arXiv subjects

N. Cronin

Publications and source records attributed to N. Cronin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Elliptic flow of $\pi^0$ mesons in Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and U$+$U at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV

The second-order azimuthal anisotropy coefficients ($v_2$) of neutral $\pi$ mesons ($\pi^0$) have been measured as a function of the transverse momentum ($p_T$) and centrality of Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$~GeV and U$+$U at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The analysis used experimental data collected by the PHENIX experiment at midrapidity $|\eta|<0.35$ over a broad $p_T$ range up to $\approx10$~GeV/$c$, and the obtained results are compared with previous PHENIX measurements in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$~GeV. In all three collision systems, the $\pi^0$~$v_2$ values follow the scaling with the second-order participant eccentricity and the cube root of the number of participating nucleons ($\varepsilon_2 N_{\rm part}^{1/3}$) up to $\approx4$~GeV/$c$. Furthermore, the behavior of the azimuthal-dependent $\pi^0$ nuclear-modification factors and associated fractional parton-energy losses are evaluated from measured nonzero $v_2$ values of $\pi^0$ at $p_T>5$ GeV/$c$ and found to be approximately the same for similar values of $N_{\rm part}^{1/3}$ in these collision systems. These findings demonstrate that the mechanism of $\pi^0$ $v_2$ generation exhibits a high degree of universality across different initial geometries of heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2025

Transverse single-spin asymmetry of forward $η$ mesons in $p^{\uparrow}+ p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV

Utilizing the 2012 transversely polarized proton data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the forward $η$-meson transverse single-spin asymmetry ($A_N$) was measured for $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV as a function of Feynman-x ($x_F$) for $0.2<|x_F|<0.8$ and transverse momentum ($p_T$) for $1.0 =0.086 \pm 0.019$), agreeing well with previous measurements of $π^{0}$ and $η$ $A_N$, but with reach to higher $x_F$ and $p_T$. The contribution of initial-state spin-momentum correlations to the asymmetry, as calculated in the collinear twist-3 framework, appears insufficient to describe the data and suggests a significant impact on the asymmetry from fragmentation.

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arXiv2025

Low-mass vector-meson production at forward rapidity in $p$$+$$p$ and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$~GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured low-mass vector-meson ($ω+ρ$ and $ϕ$) production through the dimuon decay channel at forward rapidity $(1.2<|\mbox{y}|<2.2)$ in $p$$+$$p$ and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$~GeV. The low-mass vector-meson yield and nuclear-modification factor were measured as a function of the average number of participating nucleons, $\langle N_{\rm part}\rangle$, and the transverse momentum $p_T$. These results were compared with those obtained via the kaon decay channel in a similar $p_T$ range at midrapidity. The nuclear-modification factors in both rapidity regions are consistent within the uncertainties. A comparison of the $ω+ρ$ and $J/ψ$ mesons reveals that the light and heavy flavors are consistently suppressed across both $p_T$ and ${\langle}N_{\rm part}\rangle$. In contrast, the $ϕ$ meson displays a nuclear-modification factor consistent with unity, suggesting strangeness enhancement in the medium formed.

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arXiv2025

Measurement of inclusive jet cross section and substructure in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

The jet cross-section and jet-substructure observables in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV were measured by the PHENIX Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Jets are reconstructed from charged-particle tracks and electromagnetic-calorimeter clusters using the anti-$k_{t}$ algorithm with a jet radius $R=0.3$ for jets with transverse momentum within $8.0<p_T<40.0$ GeV/$c$ and pseudorapidity $|η|<0.15$. Measurements include the jet cross section, as well as distributions of SoftDrop-groomed momentum fraction ($z_g$), charged-particle transverse momentum with respect to jet axis ($j_T$), and radial distributions of charged particles within jets ($r$). Also meaureed was the distribution of $ξ=-ln(z)$, where $z$ is the fraction of the jet momentum carried by the charged particle. The measurements are compared to theoretical next-to and next-to-next-to-leading-order calculatios, PYTHIA event generator, and to other existing experimental results. Indicated from these meaurements is a lower particle multiplicity in jets at RHIC energies when compared to models. Also noted are implications for future jet measurements with sPHENIX at RHIC as well as at the future Electron-Ion Collider.

