χ<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">cJ</Emphasis></Subscript> polarization in polarized proton–proton collisions at RHIC

We study inclusive χ _cJ production with definite polarizations in polarized proton-proton collisions at \(\sqrt s \) = 200 and 500 GeV at RHIC by using non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) color-octet mechanism. We present results of rapidity distribution of χ _c0, χ _c1 and χ _c2 production with specific polarizations in polarized p–p collisions at RHIC within the PHENIX detector acceptance range. We also present the corresponding results for the spin asymmetries.     

Successes and failures with hard probes

The two major pillars of searches for the Quark Gluon Plasma have been: J/Ψ suppression, proposed in 1986, and observed at both SPS fixed target energies and at RHIC; and, more recently, the suppression of π ⁰ with p _T ≥3 GeV/c by a factor ～5 in Au+Au central collisions, observed at RHIC in 2001, which had been predicted in advance as a consequence of Landau-Pomeranchuck-Migdal coherent (gluon) bremsstrahlung by the outgoing hard-scattered partons traversing the medium. However, new effects were discovered and the quality of the measurements greatly improved so that the clarity of the original explanations has become obscured. For instance: J/Ψ suppression is the same at SpS and RHIC. Is it the QGP, comovers, something else? QCD provides beautiful explanations of π ⁰ and direct γ measurements in p–p collisions but precision fits of the best theories of π ⁰ suppression barely agree with the Au+Au data. Better data are needed for 10<p _T <20 GeV/c, systematic errors are needed in theory calculations, the values of parameters of the medium such as \(\langle\hat{q}\rangle\) derived from precision fits are the subject of controversy. Baryons are much less suppressed than mesons, leading to an anomalous \(\bar{p}/\pi\) ratio for 2≤p _T ≤4.5 GeV/c, but beautiful theoretical explanations of the effect such as recombination do not work in detail. Heavy quarks seem to be suppressed the same as the light quarks, naively arguing against the bremsstrahlung explanation and suggesting exotic, possible transformational explanations. Di-hadron correlations reveal a trigger side ridge, possible Mach cones on the away side, vanishing and reappearance of away jets, both wide and normal jet correlations with and without apparent loss of energy. Can this all be explained consistently? Preliminary results of direct γ production in Au+Au appear to indicate a suppression approaching that of π ⁰ for p _T ≈20 GeV/c and a possibly thermal component for 1≤p _T ≤ 3 GeV/c. What are the implications? Are fragmentation photons a problem? Regeneration of direct γ by outgoing partons is predicted, leading to negative v ₂—is there evidence for or against it? STAR and PHENIX have different observations relevant to the existence of monojets in d+Au collisions. Will new data clarify the situation? When? etc. These and other issues will be discussed with a view to identify which conclusions are firm and where further progress towards real understanding is required.     

Measurement of light scalar mesons in many-body decays in the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider

The unique design of the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider allows one to detect neutral and charged particles produced in high-energy collisions of heavy ions. This circumstance made it possible to measure many-particle decays of light mesons, such as K _S ⁰ →π⁰π⁰, η→π⁰π^?π⁺, and η→γγ in p + p, d + Au and Au + Au collisions at the energy \(\sqrt {S_{NN} }\) = 200 GeV. The latest results of measuring the differential production cross sections, ratios of particle yields (K _S ⁰ /π⁰ and η/π⁰), and the nuclear modification factors (\(R_{dA}^{K_S }\), R _dA ^η , R _AA ^η ) in a wide range of transverse momenta (from 2 to 12 GeV s^?1) are reported.     

On double polarization asymmetries in the elastic electron-proton scattering

Double polarization asymmetry D_p^(M) for the process of elastic electroweak scattering of the longitudinally polarized electrons by polarized proton target is considered with account of anapole G_1p and electric dipole moment (EDM) G_2p proton form factors. This asymmetry is only due to T-parity violating form factor G_2p, but does not directly depend on it, and having a significant value, allows to confirm the existence of the EDM of the proton.     

