arXiv subjects

N. N. Ajitanand

Publications and source records attributed to N. N. Ajitanand.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Nuclear modification factors of phi mesons in d+Au, Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at sqrt(S_NN)=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has performed systematic measurements of phi meson production in the K+K- decay channel at midrapidity in p+p, d+Au, Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at sqrt(S_NN)=200 GeV. Results are presented on the phi invariant yield and the nuclear modification factor R_AA for Au+Au and Cu+Cu, and R_dA for d+Au collisions, studied as a function of transverse momentum (1<p_T<7 GeV/c) and centrality. In central and mid-central Au+Au collisions, the R_AA of phi exhibits a suppression relative to expectations from binary scaled p+p results. The amount of suppression is smaller than that of the neutral pion and the eta meson in the intermediate p_T range (2--5 GeV/c); whereas at higher p_T the phi, pi^0, and eta show similar suppression. The baryon (protons and anti-protons) excess observed in central Au+Au collisions at intermediate p_T is not observed for the phi meson despite the similar mass of the proton and the phi. This suggests that the excess is linked to the number of constituent quarks rather than the hadron mass. The difference gradually disappears with decreasing centrality and for peripheral collisions the R_AA values for both particles are consistent with binary scaling. Cu+Cu collisions show the same yield and suppression as Au+Au collisions for the same number of N_part. The R_dA of phi shows no evidence for cold nuclear effects within uncertainties.

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arXiv2010

Trends in Yield and Azimuthal Shape Modification in Dihadron Correlations in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

Fast parton probes produced by hard scattering and embedded within collisions of large nuclei have shown that partons suffer large energy loss and that the produced medium may respond collectively to the lost energy. We present measurements of neutral pion trigger particles at transverse momenta p^t_T = 4-12 GeV/c and associated charged hadrons (p^a_T = 0.5-7 GeV/c) as a function of relative azimuthal angle Delta Phi at midrapidity in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV. These data lead to two major observations. First, the relative angular distribution of low momentum hadrons, whose shape modification has been interpreted as a medium response to parton energy loss, is found to be modified only for p^t_T < 7 GeV/c. At higher p^t_T, the data are consistent with unmodified or very weakly modified shapes, even for the lowest measured p^a_T. This observation presents a quantitative challenge to medium response scenarios. Second, the associated yield of hadrons opposite to the trigger particle in Au+Au relative to that in p+p (I_AA) is found to be suppressed at large momentum (IAA ~ 0.35-0.5), but less than the single particle nuclear modification factor (R_AA ~0.2).

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arXiv2009

Methodology for the study of modified jet-like topologies in heavy ion collisions via three particle correlation functions

Methodology is presented for analysis of three-particle correlation functions obtained in heavy ion collisions at ultra-relativistic energies. We show that harmonic correlations can be removed and jet driven correlations reliably extracted. Results from detailed Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate the efficacy of this technique for the study of modifications to away-side jet topologies. Such modifications are an essential probe of the properties of the quark gluon plasma produced in heavy ion collisions.

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arXiv2009

Scaling patterns of the suppression of $π^0$ yields in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV: links to the transport properties of the QGP

Suppression measurements for neutral pions ($π^0$) are used to investigate the predicted path length ($L$) and transverse momentum ($p_T$) dependent jet quenching patterns of the hot QCD medium produced in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. The observed scaling patterns show the predicted trends for jet-medium interactions dominated by radiative energy loss. They also allow simple estimates of the transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ and the ratio of viscosity to entropy density $η/s$. These estimates indicate that the short mean free path ($λ$) in the QCD medium leading to hydrodynamic-like flow with a small value of $η/s$, is also responsible for the strong suppression observed.

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arXiv2009

Energy loss for heavy quarks in relation to light partons; is radiative energy loss for heavy quarks anomalous?

The scaling properties of jet suppression measurements are compared for non-photonic electrons ($e^{\pm}$) and neutral pions ($π^0$) in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. For a broad range of transverse momenta and collision centralities, the comparison is consistent with jet quenching dominated by radiative energy loss for both heavy and light partons. Less quenching is indicated for heavy quarks via $e^{\pm}$; this gives an independent estimate of the transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ that agrees with its magnitude obtained from quenching of light partons via $π^0$'s.

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arXiv2008

Universal scaling of the elliptic flow data at RHIC

Recent PHOBOS measurements of the excitation function for the pseudo-rapidity dependence of elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions at RHIC, have posed a significant theoretical challenge. Here we show that these differential measurements, as well as the RHIC measurements on transverse momentum satisfy a universal scaling relation predicted by the Buda-Lund model, based on exact solutions of perfect fluid hydrodynamics. We also show that recently found transverse kinetic energy scaling of the elliptic flow is a special case of this universal scaling.

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arXiv2008

An estimate for the location of QCD critical end point

It is proposed that a study of the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density $\fracη{s}$ as a function of the baryon chemical potential $μ_B$, and temperature T, provides a dynamic probe for the critical end point (CEP) in hot and dense QCD matter. An initial estimate from an elliptic flow excitation function gives $μ^{\text{cep}}_B \sim 150-180$ MeV and $T_{\text{cep}} \sim 165 - 170$ MeV for the location of the the CEP. These values place the CEP in the range for "immediate" validation at RHIC.

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arXiv2007

Has the QCD Critical Point been Signaled by Observations at RHIC ?

