arXiv subjects

R. Averbeck

Publications and source records attributed to R. Averbeck.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Strange meson production in Al+Al collisions at 1.9A GeV

The production of K$^+$, K$^-$ and $φ$(1020) mesons is studied in Al+Al collisions at a beam energy of 1.9A GeV which is close or below the production threshold in NN reactions. Inverse slopes, anisotropy parameters, and total emission yields of K$^{\pm}$ mesons are obtained. A comparison of the ratio of kinetic energy distributions of K$^-$ and K$^+$ mesons to the HSD transport model calculations suggests that the inclusion of the in-medium modifications of kaon properties is necessary to reproduce the ratio. The inverse slope and total yield of $ϕ$ mesons are deduced. The contribution to K$^-$ production from $ϕ$ meson decays is found to be [17 $\pm$ 3 (stat) $^{+2}_{-7}$ (syst)] %. The results are in line with previous K$^{\pm}$ and $ϕ$ data obtained for different colliding systems at similar incident beam energies.

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arXiv2016

Centrality-dependent modification of jet-production rates in deuteron-gold collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV

Jet production rates are measured in $p$$+$$p$ and $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV recorded in 2008 with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Jets are reconstructed using the $R=0.3$ anti-$k_{t}$ algorithm from energy deposits in the electromagnetic calorimeter and charged tracks in multi-wire proportional chambers, and the jet transverse momentum ($p_T$) spectra are corrected for the detector response. Spectra are reported for jets with $12<p_T<50$ GeV/$c$, within a pseudorapidity acceptance of $\left|η\right|<0.3$. The nuclear-modification factor ($R_{d{\rm Au}}$) values for 0\%--100\% $d$$+$Au events are found to be consistent with unity, constraining the role of initial state effects on jet production. However, the centrality-selected $R_{d{\rm Au}}$ values and central-to-peripheral ratios ($R_{\rm CP}$) show large, $p_T$-dependent deviations from unity, which challenge the conventional models that relate hard-process rates and soft-particle production in collisions involving nuclei.

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arXiv2016

Transverse energy production and charged-particle multiplicity at midrapidity in various systems from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=7.7$ to 200 GeV

Measurements of midrapidity charged particle multiplicity distributions, $dN_{\rm ch}/dη$, and midrapidity transverse-energy distributions, $dE_T/dη$, are presented for a variety of collision systems and energies. Included are distributions for Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$, 130, 62.4, 39, 27, 19.6, 14.5, and 7.7 GeV, Cu$+$Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ and 62.4 GeV, Cu$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, U$+$U collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=193$ GeV, $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV, and $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Centrality-dependent distributions at midrapidity are presented in terms of the number of nucleon participants, $N_{\rm part}$, and the number of constituent quark participants, $N_{q{\rm p}}$. For all $A$$+$$A$ collisions down to $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7$ GeV, it is observed that the midrapidity data are better described by scaling with $N_{q{\rm p}}$ than scaling with $N_{\rm part}$. Also presented are estimates of the Bjorken energy density, $\varepsilon_{\rm BJ}$, and the ratio of $dE_T/dη$ to $dN_{\rm ch}/dη$, the latter of which is seen to be constant as a function of centrality for all systems.

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arXiv2016

Scaling properties of fractional momentum loss of high-pT hadrons in nucleus-nucleus collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ from 62.4 GeV to 2.76 TeV

Measurements of the fractional momentum loss ($S_{\rm loss}\equivδp_T/p_T$) of high-transverse-momentum-identified hadrons in heavy ion collisions are presented. Using $π^0$ in Au$+$Au and Cu$+$Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4$ and 200 GeV measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and and charged hadrons in Pb$+$Pb collisions measured by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, we studied the scaling properties of $S_{\rm loss}$ as a function of a number of variables: the number of participants, $N_{\rm part}$, the number of quark participants, $N_{\rm qp}$, the charged-particle density, $dN_{\rm ch}/dη$, and the Bjorken energy density times the equilibration time, $\varepsilon_{\rm Bj}τ_{0}$. We find that the $p_T$ where $S_{\rm loss}$ has its maximum, varies both with centrality and collision energy. Above the maximum, $S_{\rm loss}$ tends to follow a power-law function with all four scaling variables. The data at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV and 2.76 TeV, for sufficiently high particle densities, have a common scaling of $S_{\rm loss}$ with $dN_{\rm ch}/dη$ and $\varepsilon_{\rm Bj}τ_{0}$, lending insight on the physics of parton energy loss.