Estimating of CP-violation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript>→ψ(2<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>)π<Superscript>0</Superscript> decay

I present estimates of CP-violating asymmetries in the non-leptonic charmonium two-body B⁰→ψ(2S)π⁰ decay and the same decays of B⁺→ψ(2S)π⁺ and B⁺→ψ(2S)K⁺ These estimates are based on QCD and improved QCD factorization approach making use of next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions. The CP-violating asymmetry for B⁰→ψ(2S)π⁰ decay is not available, according to the same calculations, it is expected if it can be measured in the future its value will be S_ψ(2S)π0(B⁰ → ψ(2S)π⁰)= 0.662 ± 0.197 and C_ψ(2S)π0(B⁰ → ψ(2S)π⁰)= 0.024 ± 0.007.     

Recent STAR Spin Results and Spin Measurements at RHIC

The STAR experiment provides measurements of single and double-spin asymmetries in longitudinally and transversely polarized p + p collisions at \(\sqrt s \) = 200 and 510 GeV to deepen our understanding on the proton spin structure and dynamics of parton interactions over a wide range of collision energy, momentum and rapidity of the various produced probes. Polarized processes with W^± production allow us to study the spin-flavor structure of the proton. Recent results obtained by STAR on the double longitudinal asymmetry, A_LL, of pion and jet production at \(\sqrt s \) = 200 and 510 GeV, the single longitudinal, A_L, and transverse, A_N, asymmetry of W^± production at \(\sqrt s \) = 510 GeV are overviewed. STAR results on azimuthal single transverse asymmetry of pion in p^↑ + (p, Au) and jet + π^± in p^↑ + p collisions are discussed. The proposed Forward Calorimeter System (FCS) and Forward Tracking System (FTS) upgrades at STAR would significantly improve the capabilities of existing detectors for measurements of observables such as asymmetries of pion, jet, Drell-Yan pairs produced at forward rapidities.     

PHENIX experiment: Recent results

An overview of the latest physics results obtained in the PHENIX experiment by studying pp, dAu, and AuAu interactions at √sNN = 200 GeV is given. Results of measurements of nuclear-modification factors, direct-photon production, and properties of light vector mesons and particles containing heavy c and b quarks are presented. These results are used to deduce information about the properties of dense parton matter produced in collisions of relativistic heavy nuclei at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).     

The spin program with CLAS at JLab

We report on the status of an extensive program to study the scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from longitudinally polarized NH₃ and ND₃ targets using the CLAS detector at JLab. The data span a range inQ ² from 0.05–4.5 (GeV/c)² and a range inW, the γ^* N invariant mass, up to about 3 GeV. With the excellent particle identification available with the CLA, both inclusive and exclusive scattering can be studied. The experimental techniques are reviewed and some preliminary results are presented. This paper focuses on extraction of the spin structure functiongg ₁ for the proton and the deuteron.     

Gamma-Rays from magellanic clouds and origin of cosmic rays

Various calculations of the integral spectrum of γ-rays from the neutral pion decays generated in ppinteractions have been analyzed. The estimate of the integral γ-ray spectrum with allowance for the behavior of the cross section of π ⁰ production in the pp → pp + nπ ⁰ + X reaction near the threshold for each channel and the proton spectrum at low energies (<1 GeV) proved to be much lower than those obtained in earlier calculations.     

On the T-old quark fragmentation function and on transversal handedness

The first probe of the correlation of the T-odd one-particle fragmentation function responsible for the left-right asymmetry of fragmentation of a transversely polarized quark is done by using the 1991–95 DELPHI data for Z→2-jet decay. Integrated over the fraction of longitudinal and transversal momenta, this correlation is of 1.5% order, which means order of 13% for the analyzing power.A rather large (≈ 10%) handedness transversal to the production plane was observed in the diffractive production of (π^?+π⁺π^?) triples from nuclei by the 40 GeV/c π^?-beam. It was shown that the phenomenon has a clear dynamic origin and resembles the single spin asymmetry behavior. All this makes us hope to use this effects in polarized DIS experiments for transversity measurement.     