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arXiv2024

Multiplicity dependent $J/ψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ production at forward and backward rapidity in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

The $J/ψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ charmonium states, composed of $c\bar{c}$ quark pairs and known since the 1970s, are widely believed to serve as ideal probes to test quantum chromodynamics in high-energy hadronic interactions. However, there is not yet a complete understanding of the charmonium-production mechanism. Recent measurements of $J/ψ$ production as a function of event charged-particle multiplicity at the collision energies of both the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) show enhanced $J/ψ$ production yields with increasing multiplicity. One potential explanation for this type of dependence is multiparton interactions (MPI). We carry out the first measurements of self-normalized $J/ψ$ yields and the $ψ(2S)$ to $J/ψ$ ratio at both forward and backward rapidities as a function of self-normalized charged-particle multiplicity in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. In addition, detailed {\sc pythia} studies tuned to RHIC energies were performed to investigate the MPI impacts. We find that the PHENIX data at RHIC are consistent with recent LHC measurements and can only be described by {\sc pythia} calculations that include MPI effects. The forward and backward $ψ(2S)$ to $J/ψ$ ratio, which serves as a unique and powerful approach to study final-state effects on charmonium production, is found to be less dependent on the charged-particle multiplicity.

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arXiv2024

Identified charged-hadron production in $p$$+$Al, $^3$He$+$Au, and Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and in U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV

The PHENIX experiment has performed a systematic study of identified charged-hadron ($π^\pm$, $K^\pm$, $p$, $\bar{p}$) production at midrapidity in $p$$+$Al, $^3$He$+$Au, Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV. Identified charged-hadron invariant transverse-momentum ($p_T$) and transverse-mass ($m_T$) spectra are presented and interpreted in terms of radially expanding thermalized systems. The particle ratios of $K/π$ and $p/π$ have been measured in different centrality ranges of large (Cu$+$Au, U$+$U) and small ($p$$+$Al, $^3$He$+$Au) collision systems. The values of $K/π$ ratios measured in all considered collision systems were found to be consistent with those measured in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. However the values of $p/π$ ratios measured in large collision systems reach the values of $\approx0.6$, which is $\approx2$ times larger than in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. These results can be qualitatively understood in terms of the baryon enhancement expected from hadronization by recombination. Identified charged-hadron nuclear-modification factors ($R_{AB}$) are also presented. Enhancement of proton $R_{AB}$ values over meson $R_{AB}$ values was observed in central $^3$He$+$Au, Cu$+$Au, and U$+$U collisions. The proton $R_{AB}$ values measured in $p$$+$Al collision system were found to be consistent with $R_{AB}$ values of $ϕ$, $π^\pm$, $K^\pm$, and $π^0$ mesons, which may indicate that the size of the system produced in $p$$+$Al collisions is too small for recombination to cause a noticeable increase in proton production.

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arXiv2023

Transverse single-spin asymmetry of charged hadrons at forward and backward rapidity in polarized $p$+$p$, $p$+Al, and $p$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV}

Reported here are transverse single-spin asymmetries ($A_{N}$) in the production of charged hadrons as a function of transverse momentum ($p_T$) and Feynman-$x$ ($x_F$) in polarized $p^{\uparrow}$+$p$, $p^{\uparrow}$+Al, and $p^{\uparrow}$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The measurements have been performed at forward and backward rapidity ($1.4<|η|<2.4$) over the range of $1.5 0$) in $p^{\uparrow}$+$p$ collisions, whereas the $p^{\uparrow}$+Al and $p^{\uparrow}$+Au results show smaller asymmetries. This finding provides new opportunities to investigate the origin of transverse single-spin asymmetries and a tool to study nuclear effects in $p$+$A$ collisions.

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arXiv2023

Transverse single-spin asymmetry of midrapidity $π^{0}$ and $η$ mesons in $p$+Au and $p$+Al collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=$ 200 GeV

Presented are the first measurements of the transverse single-spin asymmetries ($A_N$) for neutral pions and eta mesons in $p$+Au and $p$+Al collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV in the pseudorapidity range $|η|<$0.35 with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The asymmetries are consistent with zero, similar to those for midrapidity neutral pions and eta mesons produced in $p$+$p$ collisions. These measurements show no evidence of additional effects that could potentially arise from the more complex partonic environment present in proton-nucleus collisions.

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arXiv2023

Improving constraints on gluon spin-momentum correlations in transversely polarized protons via midrapidity open-heavy-flavor electrons in $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

Polarized proton-proton collisions provide leading-order access to gluons, presenting an opportunity to constrain gluon spin-momentum correlations within transversely polarized protons and enhance our understanding of the three-dimensional structure of the proton. Midrapidity open-heavy-flavor production at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV is dominated by gluon-gluon fusion, providing heightened sensitivity to gluon dynamics relative to other production channels. Transverse single-spin asymmetries of positrons and electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays are measured at midrapidity using the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. These charge-separated measurements are sensitive to gluon correlators that can in principle be related to gluon orbital angular momentum via model calculations. Explicit constraints on gluon correlators are extracted for two separate models, one of which had not been constrained previously.