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arXiv2016

Measurement of higher cumulants of net-charge multiplicity distributions in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7-200$ GeV

We report the measurement of cumulants ($C_n, n=1\ldots4$) of the net-charge distributions measured within pseudorapidity ($|η|<0.35$) in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=7.7-200$ GeV with the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The ratios of cumulants (e.g. $C_1/C_2$, $C_3/C_1$) of the net-charge distributions, which can be related to volume independent susceptibility ratios, are studied as a function of centrality and energy. These quantities are important to understand the quantum-chromodynamics phase diagram and possible existence of a critical end point. The measured values are very well described by expectation from negative binomial distributions. We do not observe any nonmonotonic behavior in the ratios of the cumulants as a function of collision energy. The measured values of $C_1/C_2 = μ/σ^2$ and $C_3/C_1 = Sσ^3/μ$ can be directly compared to lattice quantum-chromodynamics calculations and thus allow extraction of both the chemical freeze-out temperature and the baryon chemical potential at each center-of-mass energy.

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arXiv2015

Dielectron production in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV

We present measurements of $e^+e^-$ production at midrapidity in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV. The invariant yield is studied within the PHENIX detector acceptance over a wide range of mass ($m_{ee} <$ 5 GeV/$c^2$) and pair transverse momentum ($p_T$ $<$ 5 GeV/$c$), for minimum bias and for five centrality classes. The \ee yield is compared to the expectations from known sources. In the low-mass region ($m_{ee}=0.30$--0.76 GeV/$c^2$) there is an enhancement that increases with centrality and is distributed over the entire pair \pt range measured. It is significantly smaller than previously reported by the PHENIX experiment and amounts to $2.3\pm0.4({\rm stat})\pm0.4({\rm syst})\pm0.2^{\rm model}$ or to $1.7\pm0.3({\rm stat})\pm0.3({\rm syst})\pm0.2^{\rm model}$ for minimum bias collisions when the open-heavy-flavor contribution is calculated with {\sc pythia} or {\sc mc@nlo}, respectively. The inclusive mass and $p_T$ distributions as well as the centrality dependence are well reproduced by model calculations where the enhancement mainly originates from the melting of the $ρ$ meson resonance as the system approaches chiral symmetry restoration. In the intermediate-mass region ($m_{ee}$ = 1.2--2.8 GeV/$c^2$), the data hint at a significant contribution in addition to the yield from the semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor mesons.

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arXiv2015

$ϕ$ meson production in $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX experiment has measured $ϕ$ meson production in $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV using the dimuon and dielectron decay channels. The $ϕ$ meson is measured in the forward (backward) $d$-going (Au-going) direction, $1.2<y<2.2$ ($-2.2<y<-1.2$) in the transverse-momentum ($p_T$) range from 1--7 GeV/$c$, and at midrapidity $|y|<0.35$ in the $p_T$ range below 7 GeV/$c$. The $ϕ$ meson invariant yields and nuclear-modification factors as a function of $p_T$, rapidity, and centrality are reported. An enhancement of $ϕ$ meson production is observed in the Au-going direction, while suppression is seen in the $d$-going direction, and no modification is observed at midrapidity relative to the yield in $p$$+$$p$ collisions scaled by the number of binary collisions. Similar behavior was previously observed for inclusive charged hadrons and open heavy flavor indicating similar cold-nuclear-matter effects.

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arXiv2015

Systematic Study of Azimuthal Anisotropy in Cu$+$Cu and Au$+$Au Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 62.4$ and 200 GeV

We have studied the dependence of azimuthal anisotropy $v_2$ for inclusive and identified charged hadrons in Au$+$Au and Cu$+$Cu collisions on collision energy, species, and centrality. The values of $v_2$ as a function of transverse momentum $p_T$ and centrality in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV and 62.4 GeV are the same within uncertainties. However, in Cu$+$Cu collisions we observe a decrease in $v_2$ values as the collision energy is reduced from 200 to 62.4 GeV. The decrease is larger in the more peripheral collisions. By examining both Au$+$Au and Cu$+$Cu collisions we find that $v_2$ depends both on eccentricity and the number of participants, $N_{\rm part}$. We observe that $v_2$ divided by eccentricity ($\varepsilon$) monotonically increases with $N_{\rm part}$ and scales as ${N_{\rm part}^{1/3}}$. The Cu$+$Cu data at 62.4 GeV falls below the other scaled $v_{2}$ data. For identified hadrons, $v_2$ divided by the number of constituent quarks $n_q$ is independent of hadron species as a function of transverse kinetic energy $KE_T=m_T-m$ between $0.1<KE_T/n_q<1$ GeV. Combining all of the above scaling and normalizations, we observe a near-universal scaling, with the exception of the Cu$+$Cu data at 62.4 GeV, of $v_2/(n_q\cdot\varepsilon\cdot N^{1/3}_{\rm part})$ vs $KE_T/n_q$ for all measured particles.