Single-spin asymmetry of in clusive γ produ ction in $$p_ \uparrow p$$ intera ctions at 200 GeV/ c

From the data of Fermilab polarization experiment E704, the analyzing power A _N ^γ of inclusively produced photons was extracted. It is small, of the order of 2–4%. The analyzing power of “leading” photons (the fastest in π⁰ → γγ decay) is a factor of 2 higher than A _N ^γ assuming a definite model for x_F dependence of A _N ^γ . A Monte Carlo simulation is performed in order to see effects at higher statistics than in the E704 experiment. This simulation showed that the process of inclusive photons may be used as a basis for future polarimetry at polarized colliders. The example of one local photon polarimeter at RHIC is discussed.     

Elastic scattering of electrons by nuclei of half-integer spin and discrete symmetries

Analytical expression is obtained for the right-left asymmetry A _RL ^(3/2) for the process of elastic scattering of the longitudinally polarized electrons by nuclei with spin 3/2, described in the framework of Rarita-Schwinger formalism by invariant form factors of electromagnetic and weak vertex functions. It is shown, that this asymmetry directly depends on the nuclear anapole form factors G ₁ ⁽ⁿ⁾, and structurally is equivalent to asymmetry A _RL ^(1/2), which arises in electron scattering by proton.     

Tests of discrete symmetries with the neutral kaon system at the KLOE and KLOE-2 experiments

The KLOE-2 experiment continues and extends the program of its predecessor KLOE in the field of discrete symmetry tests with the K meson system, among other studies which comprise light meson spectroscopy, dark matter searches and γγ physics. Together, KLOE and KLOE-2 have recorded the largest sample (almost 8 fb^??1) of e⁺e^? collisions at the energy equal to ? meson mass, amounting to 2.4 × 10¹⁰ of produced ? mesons. We report on the latest results and ongoing analyses of KLOE and KLOE-2 concerning discrete symmetry tests and measurements of symmetry-violating observables. A measurement of the CPT violation sensitive asymmetry in semileptonic decays of K˙S with 1.7 fb^??1 of KLOE data will be presented, which improves the sensitivity w.r.t. previous measurements about twice. Moreover, status of direct tests of T and CPT in transitions of neutral kaons performed with the ? →K˙SK˙L → πeν, 3π⁰(2π) processes will be reported, followed by the search of the CP-violating decay K˙S → 3π⁰ using the data recently acquired by KLOE-2.     

Forward particle production in proton–nucleus interactions at momenta of 25 and 50 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">с</Emphasis> and сarbon–nucleus interactions at an energy of 25 GeV per nucleon

Relative yields of high-x _F charged hadrons (π ^±, К^±, р, \(\overline p \), and d) in proton–nucleus interactions at incident-proton momenta of 25 and 50 GeV/c were measured at an angle of 0° in the momentum range between 15 and 40 GeV/c. An upper limit on the forward production of two protons in proton–nucleus interactions at 50 GeV/c was estimated. The properties of a carbon beam with an energy of 25 GeV per nucleon and fragment yields in its interaction with nuclear targets were measured within a short exposure.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z′</Emphasis>-mediated flavor-changing neutral current on <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">ππ</Emphasis> decays

We study the effect of Z′-mediated flavor-changing neutral current on the B → ππ decays. The branching ratios of these decays can be enhanced remarkably in the nonuniversal Z′ model. Our estimated branching ratios B(B ⁰ → π ⁰ π ⁰) are enhanced significantly from their standard model (SM) value. For g′/g = 1, the branching ratios B(B ⁰ → π ⁰ π ⁰) are very close to the recently observed experimental values and for higher values of g′/g branching ratios are more. Our calculated branching ratios B(B ⁰ → π ⁺ π ^?) and B(B ⁺ → π ⁺ π ⁰) are also enhanced from the SM value as well as the recently observed experimental values. These enhancements of branching ratios from their SM value give the possibility of new physics.     

Observation of coherent <Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> electroproduction on deuterons at large momentum transfer

The first experimental results for the coherent π⁰ electroproduction on a deuteron, e+d → e+d+π⁰, at large momentum transfer, are reported. The experiment was performed at Jefferson Laboratory at an incident electron energy of 4.05 GeV. A large pion production yield has been observed in the kinematical region 1.1<Q²<1.8 GeV², from the threshold to 200-MeV excitation energy in the dπ⁰ system. The Q² dependence is compared with theoretical predictions.     

