Charged-particle pseudorapidity distributions in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

Using the Glauber model, we present the formulas for calculating the numbers of participants,spectators and binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. Based on this work, we get the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles as the function of the impact parameter in nucleus-nucleus collisions. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental observations made by the BRAHMS Collaboration in Au+Au collisions at √SNN=200 GeV in different centrality bins over the whole pseudorapidity range.     

Charged-particle pseudorapidity distributions in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

Using the Glauber model, we present the formulas for calculating the numbers of participants, spectators and binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. Based on this work, we get the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles as the function of the impact parameter in nucleus-nucleus collisions. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental observations made by the BRAHMS Collaboration in Au＋Au collisions at √^SNN=200 GeV in different centrality bins over the whole pseudorapidity range.     

Charge fluctuations in Au+Au collisions at RHIC energy

A hadron and string cascade model, JPCIAE, together with the corresponding Monte Carlo event generator, has been employed in this paper to investigate further the charge fluctuations in Au+Au collisions at Snn = 130 GeV. The default JPCIAE calculations are in good agreement with PHENIX and STAR data. We found that the thermal predictions for the π gas, the resonance π gas and quark matter deviate, respectively, from the corresponding dynamical simulations from the JPCIAE model. The discrepancies were also found between the π charge fluctuations and the charge fluctuations of all species of hadrons. However the charge fluctuations for "π from ρ and ω decay" and for all the hadrons from resonance decay are close to each other, indicating the correlation between positively and negatively charged hadrons is not sensitive to the species of hadrons. This work shows further that it is questionable to use the charge fluctuations as a signature of QGP.     

NeXSPheRIO results on elliptic flow and directed flow for Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at RHIC

Hydrodynamics has been rather successful at describing results obtained in relativistic nuclear collisions at RHIC. Here we show results obtained with NeXSPheRIO on Au+Au collisions and the less studied Cu+Cu collisions. We study elliptic flow and its connection with eccentricity suggested by PHOBOS, as well as present elliptic flow fluctuations. We also show results for directed flow and compare with PHOBOS and STAR data.     

Centrality dependences of the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies

By employing the Glauber model, we give the centrality dependences of the numbers of participants and binary nucleon-nucleon collisions in nucleus-nucleus collisions. By taking into account the energy loss of the participants in their multiple collisions, we then present the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in nucleus-nucleus collisions as a function of beam energy and impact parameter. Finally, we analyze the centrality dependence of the pseudorapidity of the charged particles in Au+Au collisions at energies from √sNN=19.6 to 200 GeV.The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental observations of the RHIC-PHOBOS collaboration.     

Strange hadron production in d+Au collisions at RHIC

We report the centrality dependence of transverse mass (m _t ) spectra at mid-rapidity for the identified strange hadrons K _S ⁰ , ? $\Lambda + \bar \Lambda $ and $\Xi ^ - + \bar \Xi ^ + $ in d+Au collisions at RHIC. The measured transverse momentum (p _T ) covers 0.4<p _T <6.0 GeV/c for K _S ⁰ , ø, $\Lambda + \bar \Lambda $ and 0.6<p _T <5.0 GeV/c for $\Xi ^ - + \bar \Xi ^ + $ . The binary collision normalized nuclear modification factors R _CP of these hadrons indicate that the Cronin effect in d+Au collisions has a distinct particle-type dependence. the R _CP ratios show a distinct baryons versus mesons dependence: the R _CP for $\Xi ^ - + \bar \Xi ^ + $ follows that for $\Lambda + \bar \Lambda $ while the R _CP for the ? is close to that for the K _S ⁰ . Similar features have also been observed in Au+Au collisions. Initial parton scattering alone is not sufficient to explain this particle-type dependence. Hadronization processes are likely to be important for determining hadron properties in high-energy collisions as suggested by coalescence and recombination models.     

