arXiv subjects

P. Christiansen

Publications and source records attributed to P. Christiansen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Comparison of the space-time extent of the emission source in $d$$+$Au and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV

Two-pion interferometry measurements in $d$$+$Au and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV are used to extract and compare the Gaussian source radii R$_{\rm out}$, R$_{\rm side}$, and R$_{\rm long}$, which characterize the space-time extent of the emission sources. The comparisons, which are performed as a function of collision centrality and the mean transverse momentum for pion pairs, indicate strikingly similar patterns for the $d$$+$Au and Au$+$Au systems. They also indicate a linear dependence of R$_{\rm side}$ on the initial transverse geometric size $\bar{R}$, as well as a smaller freeze-out size for the $d$$+$Au system. These patterns point to the important role of final-state rescattering effects in the reaction dynamics of $d$$+$Au collisions.

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arXiv2014

Nuclear matter effects on $J/ψ$ production in asymmetric Cu+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV

We report on $J/ψ$ production from asymmetric Cu+Au heavy-ion collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at both forward (Cu-going direction) and backward (Au-going direction) rapidities. The nuclear modification of $J/ψ$ yields in Cu$+$Au collisions in the Au-going direction is found to be comparable to that in Au$+$Au collisions when plotted as a function of the number of participating nucleons. In the Cu-going direction, $J/ψ$ production shows a stronger suppression. This difference is comparable in magnitude and has the same sign as the difference expected from shadowing effects due to stronger low-$x$ gluon suppression in the larger Au nucleus. The relative suppression is opposite to that expected from hot nuclear matter dissociation, since a higher energy density is expected in the Au-going direction.

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arXiv2014

Inclusive double-helicity asymmetries in neutral pion and eta meson production in $\vec{p}+\vec{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV

Results are presented from data recorded in 2009 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider for the double-longitudinal spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, for $π^0$ and $η$ production in $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions. Comparison of the $π^0$ results with different theory expectations based on fits of other published data showed a preference for small positive values of gluon polarization, $ΔG$, in the proton in the probed Bjorken $x$ range. The effect of adding the new 2009 \pz data to a recent global analysis of polarized scattering data is also shown, resulting in a best fit value $ΔG^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}} = 0.06^{+0.11}_{-0.15}$ in the range $0.05<x<0.2$, with the uncertainty at $Δχ^2 = 9$ when considering only statistical experimental uncertainties. Shifting the PHENIX data points by their systematic uncertainty leads to a variation of the best-fit value of $ΔG^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}}$ between $0.02$ and $0.12$, demonstrating the need for full treatment of the experimental systematic uncertainties in future global analyses.

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arXiv2014

Quadrupole Anisotropy in Dihadron Azimuthal Correlations in Central $d$$+$Au Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV

The PHENIX collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) reports measurements of azimuthal dihadron correlations near midrapidity in $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV. These measurements complement recent analyses by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) involving central $p$$+$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=5.02 TeV, which have indicated strong anisotropic long-range correlations in angular distributions of hadron pairs. The origin of these anisotropies is currently unknown. Various competing explanations include parton saturation and hydrodynamic flow. We observe qualitatively similar, but larger, anisotropies in $d$$+$Au collisions compared to those seen in $p$$+$Pb collisions at the LHC. The larger extracted $v_2$ values in $d$$+$Au collisions at RHIC are consistent with expectations from hydrodynamic calculations owing to the larger expected initial-state eccentricity compared with that from $p$$+$Pb collisions. When both are divided by an estimate of the initial-state eccentricity the scaled anisotropies follow a common trend with multiplicity that may extend to heavy ion data at RHIC and the LHC, where the anisotropies are widely thought to arise from hydrodynamic flow.

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arXiv2014

Azimuthal-angle dependence of charged-pion-interferometry measurements with respect to 2$^{\rm nd}$- and $3^{\rm rd}$-order event planes in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Charged-pion-interferometry measurements were made with respect to the 2$^{\rm nd}$- and 3$^{\rm rd}$-order event plane for Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. A strong azimuthal-angle dependence of the extracted Gaussian-source radii was observed with respect to both the 2$^{\rm nd}$- and 3$^{\rm rd}$-order event planes. The results for the 2$^{\rm nd}$-order dependence indicate that the initial eccentricity is reduced during the medium evolution, but not reversed in the final state, which is consistent with previous results. In contrast, the results for the 3$^{\rm rd}$-order dependence indicate that the initial triangular shape is significantly reduced and potentially reversed by the end of the medium evolution, and that the 3$^{\rm rd}$-order oscillations are largely dominated by the dynamical effects from triangular flow.