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arXiv2023

Measurements of second-harmonic Fourier coefficients from azimuthal anisotropies in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Recently, the PHENIX Collaboration has published second- and third-harmonic Fourier coefficients $v_2$ and $v_3$ for midrapidity ($|η|<0.35$) charged hadrons in 0\%--5\% central $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV utilizing three sets of two-particle correlations for two detector combinations with different pseudorapidity acceptance [Phys. Rev. C {\bf 105}, 024901 (2022)]. This paper extends these measurements of $v_2$ to all centralities in $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions, as well as $p$$+$$p$ collisions, as a function of transverse momentum ($p_T$) and event multiplicity. The kinematic dependence of $v_2$ is quantified as the ratio $R$ of $v_2$ between the two detector combinations as a function of event multiplicity for $0.5$$<$$p_T$$<$$1$ and $2$$<$$p_T$$<$$2.5$ GeV/$c$. A multiphase-transport (AMPT) model can reproduce the observed $v_2$ in most-central to midcentral $d$$+$Au and $^3$He$+$Au collisions. However, the AMPT model systematically overestimates the measurements in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Au, and peripheral $d$$+$Au and $^3$He$+$Au collisions, indicating a higher nonflow contribution in AMPT than in the experimental data. The AMPT model fails to describe the observed $R$ for $0.5$$<$$p_T$$<$$1$ GeV/$c$, but there is qualitative agreement with the measurements for $2$$<$$p_T$$<$$2.5$ GeV/$c$.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of $ϕ$-meson production in Cu$+$Au at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV and U$+$U at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV

The PHENIX experiment reports systematic measurements at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider of $ϕ$-meson production in asymmetric Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV and in U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=193 GeV. Measurements were performed via the $ϕ\rightarrow K^{+}K^{-}$ decay channel at midrapidity $|η|<0.35$. Features of $ϕ$-meson production measured in Cu$+$Cu, Cu$+$Au, Au$+$Au, and U$+$U collisions were found to not depend on the collision geometry, which was expected because the yields are averaged over the azimuthal angle and follow the expected scaling with nuclear-overlap size. The elliptic flow of the $ϕ$ meson in Cu$+$Au, Au$+$Au, and U$+$U collisions scales with second-order-participant eccentricity and the length scale of the nuclear-overlap region (estimated with the number of participating nucleons). At moderate $p_T$, $ϕ$-meson production measured in Cu$+$Au and U$+$U collisions is consistent with coalescence-model predictions, whereas at high $p_T$ the production is in agreement with expectations for in-medium energy loss of parent partons prior to their fragmentation. The elliptic flow for $ϕ$ mesons measured in Cu$+$Au and U$+$U collisions is well described by a (2+1)D viscous-hydrodynamic model with specific-shear viscosity $η/s=1/4π$.

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arXiv2022

Study of $ϕ$-meson production in $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Small nuclear collisions are mainly sensitive to cold-nuclear-matter effects; however, the collective behavior observed in these collisions shows a hint of hot-nuclear-matter effects. The identified-particle spectra, especially the $ϕ$ mesons which contain strange and antistrange quarks and have a relatively small hadronic-interaction cross section, are a good tool to study these effects. The PHENIX experiment has measured $ϕ$ mesons in a specific set of small collision systems $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, and $^3$He$+$Au, as well as $d$$+$Au [Phys. Rev. C {\bf 83}, 024909 (2011)], at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The transverse-momentum spectra and nuclear-modification factors are presented and compared to theoretical-model predictions. The comparisons with different calculations suggest that quark-gluon plasma may be formed in these small collision systems at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. However, the volume and the lifetime of the produced medium may be insufficient for observing strangeness-enhancement and jet-quenching effects. Comparison with calculations suggests that the main production mechanisms of $ϕ$ mesons at midrapidity may be different in $p$$+$Al versus $p/d/$$^3$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. While thermal quark recombination seems to dominate in $p/d/$$^3$He$+$Au collisions, fragmentation seems to be the main production mechanism in $p$$+$Al collisions.

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arXiv2022

Measurement of $ψ(2S)$ nuclear modification at backward and forward rapidity in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, and $p$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Suppression of the $J/ψ$ nuclear-modification factor has been seen as a trademark signature of final-state effects in large collision systems for decades. In small systems, the nuclear modification was attributed to cold-nuclear-matter effects until the observation of strong differential suppression of the $ψ(2S)$ state in $p/d$$+$$A$ collisions suggested the presence of final-state effects. Results of $J/ψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ measurements in the dimuon decay channel are presented here for $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, and $p$$+$Au collision systems at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The results are predominantly shown in the form of the nuclear-modification factor, $R_{pA}$, the ratio of the $ψ(2S)$ invariant yield per nucleon-nucleon collision in collisions of proton on target nucleus to that in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. Measurements of the $J/ψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ nuclear-modification factor are compared with shadowing and transport-model predictions, as well as to complementary measurements at Large-Hadron-Collider energies.