Identified particle production in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at RHIC

Measurements of identified particle production with the PHENIX experiment at RHIC have reached a mature state, where a multitude of nuclear systems at different colliding energies have been studied. The discovery configurations of $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ and 200 GeV Au+Au collisions have now been supplemented by additional Au+Au and Cu+Cu configurations at various energies, along with baseline p+p and d+Au runs at $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ GeV. In this work we present a systematic study of the Cronin effect in d+Au collisions and recent results from p+p collisions. We then proceed to make a critical comparison of pion, kaon and proton production in heavy ion and baseline systems, and discuss the observed nuclear effects on hadron production.     

A first look at Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies using the PHOBOS detector

The PHOBOS detector has been used to study Au + Au collisions at√^sNN = 56,130, and 200 GeV Several global observables have been measured and the results are compared with theoretical models. These observables include the charged-particle multiplicity measured as a function of beam energy, pseudo-rapidity, and centrality of the collision. A unique feature of the PHOBOS detector is its almost complete angular coverage such that these quantities can be studied over a pseudo-rapidity interval of |η|≤5.4. This allows for an almost complete integration of the total charged particle yield, which is found to be about N _ch ^tot = 4200 ±470 at √^sNN = 130 GeV and N _ch ^tot = 5300 ±530 at √^sNN = 200 GeV. The ratio of anti-particles to particles emitted in the mid-rapidity region has also been measured using the PHOBOS magnetic spectrometer. Of particular interest is the ratio of anti-protons to protons in the mid-rapidity region, which was found to be (i.e.921-1) at √^sNN = 130 GeV. This high value suggests that an almost baryon-free region has been produced in the collisions.     

Analysis of multi-strange hyperon production in p+p and Au+Au collisions at RHIC

The analysis of multi-strange hyperon production (Ξ^?, Ω^? and their anti-particles) at mid-rapidity is part of the program covered by the STAR experiment at RHIC. We report on preliminary results in Au+Au and p+p collisions at $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ and 200 GeV. Measurements of particle ratios are presented and production yields and spectra are discussed for both collision systems.     

Elliptic flow of identified hadrons in Au+Au collisions at sqrt sNN =200 GeV

The anisotropy parameter (v(2)), the second harmonic of the azimuthal particle distribution, has been measured with the PHENIX detector in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV for identified and inclusive charged particle production at central rapidities (|eta|<0.35) with respect to the reaction plane defined at high rapidities (|eta|=3-4 ). We observe that the v(2) of mesons falls below that of (anti)baryons for p(T)>2 GeV/c, in marked contrast to the predictions of a hydrodynamical model. A quark-coalescence model is also investigated.     

Jet production at next-to-leading order in p+Au collisions at the RHIC

We calculate jet productions in p+Au collisions at the RHIC at next-to-leading order with perturbative QCD. Inclusive jet transverse energy spectrum, dijet invariant mass spectrum, dijet angular distribution, and corresponding nuclear modification factors for the three observables in p+Au collisions at √s=200 GeV are given, where the initial-state cold nuclear matter (CNM) effects are included by taking advantage of four parametrization sets of nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs) - EPS, nCTEQ, HKN and DS. We demonstrate that inclusive jet transverse energy (E_T) spectrum, dijet invariant mass (M_JJ) spectrum with all 4 nPDFs are increased at low E_T or M_JJ, whereas at high E_T or M_JJ large deviation of results with different nPDFs is observed. It is found that the dijet angular distributions in p+Au collisions do not vary relative to those in p+p collisions for all 4 nPDFs.     

Evidence from d+Au measurements for final-state suppression of high-p(T) hadrons in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

We report measurements of single-particle inclusive spectra and two-particle azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons at high transverse momentum (high p(T)) in minimum bias and central d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The inclusive yield is enhanced in d+Au collisions relative to binary-scaled p+p collisions, while the two-particle azimuthal distributions are very similar to those observed in p+p collisions. These results demonstrate that the strong suppression of the inclusive yield and back-to-back correlations at high p(T) previously observed in central Au+Au collisions are due to final-state interactions with the dense medium generated in such collisions.     