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arXiv2014

Identified Particle Production in p-Pb Collisions Measured with the ALICE Detector

ALICE has unique capabilities among the LHC experiments for particle identification (PID) at mid-rapidity ($|η| < 0.9$) over a wide range of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$). In this proceeding recent measurements of $p_{\rm T}$ spectra for $π$, K, ${\rm K}^0_s$, p, and $Λ$ in p-Pb collisions are presented and compared to results from Pb-Pb and pp. In particular the implications for the question of the existence of radial flow in small systems is discussed.

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arXiv2013

Measurement of transverse-single-spin asymmetries for midrapidity and forward-rapidity production of hadrons in polarized p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$200 and 62.4 GeV

Measurements of transverse-single-spin asymmetries ($A_{N}$) in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$62.4 and 200 GeV with the PHENIX detector at RHIC are presented. At midrapidity, $A_{N}$ is measured for neutral pion and eta mesons reconstructed from diphoton decay, and at forward rapidities, neutral pions are measured using both diphotons and electromagnetic clusters. The neutral-pion measurement of $A_{N}$ at midrapidity is consistent with zero with uncertainties a factor of 20 smaller than previous publications, which will lead to improved constraints on the gluon Sivers function. At higher rapidities, where the valence quark distributions are probed, the data exhibit sizable asymmetries. In comparison with previous measurements in this kinematic region, the new data extend the kinematic coverage in $\sqrt{s}$ and $p_T$, and it is found that the asymmetries depend only weakly on $\sqrt{s}$. The origin of the forward $A_{N}$ is presently not understood quantitatively. The extended reach to higher $p_T$ probes the transition between transverse momentum dependent effects at low $p_T$ and multi-parton dynamics at high $p_T$.

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arXiv2013

A Very Intense Neutrino Super Beam Experiment for Leptonic CP Violation Discovery based on the European Spallation Source Linac: A Snowmass 2013 White Paper

Very intense neutrino beams and large neutrino detectors will be needed in order to enable the discovery of CP violation in the leptonic sector. We propose to use the proton linac of the European Spallation Source currently under construction in Lund, Sweden to deliver, in parallel with the spallation neutron production, a very intense, cost effective and high performance neutrino beam. The baseline program for the European Spallation Source linac is that it will be fully operational at 5 MW average power by 2022, producing 2 GeV 2.86 ms long proton pulses at a rate of 14 Hz. Our proposal is to upgrade the linac to 10 MW average power and 28 Hz, producing 14 pulses/s for neutron production and 14 pulses/s for neutrino production. Furthermore, because of the high current required in the pulsed neutrino horn, the length of the pulses used for neutrino production needs to be compressed to a few $μ$s with the aid of an accumulator ring. A long baseline experiment using this Super Beam and a megaton underground Water Cherenkov detector located in existing mines 300-600 km from Lund will make it possible to discover leptonic CP violation at 5 $σ$ significance level in up to 50% of the leptonic Dirac CP-violating phase range. This experiment could also determine the neutrino mass hierarchy at a significance level of more than 3 $σ$ if this issue will not already have been settled by other experiments by then. The mass hierarchy performance could be increased by combining the neutrino beam results with those obtained from atmospheric neutrinos detected by the same large volume detector. This detector will also be used to measure the proton lifetime, detect cosmological neutrinos and neutrinos from supernova explosions. Results on the sensitivity to leptonic CP violation and the neutrino mass hierarchy are presented.

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arXiv2013

Heavy-flavor electron-muon correlations in $p$$+$$p$ and $d$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV

We report $e^\pm-μ^\mp$ pair yield from charm decay measured between midrapidity electrons ($|η|<0.35$ and $p_T>0.5$ GeV/$c$) and forward rapidity muons ($1.4<η<2.1$ and $p_T>1.0$ GeV/$c$) as a function of $Δϕ$ in both $p$$+$$p$ and in $d$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Comparing the $p$$+$$p$ results with several different models, we find the results are consistent with a total charm cross section $σ_{c\bar{c}} =$ 538 $\pm$ 46 (stat) $\pm$ 197 (data syst) $\pm$ 174 (model syst) $μ$b. These generators also indicate that the back-to-back peak at $Δϕ= π$ is dominantly from the leading order contributions (gluon fusion), while higher order processes (flavor excitation and gluon splitting) contribute to the yield at all $Δϕ$. We observe a suppression in the pair yield per collision in $d$+Au. We find the pair yield suppression factor for $2.7<Δϕ<3.2$ rad is $J_{dA}$ = 0.433 $\pm$ 0.087 (stat) $\pm$ 0.135 (syst), indicating cold nuclear matter modification of $c\bar{c}$ pairs.