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arXiv2015

Systematic study of charged-pion and kaon femtoscopy in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV

We present a systematic study of charged pion and kaon interferometry in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV. The kaon mean source radii are found to be larger than pion radii in the outward and longitudinal directions for the same transverse mass; this difference increases for more central collisions. The azimuthal-angle dependence of the radii was measured with respect to the second-order event plane and similar oscillations of the source radii were found for pions and kaons. Hydrodynamic models qualitatively describe the similar oscillations of the mean source radii for pions and kaons, but they do not fully describe the transverse-mass dependence of the oscillations.

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arXiv2015

Cross Section and Transverse Single-Spin Asymmetry of $η$ Mesons in $p^{\uparrow}+p$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV at Forward Rapidity

We present a measurement of the cross section and transverse single-spin asymmetry ($A_N$) for $η$ mesons at large pseudorapidity from $\sqrt{s}=200$~GeV $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions. The measured cross section for $0.5<p_T<5.0$~GeV/$c$ and $3.0<|η|<3.8$ is well described by a next-to-leading-order perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics calculation. The asymmetries $A_N$ have been measured as a function of Feynman-$x$ ($x_F$) from $0.2<|x_{F}|<0.7$, as well as transverse momentum ($p_T$) from $1.0<p_T<4.5$~GeV/$c$. The asymmetry averaged over positive $x_F$ is $\langle{A_{N}}\rangle=0.061{\pm}0.014$. The results are consistent with prior transverse single-spin measurements of forward $η$ and $π^{0}$ mesons at various energies in overlapping $x_F$ ranges. Comparison of different particle species can help to determine the origin of the large observed asymmetries in $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions.

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arXiv2015

Measurements of elliptic and triangular flow in high-multiplicity $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

We present the first measurement of elliptic ($v_2$) and triangular ($v_3$) flow in high-multiplicity $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Two-particle correlations, where the particles have a large separation in pseudorapidity, are compared in $^{3}$He$+$Au and in $p$$+$$p$ collisions and indicate that collective effects dominate the second and third Fourier components for the correlations observed in the $^{3}$He$+$Au system. The collective behavior is quantified in terms of elliptic $v_2$ and triangular $v_3$ anisotropy coefficients measured with respect to their corresponding event planes. The $v_2$ values are comparable to those previously measured in $d$$+$Au collisions at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy. Comparison with various theoretical predictions are made, including to models where the hot spots created by the impact of the three $^{3}$He nucleons on the Au nucleus expand hydrodynamically to generate the triangular flow. The agreement of these models with data may indicate the formation of low-viscosity quark-gluon plasma even in these small collision systems.

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arXiv2015

Heavy-flavor production in heavy-ion collisions and implications for the properties of hot QCD matter

Hadrons carrying open heavy flavor, i.e. single charm or bottom quarks, are among the key diagnostic tools available today for the hot and dense state of strongly interacting matter which is produced in collisions of heavy atomic nuclei at ultra-relativistic energies. First systematic heavy-flavor measurements in nucleus-nucleus collisions and the reference proton-proton system at Brookhaven National Laboratory's (BNL) Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) have led to tantalizing results. These studies are now continued and extended at RHIC and at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), where considerably higher collision energies are available. This review focuses on experimental results on open heavy-flavor observables at RHIC and the LHC published until July 2012. Yields of heavy-flavor hadrons and their decay products, their transverse momentum and rapidity distributions, as well as their azimuthal distributions with respect to the reaction plane in heavy-ion collisions are investigated. Various theoretical approaches are confronted with the data and implications for the properties of the hot and dense medium produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions are discussed.

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arXiv2015

Centrality dependence of low-momentum direct-photon production in Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured the centrality dependence of the direct photon yield from Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV down to $p_T=0.4$ GeV/$c$. Photons are detected via photon conversions to $e^+e^-$ pairs and an improved technique is applied that minimizes the systematic uncertainties that usually limit direct photon measurements, in particular at low $p_T$. We find an excess of direct photons above the $N_{\rm coll}$-scaled yield measured in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. This excess yield is well described by an exponential distribution with an inverse slope of about 240 MeV/$c$ in the $p_T$ range from 0.6--2.0 GeV/$c$. While the shape of the $p_T$ distribution is independent of centrality within the experimental uncertainties, the yield increases rapidly with increasing centrality, scaling approximately with $N_{\rm part}^α$, where $α=1.48{\pm}0.08({\rm stat}){\pm}0.04({\rm syst})$.