Centrality dependences of the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies

By employing the Glauber model, we give the centrality dependences of the numbers of participants and binary nucleon-nucleon collisions in nucleus-nucleus collisions. By taking into account the energy loss of the participants in their multiple collisions, we then present the pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in nucleus-nucleus collisions as a function of beam energy and impact parameter. Finally, we analyze the centrality dependence of the pseudorapidity of the charged particles in Au＋Au collisions at energies from √SNN=19.6 to 200 GeV. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental observations of the RHIC-PHOBOS collaboration.     

Evidence for an emission source of large space-time extent in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

The source imaging technique of Brown and Danielewicz has been used to extract two-pion emission source functions over a broad range of k _T and centralities in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt s = 200$ GeV. The source functions reflect the combined contributions of a short-range Gaussian-like component and a long-range exponential-like component. A parametrization of the source function gives a RMS radius for the long-range source which is approximately three times that for the short-range source. The centrality dependence of the extracted source parameters for the short- and long-range sources indicate similar patterns.     

Antiproton and charged kaon production in \sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHICGeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC

Preliminary results on antiproton and charged kaon spectra and the net-proton number at mid-rapidity are reported for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ GeV as measured by the STAR experiment at RHIC. Inverse slope parameters of the transverse mass distributions increase with the collision centrality, consistent with a strong radial flow. The antiproton and charged kaon extrapolated yields, normalized to the uncorrected negatively charged hadron yield, increase with the collision centrality. A finite but small number of net-baryons is found to be present at mid-rapidity.     

Pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles from Au + Au collisions at the maximum RHIC energy,square root[s(NN)] = 200 GeV

We present charged-particle multiplicities as a function of pseudorapidity and collision centrality for the 197Au+197Au reaction at square root[s(NN)] = 200 GeV. For the 5% most central events we obtain dN(ch)/deta/(eta = 0) = 625+/-55 and N(ch)/(-4.7< or =eta < or =4.7) = 4630 +/- 370, i.e., 14% and 21% increases, respectively, relative to square root[s(NN)] = 130 GeV collisions. Charged-particle production per pair of participant nucleons is found to increase from peripheral to central collisions around midrapidity. These results constrain current models of particle production at the highest RHIC energy.     

Forward a production and nuclear stopping power in d+Au collisions at RHIC

Using the forward time projection chambers of STAR we measure the centrality dependent A and ā yields in d+Au collisions at √s _NN =200 GeV at forward and backward rapidities. The contributions of different processes to particle production and baryon transport are probed exploiting the inherent asymmetry of the d+Au system. While the d side appears to be dominated by multiple independent nucleon-nucleon collisions, nuclear effects contribute significantly on the Au side. Using the constraint of baryon number conservation, the rapidity loss of baryons in the incoming deuteron can be estimated as a function of centrality. This is compared to a model and to similar measurements in Au+Au, which gives insights into the nuclear stopping power at relativistic energies.     

Femtoscopic results in Au + Au and p + p from PHENIX at RHIC

Ultra-relativistic gold-gold and proton-proton collisions are investigated in the experiments of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). In the last several years large amount of results were revealed about the matter created in these collisions. The latest PHENIX results for femtoscopy and correlations are reviewed in this paper. Bose-Einstein correlations of charged kaons in 200 GeV Au + Au collisions and of charged pions in 200 GeV p + p collisions are shown. They are both compatible with previous measurements of charged pions in gold-gold collisions, with respect to transverse mass or number of participants scaling.     

J/Ψ measurement in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

J/Ψ’s are produced mostly via interactions involving gluons, and are a sensitive probe of the gluon structure function and its modification in nuclei. They are also considered as a leading signal for studying the creation of hot and dense matter in relativistic heavy ion collision. Measurement of J/Ψ production in different colliding systems is important for understanding the nuclear modification factor, and setting a baseline for the study of J/Ψ suppression in heavy ion collisions. In this talk we report the latest results on J/Ψ measurements by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC in p+p; d+Au, and Au+Au collisions at backward, forward, and mid-rapidity. Nuclear effects are studied as a function of transverse momentum, rapidity and centrality.