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arXiv2022

Systematic study of nuclear effects in $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV using $π^0$ production

The PHENIX collaboration presents a systematic study of $π^0$ production from $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Measurements were performed with different centrality selections as well as the total inelastic, 0%--100%, selection for all collision systems. For 0%--100% collisions, the nuclear modification factors, $R_{xA}$, are consistent with unity for $p_T$ above 8 GeV/$c$, but exhibit an enhancement in peripheral collisions and a suppression in central collisions. The enhancement and suppression characteristics are similar for all systems for the same centrality class. It is shown that for high-$p_T$-$π^0$ production, the nucleons in the $d$ and $^3$He interact mostly independently with the Au nucleus and that the counter intuitive centrality dependence is likely due to a physical correlation between multiplicity and the presence of a hard scattering process. These observations disfavor models where parton energy loss has a significant contribution to nuclear modifications in small systems. Nuclear modifications at lower $p_T$ resemble the Cronin effect -- an increase followed by a peak in central or inelastic collisions and a plateau in peripheral collisions. The peak height has a characteristic ordering by system size as $p$$+$Au $>$ $d$$+$Au $>$ $^{3}$He$+$Au $>$ $p$$+$Al. For collisions with Au ions, current calculations based on initial state cold nuclear matter effects result in the opposite order, suggesting the presence of other contributions to nuclear modifications, in particular at lower $p_T$.

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arXiv2022

Transverse-single-spin asymmetries of charged pions at midrapidity in transversely polarized $p{+}p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

In 2015, the PHENIX collaboration has measured single-spin asymmetries for charged pions in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at the center of mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. The pions were detected at central rapidities of $|η|<0.35$. The single-spin asymmetries are consistent with zero for each charge individually, as well as consistent with the previously published neutral-pion asymmetries in the same rapidity range. However, they show a slight indication of charge-dependent differences which may suggest a flavor dependence in the underlying mechanisms that create these asymmetries.

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arXiv2022

Transverse single spin asymmetries of forward neutrons in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, and $p$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV as a function of transverse and longitudinal momenta

In 2015 the PHENIX collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider recorded $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Al, and $p$$+$Au collision data at center of mass energies of $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV with the proton beam(s) transversely polarized. At very forward rapidities $η>6.8$ relative to the polarized proton beam, neutrons were detected either inclusively or in (anti)correlation with detector activity related to hard collisions. The resulting single spin asymmetries, that were previously reported, have now been extracted as a function of the transverse momentum of the neutron as well as its longitudinal momentum fraction $x_F$. The explicit kinematic dependence, combined with the correlation information allows for a closer look at the interplay of different mechanisms suggested to describe these asymmetries, such as hadronic interactions or electromagnetic interactions in ultra-peripheral collisions, UPC. Events that are correlated with a hard collision indeed display a mostly negative asymmetry that increases in magnitude as a function of transverse momentum with only little dependence on $x_F$. In contrast, events that are not likely to have emerged from a hard collision display positive asymmetries for the nuclear collisions with a kinematic dependence that resembles that of a UPC based model. Because the UPC interaction depends strongly on the charge of the nucleus, those effects are very small for $p$$+$$p$ collisions, moderate for $p$$+$Al collisions, and large for $p$$+$Au collisions.

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arXiv2022

Kinematic dependence of azimuthal anisotropies in $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, $^3$He+Au at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV

There is strong evidence for the formation of small droplets of quark-gluon plasma in $p/d/^{3}$He+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and in $p$+$p$/Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. In particular, the analysis of data at RHIC for different geometries obtained by varying the projectile size and shape has proven insightful. In the present analysis, we find excellent agreement with the previously published PHENIX at RHIC results on elliptical and triangular flow with an independent analysis via the two-particle correlation method, which has quite different systematic uncertainties and an independent code base. In addition, the results are extended to other detector combinations with different kinematic (pseudorapidity) coverage. These results provide additional constraints on contributions from nonflow and longitudinal decorrelations.

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arXiv2021

Transverse single-spin asymmetries of midrapidity $π^0$ and $η$ mesons in polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

We present a measurement of the transverse single-spin asymmetry for $π^0$ and $η$ mesons in $p^\uparrow$$+$$p$ collisions in the pseudorapidity range $|η|<0.35$ and at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In comparison with previous measurements in this kinematic region, these results have a factor of 3 smaller uncertainties. As hadrons, $π^0$ and $η$ mesons are sensitive to both initial- and final-state nonperturbative effects for a mix of parton flavors. Comparisons of the differences in their transverse single-spin asymmetries have the potential to disentangle the possible effects of strangeness, isospin, or mass. These results can constrain the twist-3 trigluon collinear correlation function as well as the gluon Sivers function.

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