Dile pton production in p+ p,Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV

We study dilepton production in proton–proton, Cu+Cu as well as in Au+Au collisions at the center-of-mass energy \(\sqrt{s} =200\) GeV per participating nucleon pair within an extended statistical hadronization model. In extension to earlier studies we incorporate transport calculations for an estimate of uncorrelated e ⁺ e ^? -pairs from semileptonic D meson decays. While the invariant mass spectrum of dielectrons is well understood in the p+p collisions, severe discrepancies among different model scenarios based on hadronic degrees of freedom and recent data from the PHENIX Collaboration are found in heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region from 0.15 to 0.6 GeV as well as in the intermediate mass regime from 1.1 to 3 GeV when employing the standard dilepton sources. We investigate, furthermore, the background from correlated dileptons that are not emitted as a pair from a parent hadron but emerge from semileptonic decays of two correlated daughter hadrons. Our calculations suggest a sizeable contribution of such sources in central heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region. However, even the upper limits of our calculations are found to be far below the dilepton mass spectra of the PHENIX Collaboration.     

Radiative decays at LHCb

Precise measurements on rare radiative B decays are performed with the LHCb experiment at LHC. The LHCb results regarding the ratio of branching fractions for two radiative decays, B ⁰ → K ^*0 γ and B _s → ?γ, the direct CP asymmetry in B ⁰ → K ^*0 γ decay channel and the observation of the photon polarization in the B ^± → K ^±π^?π^± γ decay, are included. The first two measurements were performed in 1 fb^–1 of pp collisions data and the third one in 3 fb^–1 of data, respectively.     

Production of exotic Λ hypernuclei via mesonic beams

We study the production of neutron-rich hypernuclei _Λ ¹² Be, _Λ ¹⁶ C, and _Λ ¹⁰ Li by the (π^?, K⁺) and (K^?, π⁺) reactions in flight and treat two different mechanisms of production. The first mechanism is a two-step process with meson charge exchange (e.g., π^?p → π⁰n, π⁰p → K⁺Λ). The other mechanism is one-step production (π^?p → K⁺Σ^?) proceeding via a small Σ^? component, arising in Λ hypernuclei due to ΛN–ΣN coupling, as a doorway state. Typically, the two-step mechanism is more productive. The forward differential cross section of the ¹⁰B(π^?,K⁺) reaction is about 70 nb/sr at an incident momentum of 1.05 GeV/c. On the other hand, the one-step process can serve as a direct measurement of the Σ admixture if the two-step contribution is suppressed by a suitable choice of the reaction kinematics.     

Application of the hidden local symmetry effective chiral Lagrangian to evaluation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">ω</Emphasis>(782), <Emphasis Type="Italic">ϕ</Emphasis>(1020) → 5<Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis> decay widths

The amplitudes obtained from the effective chiral Lagrangian with anomalous terms based on hidden local symmetry are applied to the evaluation of the partial widths of the decays ω → 2π⁺2π^?π⁰ and ω → π⁺π^?3π⁰. Combining the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule, applied to the five-pion final state, with the Adler condition of vanishing of the amplitude at the vanishing of four-momentum of any final pion in the chiral limit, the ? → 2π⁺2π^?π⁰ and ? → π⁺π^?3π⁰ decay amplitudes are also calculated. The partial widths of the above decays are evaluated, and the resonance excitation curves in e⁺e^? annihilation are obtained, assuming reasonable particular relations among the free parameters characterizing the anomalous terms of the Lagrangian. The evaluated branching ratios \(Br_{\phi \to \pi + \pi - 3\pi ^0 } \approx 2 \times 10^{ - 7} \) and \(Br_{\phi \to 2\pi + 2\pi - \pi ^0 } \approx 5 \times 10^{ - 7} \) are such that with the luminosity L = 500 pb^?1, attained at the DAΦNE ? factory, one may already possess about 1340 events of the decays ? → 5π.