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arXiv2013

Centrality categorization for R_{p(d)+A} in high-energy collisions

High-energy proton- and deuteron-nucleus collisions provide an excellent tool for studying a wide array of physics effects, including modifications of parton distribution functions in nuclei, gluon saturation, and color neutralization and hadronization in a nuclear environment, among others. All of these effects are expected to have a significant dependence on the size of the nuclear target and the impact parameter of the collision, also known as the collision centrality. In this article, we detail a method for determining centrality classes in p(d)+A collisions via cuts on the multiplicity at backward rapidity (i.e., the nucleus-going direction) and for determining systematic uncertainties in this procedure. For d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV we find that the connection to geometry is confirmed by measuring the fraction of events in which a neutron from the deuteron does not interact with the nucleus. As an application, we consider the nuclear modification factors R_{p(d)+A}, for which there is a potential bias in the measured centrality dependent yields due to auto-correlations between the process of interest and the backward rapidity multiplicity. We determine the bias correction factor within this framework. This method is further tested using the HIJING Monte Carlo generator. We find that for d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV, these bias corrections are small and vary by less than 5% (10%) up to p_T = 10 (20) GeV. In contrast, for p+Pb collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 5.02 TeV we find these bias factors are an order of magnitude larger and strongly p_T dependent, likely due to the larger effect of multi-parton interactions.

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arXiv2013

Cold-nuclear-matter effects on heavy-quark production at forward and backward rapidity in d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment has measured open heavy-flavor production via semileptonic decay muons over the transverse momentum range 1 < pT < 6 GeV/c at forward and backward rapidity (1.4 < |y| < 2.0) in d+Au and p+p collisions at ?sNN = 200 GeV. In central d+Au collisions an enhancement (suppression) of heavy-flavor muon production is observed at backward (forward) rapidity relative to the yield in p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary collisions. Modification of the gluon density distribution in the Au nucleus contributes in terms of anti-shadowing enhancement and shadowing suppression; however, the enhancement seen at backward rapidity exceeds expectations from this effect alone. These results, implying an important role for additional cold nuclear matter effects, serves as a key baseline for heavy-quark measurements in A+A collisions and in constraining the magnitude of charmonia breakup effects at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider.

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arXiv2013

Azimuthal anisotropy of pi^0 and eta mesons in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV

The azimuthal anisotropy coefficients v_2 and v_4 of pi^0 and eta mesons are measured in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV, as a function of transverse momentum p_T (1-14 GeV/c) and centrality. The extracted v_2 coefficients are found to be consistent between the two meson species over the measured p_T range. The ratio of v_4/v_2^2 for pi^0 mesons is found to be independent of p_T for 1-9 GeV/c, implying a lack of sensitivity of the ratio to the change of underlying physics with p_T. Furthermore, the ratio of v_4/v_2^2 is systematically larger in central collisions, which may reflect the combined effects of fluctuations in the initial collision geometry and finite viscosity in the evolving medium.

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arXiv2013

Nuclear modification of psi^prime, chi_c and J/psi production in d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV

We present results for three charmonia states (psi^prime, chi_c and J/psi) in d+Au collisions at |y|<0.35 and sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. We find that the modification of the psi^prime yield relative to that of the J/psi scales approximately with charged-particle multiplicity at midrapidity across p+A, d+Au, and A+A results from the Super Proton Synchrotron and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In large impact-parameter collisions we observe a similar suppression for the psi^prime and J/psi, while in small impact-parameter collisions the more weakly bound psi^prime is more strongly suppressed. Owing to the short time spent traversing the Au nucleus, the larger psi^prime suppression in central events is not explained by an increase of the nuclear absorption due to meson formation time effects.

