuations, around $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8 GeV. Below this energy, $σ_{\mathrm{dyn}}$ is positive, indicating higher fluctuation compared to a mixed event background sample, while for higher energies, $σ_{\mathrm{dyn}}$ 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.

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arXiv2010

Centrality dependence of proton and antiproton spectra in Pb+Pb collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV measured at the CERN SPS

The yields of (anti-)protons were measured by the NA49 Collaboration in centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV. Particle identification was obtained in the laboratory momentum range from 5 to 63 GeV/c by the measurement of the energy loss dE/dx in the TPC detector gas. The corresponding rapidity coverage extends 1.6 units from mid-rapidity into the forward hemisphere. Transverse mass spectra, the rapidity dependences of the average transverse mass, and rapidity density distributions were studied as a function of collision centrality. The values of the average transverse mass as well as the midrapidity yields of protons when normalized to the number of wounded nucleons show only modest centrality dependences. In contrast, the shape of the rapidity distribution changes significantly with collision centrality, especially at 40A GeV. The experimental results are compared to calculations of the HSD and UrQMD transport models.

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arXiv2008

Event-by-event transverse momentum fluctuations in nuclear collisions at CERN SPS

The latest NA49 results on event-by-event transverse momentum fluctuations are presented for central Pb+Pb interactions over the whole SPS energy range (20A - 158A GeV). Two different methods are applied: evaluating the $Φ_{p_{T}}$ fluctuation measure and studying two-particle transverse momentum correlations. The obtained results are compared to predictions of the UrQMD model. The results on the energy dependence are compared to the NA49 data on the system size dependence. The NA61 (SHINE, NA49-future) strategy of searching of the QCD critical end-point is also discussed.

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arXiv1997

Evidence for Different Freeze-Out Radii of High- and Low-Energy Pions Emitted in Au+Au Collisions at 1 GeV/nucleon

Double differential production cross sections of negative and positive pions and the number of participating protons have been measured in central Au+Au collisions at 1 GeV per nucleon incident energy. At low pion energies the pi^- yield is strongly enhanced over the pi^+ yield. The energy dependence of the pi^-/pi^+ ratio is assigned to the Coulomb interaction of the charged pions with the protons in the reaction zone. The deduced Coulomb potential increases with increasing pion c.m. energy. This behavior indicates different freeze-out radii for different pion energies in the c.m.~frame.

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