The shear viscosity to entropy ratio ($η/s$) is estimated for the hot and dense QCD matter created in Au+Au collisions at RHIC ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV). A very low value is found $η/s \sim 0.1$, which is close to the conjectured lower bound ($1/4π$). It is argued that such a low value is indicative of thermodynamic trajectories for the decaying matter which lie close to the QCD critical end point.

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arXiv2006

Extraction of jet topology using three particle correlations

Recent theoretical studies have indicated that the topological features of away-side jet fragments can be significantly altered by medium-induced modifications. The leading candidates resulting from such modifications are Mach Cones and deflected jets. We show that three particle correlations are able to distinguish between these different modification scenarios. Initial results from an application of the method to Au+Au collisions at RHIC ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV) are presented.

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arXiv2005

Identification of exotic jet topologies via three particle correlations in PHENIX

Modifications of jet properties resulting from the coupling of jets to the strongly interacting matter produced in RHIC collisions are of great current interest. In recent work, the PHENIX collaboration has applied a novel technique to the analysis of two particle azimuthal correlations which extinguishes the harmonic part of the underlying event revealing the true jet shape. Recent extensions of the method to three particle correlations allow for a more revealing study of jet topologies in Au+Au collisions at ($\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$=200 GeV).

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arXiv2005

Two and Three Particle Flavor Dependent Correlations

The PHENIX collaboration has developed novel methodologies for reliable extraction of jet functions from two and three particle azimuthal correlation functions measured at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt s=200$ GeV. The extracted jet shape and the yield of jet-associated partner hadrons (per trigger hadron) are found to vary with particle type and collision centrality, indicating a significant effect of the nuclear collision medium on the (di)jet fragmentation process.

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arXiv2005

Multiparticle angular correlations: a probe for the sQGP at RHIC

A novel decomposition technique is used to extract the centrality dependence of di-jet properties and yields from azimuthal correlation functions obtained in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$=200 GeV. The width of the near-side jet shows very little dependence on centrality. In contrast, the away-side jet indicates substantial broadening as well as hints for for a local minimum at $Δϕ=π$ for central and mid-central events. The yield of jet-pairs (per trigger particle) slowly increases with centrality for both the near- and away-side jets. These observed features are compatible with several recent theoretical predictions of possible modifications of di-jet fragmentation by a strongly interacting medium. Several new experimental approaches, including the study of flavor permutation and higher order multi-particle correlations, that might help to distinguish between different theoretical scenarios are discussed.

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arXiv2005

Decomposition of Harmonic and Jet Contributions to Particle-pair Correlations at Ultra-relativistic Energies

Methodology is presented for analysis of two-particle azimuthal angle correlation functions obtained in collisions at ultra-relativistic energies. We show that harmonic and di-jet contributions to these correlation functions can be reliably decomposed by two techniques to give an accurate measurement of the jet-pair distribution. Results from detailed Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate the efficacy of these techniques in the study of possible modifications to jet topologies in heavy ion reactions.

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arXiv2003

Near-threshold production of the multi-strange $Ξ^-$ hyperon

The yield for the multi-strange $Ξ^{-}$ hyperon has been measured in 6 AGeV Au+Au collisions via reconstruction of its decay products $π^{-}$ and $Λ$, the latter also being reconstructed from its daughter tracks of $π^{-}$ and p. The measurement is rather close to the threshold for $Ξ^{-}$ production and therefore provides an important test of model predictions. The measured yield for $Ξ^{-}$ and $Λ$ are compared for several centralities. In central collisions the $Ξ^{-}$ yield is found to be in excellent agreement with statistical and transport model predictions, suggesting that multi-strange hadron production approaches chemical equilibrium in high baryon density nuclear matter.

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arXiv2003

Comparison of Source Images for protons, $π^-$'s and $Λ$'s in 6 AGeV Au+Au collisions

Source images are extracted from two-particle correlations constructed from strange and non-strange hadrons produced in 6 AGeV Au + Au collisions. Very different source images result from pp vs p$Λ$ vs $π^-π^-$ correlations. These observations suggest important differences in the space-time emission histories for protons, pions and neutral strange baryons produced in the same events.

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arXiv2002

Two Particle Azimuthal Correlation Measurements in PHENIX

Two particle azimuthal correlation functions are presented for charged hadrons produced in Au-Au collisions at RHIC sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV.The correlation functions indicate sizeable asymmetries and anisotropies. The trend of the asymmetries is compatible with the presence of emission patterns associated with mini-jets. The magnitude and the trend of the differential anisotropies v_2(p_T) and v_2(N_Part), provide important model constraints.

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arXiv2002

Longitudinal Flow of Protons from 2-8 AGeV Central Au+Au Collisions

Rapidity distributions of protons from central $^{197}$Au + $^{197}$Au collisions measured by the E895 Collaboration in the energy range from 2 to 8 AGeV at the Brookhaven AGS are presented. Longitudinal flow parameters derived using a thermal model including collective longitudinal expansion are extracted from these distributions. The results show an approximately linear increase in the longitudinal flow velocity, $<βγ>_{L}$, as a function of the logarithm of beam energy.

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arXiv2001

Laying the groundwork at the AGS: Recent results from experiment E895

The E895 Collaboration at the Brookhaven AGS has performed a systematic investigation of Au+Au collisions at 2-8 AGeV, using a large-acceptance Time Projection Chamber. In addition to extensive measurements of particle flow, spectra, two-particle interferometry, and strangeness production, we have performed novel hybrid analyses, including azimuthally-sensitive pion HBT, extraction of the six-dimensional pion phasespace density, and a first measurement of the Lambda-proton correlation function.

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