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arXiv2015

Measurement of $Υ$(1S+2S+3S) production in $p$$+$$p$ and Au$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV

Measurements of bottomonium production in heavy ion and $p$$+$$p$ collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are presented. The inclusive yield of the three $Υ$ states, $Υ(1S+2S+3S)$, was measured in the PHENIX experiment via electron-positron decay pairs at midrapidity for Au$+$Au and $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The $Υ(1S+2S+3S)\rightarrow e^+e^-$ differential cross section at midrapidity was found to be $B_{\rm ee} dσ/dy =$ 108 $\pm$ 38 (stat) $\pm$ 15(syst) $\pm$ 11 (luminosity) pb in $p$$+$$p$ collisions. The nuclear modification factor in the 30\% most central Au$+$Au collisions indicates a suppression of the total $Υ$ state yield relative to the extrapolation from $p$$+$$p$ collision data. The suppression is consistent with measurements made by STAR at RHIC and at higher energies by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider.

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arXiv2015

Measurement of long-range angular correlation and quadrupole anisotropy of pions and (anti)protons in central $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV

We present azimuthal angular correlations between charged hadrons and energy deposited in calorimeter towers in central $d$$+$Au and minimum bias $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. The charged hadron is measured at midrapidity $|η|<0.35$, and the energy is measured at large rapidity ($-3.7<η<-3.1$, Au-going direction). An enhanced near-side angular correlation across $|Δη| >$ 2.75 is observed in $d$$+$Au collisions. Using the event plane method applied to the Au-going energy distribution, we extract the anisotropy strength $v_2$ for inclusive charged hadrons at midrapidity up to $p_T=4.5$ GeV/$c$. We also present the measurement of $v_2$ for identified $π^{\pm}$ and (anti)protons in central $d$$+$Au collisions, and observe a mass-ordering pattern similar to that seen in heavy ion collisions. These results are compared with viscous hydrodynamic calculations and measurements from $p$$+$Pb at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. The magnitude of the mass-ordering in $d$$+$Au is found to be smaller than that in $p$$+$Pb collisions, which may indicate smaller radial flow in lower energy $d$$+$Au collisions.

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arXiv2015

Search for dark photons from neutral meson decays in $p$$+$$p$ and $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200 GeV

The standard model (SM) of particle physics is spectacularly successful, yet the measured value of the muon anomalous magnetic moment $(g-2)_μ$ deviates from SM calculations by 3.6$σ$. Several theoretical models attribute this to the existence of a "dark photon," an additional U(1) gauge boson, which is weakly coupled to ordinary photons. The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has searched for a dark photon, $U$, in $π^0,η\rightarrow γe^+e^-$ decays and obtained upper limits of $\mathcal{O}(2\times10^{-6})$ on $U$-$γ$ mixing at 90% CL for the mass range $30<m_U<90$ MeV/$c^2$. Combined with other experimental limits, the remaining region in the $U$-$γ$ mixing parameter space that can explain the $(g-2)_μ$ deviation from its SM value is nearly completely excluded at the 90% confidence level, with only a small region of $29<m_U<32$ MeV/$c^2$ remaining.

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arXiv2014

Influence of $ϕ$ mesons on negative kaons in Ni+Ni collisions at 1.91A GeV beam energy

$ϕ$ and K$^-$ mesons from Ni+Ni collisions at the beam energy of 1.91A GeV have been measured by the FOPI spectrometer, with a trigger selecting central and semi-central events amounting to 51% of the total cross section. The phase space distributions, and the total yield of K$^-$, as well as the kinetic energy distribution and the total yield of $ϕ$ mesons are presented. The $ϕ$\K$^-$ ratio is found to be $0.44 \pm 0.07(\text{stat}) ^{+0.18}_{-0.12} (\text{syst})$, meaning that about 22% of K$^-$ mesons originate from the decays of $ϕ$ mesons, occurring mostly in vacuum. The inverse slopes of direct kaons are up to about 15 MeV larger than the ones extracted within the one-source model, signalling that a considerable share of gap between the slopes of K$^+$ and K$^-$ could be explained by the contribution of $ϕ$ mesons to negative kaons.

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arXiv2014

Beam-energy and system-size dependence of the space-time extent of the pion emission source produced in heavy ion collisions

Two-pion interferometry measurements are used to extract the Gaussian radii $R_{\rm out}$, $R_{\rm side}$, and $R_{\rm long}$, of the pion emission sources produced in Cu$+$Cu and Au$+$Au collisions at several beam collision energies $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ at PHENIX. The extracted radii, which are compared to recent STAR and ALICE data, show characteristic scaling patterns as a function of the initial transverse size $\bar{R}$ of the collision systems and the transverse mass $m_T$ of the emitted pion pairs, consistent with hydrodynamiclike expansion. Specific combinations of the three-dimensional radii that are sensitive to the medium expansion velocity and lifetime, and the pion emission time duration show nonmonotonic $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$ dependencies. The nonmonotonic behaviors exhibited by these quantities point to a softening of the equation of state that may coincide with the critical end point in the phase diagram for nuclear matter.

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