Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

M. van Leeuwen

Publications and source records attributed to M. van Leeuwen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2015

Measurement of event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations using strongly intensive measures $Δ[P_T, N]$ and $Σ[P_T, N]$ in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron

Results from the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS are presented on event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations of charged particles, produced at forward rapidities in central Pb+Pb interactions at beam momenta 20$A$, 30$A$, 40$A$, 80$A$, and 158$A$ GeV/c, as well as in systems of different size ($p+p$, C+C, Si+Si, and Pb+Pb) at 158$A$ GeV/c. This publication extends the previous NA49 measurements of the strongly intensive measure $Φ_{p_T}$ by a study of the recently proposed strongly intensive measures of fluctuations $Δ[P_T, N]$ and $Σ[P_T, N]$. In the explored kinematic region transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations show no significant energy dependence in the SPS energy range. However, a remarkable system size dependence is observed for both $Δ[P_T, N]$ and $Σ[P_T, N]$, with the largest values measured in peripheral Pb+Pb interactions. The results are compared with NA61/SHINE measurements in $p+p$ collisions, as well as with predictions of the UrQMD and EPOS models.

nucl-ex↗
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.

nucl-ex↗
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.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2012

High-$p_T$ results from ALICE

We report recent results of high-pt measurements in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV by the ALICE experiment and discuss the implications in terms of energy loss of energetic partons in the strongly interaction medium formed in the collisions.

nucl-ex↗
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.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2011

Proton -- Lambda Correlations in Central Pb+Pb Collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 17.3 GeV

The momentum correlation between protons and lambda particles emitted from central Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 17.3 GeV was studied by the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS. A clear enhancement is observed for small relative momenta (q_{inv} < 0.2 GeV). By fitting a theoretical model, which uses the strong interaction between the proton and the lambda in a given pair, to the measured data a value for the effective source size is deduced. Assuming a static Gaussian source distribution we derive an effective radius parameter of R_G = 3.02 \pm 0.20$(stat.)^{+0.44}_{-0.16}(syst.) fm.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2010

Comparing parton energy loss models

The similarities and differences between three commonly used formalisms for radiative parton energy loss in hot strongly interacting matter are discussed. The single gluon emission spectra are evaluated for a model system consisting of a homogeneous medium with a fixed length, the `TECHQM brick'. Sizable quantitative differences are found and the origins of these differences are discussed.

nucl-th↗
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.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2009

Comparing energy loss phenomenology

High-pT particle production is suppressed in heavy ion collisions due to parton energy loss in dense QCD matter. Here we present a systematic comparison of two different theoretical approximations to parton energy loss calculations: the opacity expansion and the multiple-soft scattering approximation for the simple case of a quark traversing a homogeneous piece of matter with fixed length (the TECHQM 'brick problem'), with focus on the range of parameters that is relevant for interpreting RHIC measurements of high-pT hadron suppression.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Energy dependence of phi meson production in central Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt(s_nn) = 6 to 17 GeV

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 with 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.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2008

Recent high-pt results from STAR

We present selected recent results of multi-hadron correlation measurements in azimuth and pseudorapidity at intermediate and high \pt{} in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV, from the STAR experiment at RHIC. At intermediate \pt, measurements are presented that attempt to determine the origin of the associated near-side (small \dphi) yield at large pseudo-rapidity difference \deta{} that is found to be present in heavy ion collisions. In addition, results are reported on new multi-hadron correlation measures at high-\pt{} that use di-hadron triggers and multi-hadron cluster triggers with the goal to constrain the underlying jet kinematics better than in the existing measurements of inclusive spectra and di-hadron correlations.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2008

Jet Modification in Heavy Ion Collisions at RHIC

These proceedings present a brief overview of the main results on jet-modifications in heavy ion collisions at RHIC. In heavy ion collisions, jets are studied using single hadron spectra and di-hadron correlations with a high-\pt{} trigger hadrons. At high pt, a suppression of the yields due to parton energy loss is observed. A quantitative confrontation of the data with various theoretical approaches to energy loss in a dense QCD medium is being pursued. First results from $γ$-jet events, where the photon balances the initial jet energy, are also presented and compared to expectations from models based on di-hadron measurements. At intermediate pt, two striking modifications of the di-hadron correlation structure are found in heavy ion collisions: the presence of a long-range {\it ridge} structure in \deta{}, and a large broadening of the recoil jet. Both phenomena seem to indicate an interplay between hard and soft physics.

nucl-ex↗
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.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2007

Quark Matter 2006: high-pT and jets

An overview of new experimental results on high-\pT{} particle production and jets in heavy ion collisions from the Quark Matter 2006 conference is presented.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2004

Overview of Hard processes at RHIC: high-pt light hadron and charm production

An overview of the experimental results on high-pt light hadron production and open charm production is presented. Data on particle production in elementary collisions are compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. Particle production in Au+Au collisions is then compared to this baseline.

nucl-ex↗
arXiv2004

Strangeness dynamics and transverse pressure in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions

We investigate hadron production as well as transverse hadron spectra from proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions from 2 $A\cdot$GeV to 21.3 $A\cdot$TeV within two independent transport approaches (HSD and UrQMD) that are based on quark, diquark, string and hadronic degrees of freedom. The comparison to experimental data on transverse mass spectra from $pp$, $pA$ and C+C (or Si+Si) reactions shows the reliability of the transport models for light systems. For central Au+Au (Pb+Pb) collisions at bombarding energies above $\sim$ 5 A$\cdot$GeV, furthermore, the measured $K^{\pm}$ transverse mass spectra have a larger inverse slope parameter than expected from the default calculations. We investigate various scenarios to explore their potential effects on the $K^\pm$ spectra. In particular the initial state Cronin effect is found to play a substantial role at top SPS and RHIC energies. However, the maximum in the $K^+/π^+$ ratio at 20 to 30 A$\cdot$GeV is missed by ~40% and the approximately constant slope of the $K^\pm$ spectra at SPS energies is not reproduced either. Our systematic analysis suggests that the additional pressure - as expected from lattice QCD calculations at finite quark chemical potential $μ_q$ and temperature $T$- should be generated by strong interactions in the early pre-hadronic/partonic phase of central Au+Au (Pb+Pb) collisions.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2004

Review of QGP signatures - ideas versus observables

We investigate hadron production and transverse hadron spectra in nucleus-nucleus collisions from 2 $A\cdot$GeV to 21.3 $A\cdot$TeV within two independent transport approaches (UrQMD and HSD) based on quark, diquark, string and hadronic degrees of freedom. The enhancement of pion production in central Au+Au (Pb+Pb) collisions relative to scaled $pp$ collisions (the 'kink') is described well by both approaches without involving a phase transition. However, the maximum in the $K^+/π^+$ ratio at 20 to 30 A$\cdot$GeV (the 'horn') is missed by $\sim$ 40%. Also, at energies above $\sim$ 5 A$\cdot$GeV, the measured $K^{\pm}$ $m_{T}$-spectra have a larger inverse slope than expected from the models. Thus the pressure generated by hadronic interactions in the transport models at high energies is too low. This finding suggests that the additional pressure - as expected from lattice QCD at finite quark chemical potential and temperature - might be generated by strong interactions in the early pre-hadronic/partonic phase of central heavy-ion collisions. Finally, we discuss the emergence of density perturbations in a first-order phase transition and why they might affect relative hadron multiplicities, collective flow, and hadron mean-free paths at decoupling.

nucl-th↗