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arXiv2013

Spectra and ratios of identified particles in Au+Au and d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV

The transverse momentum (p_T) spectra and ratios of identified charged hadrons (π^+/-, K^+/-, p, p^bar) produced in sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV Au+Au and d+Au collisions are reported in five different centrality classes for each collision species. The measurements of pions and protons are reported up to p_T=6 GeV/c (5 GeV/c), and the measurements of kaons are reported up to p_T=4 GeV/c (3.5 GeV/c) in Au+Au (d+Au) collisions. In the intermediate p_T region, between 2--5 GeV/c, a significant enhancement of baryon to meson ratios compared to those measured in p+p collisions is observed. This enhancement is present in both Au+Au and d+Au collisions, and increases as the collisions become more central. We compare a class of peripheral Au+Au collisions with a class of central d+Au collisions which have a comparable number of participating nucleons and binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The p_T dependent particle ratios for these classes display a remarkable similarity, which is then discussed.

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arXiv2013

Neutral pion production with respect to centrality and reaction plane in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment has measured the production of neutral pions in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. The new data offer a fourfold increase in recorded luminosity, providing higher precision and a larger reach in transverse momentum, p_T, to 20 GeV/c. The production ratio of eta/pi^0 is 0.46+/-0.01(stat)+/-0.05(syst), constant with p_T and collision centrality. The observed ratio is consistent with earlier measurements, as well as with the p+p and d+Au values. The production of pi^0 is suppressed by a factor of 5, as in earlier findings. However, with the improved statistical precision a small but significant rise of the nuclear modification factor, R_AA, vs p_T, with a slope of 0.0106+/-^(0.0034)_(0.0029)[GeV/c]^-1, is discernible in central collisions. A phenomenological extraction of the average fractional parton energy loss shows a decrease with increasing p_T. To study the path length dependence of suppression, the pi^0 yield was measured at different angles with respect to the event plane; a strong azimuthal dependence of the pi^0 R_AA is observed. The data are compared to theoretical models of parton energy loss as a function of the path length, L, in the medium. Models based on pQCD are insufficient to describe the data, while a hybrid model utilizing pQCD for the hard interactions and AdS/CFT for the soft interactions is consistent with the data.

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arXiv2012

Medium modification of jet fragmentation in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV measured in direct photon-hadron correlations

The jet fragmentation function is measured with direct photon-hadron correlations in p+p and Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. The p_T of the photon is an excellent approximation to the initial p_T of the jet and the ratio z_T=p_T^h/p_T^γis used as a proxy for the jet fragmentation function. A statistical subtraction is used to extract the direct photon-hadron yields in Au+Au collisions while a photon isolation cut is applied in p+p. I_ AA, the ratio of jet fragment yield in Au+Au to that in p+p, indicates modification of the jet fragmentation function. Suppression, most likely due to energy loss in the medium, is seen at high z_T. The fragment yield at low z_T is enhanced at large angles. Such a trend is expected from redistribution of the lost energy into increased production of low-momentum particles.

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arXiv2012

Upsilon (1S+2S+3S) production in d+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV and cold-nuclear matter effects

The three Upsilon states, Upsilon(1S+2S+3S), are measured in d+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV and rapidities 1.2<|y|<2.2 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider. Cross sections for the inclusive Upsilon(1S+2S+3S) production are obtained. The inclusive yields per binary collision for d+Au collisions relative to those in p+p collisions (R_dAu) are found to be 0.62 +/- 0.26 (stat) +/- 0.13 (syst) in the gold-going direction and 0.91 +/- 0.33 (stat) +/- 0.16 (syst) in the deuteron-going direction. The measured results are compared to a nuclear-shadowing model, EPS09 [JHEP 04, 065 (2009)], combined with a final-state breakup cross section, sigma_br, and compared to lower energy p+A results. We also compare the results to the PHENIX J/psi results [Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 142301 (2011)]. The rapidity dependence of the observed Upsilon suppression is consistent with lower energy p+A measurements.

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arXiv2012

Erratum: Measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for J/psi production in polarized p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV [Phys. Rev. D 82, 112008 (2010)]

We previously reported [Phys. Rev. D 82, 112008 (2010)] measurements of transverse single-spin asymmetries, A_N, in J/psi production from transversely polarized p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV with data taken by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider in 2006 and 2008. Subsequently, we have found errors in the analysis procedures for the 2008 data, which resulted in an erroneous value for the extracted A_N. The errors affected the sorting of events into the correct left/right and forward/backward bins. This produced an incorrect value for the 2008 result, but the 2006 result is unaffected. We have conducted two independent reanalyses with these errors corrected, and we present here the corrected values for the 2008 data and the combined results for 2006 and 2008. The new combined spin asymmetry in the forward region is A_N = -0.026+/-0.026(stat)+/-0.003(sys). Since this asymmetry is consistent with zero, we no longer claim that our results suggest a possible non-zero trigluon correlation function in transversely polarized protons.

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