Status and plans of the ion program of NA61 at the CERN SPS

The NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS is a new experiment to study hadron production in p+p, p+A, h+A and A+A interactions. The main goal of the NA61 ion program is to explore the phase diagram (T ? ?? _B ) of strongly interacting matter. In particular, we plan to study the properties of the onset of deconfinement and to search for the signatures of the critical point. A two-dimensional scan of the phase diagram will be performed by varying the energy (13A?C158A GeV) and system size (p+p, Be+Be, Ar+Ca, Xe+La) of collisions. This paper summarizes the status and plans of the NA61/SHINE ion program. In particular the detector upgrades, data taking schedule and the first results on spectra and correlations are discussed.     

Methods to study event-by-event fluctuations in the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS

Theoretical calculations locate the critical point (CP) of strongly interacting matter at energies accessible at the CERN SPS. Event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations are considered as one of the most important tools to search for the CP. Pilot studies of the energy dependence and the system size dependence of both p _T and multiplicity fluctuations were performed by the NA49 experiment. The NA61/SHINE ion program is a continuation of these efforts. After briefly recalling the essential NA49 results on fluctuations we will discuss the technical methods (removing Non-Target interactions) which we plan to apply for future transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuation analyses.     

Smallest focal hole

We study theoretically routes toward the most confined dark channel that can be obtained using high angular aperture focusing. One possible solution is to use a radially polarized beam combined with an optical singularity. Another possibility is to use an azimuthally polarized light beam combined with an annular aperture or a phase filter. Our results suggest that a focal hole of full-width at half maximum of approximately 0.3λ₀/NA is achievable, where λ₀ is the wavelength in vacuum and NA is the numerical aperture of the focusing system. Finally, we show that by letting a phase-shifted plane wave and a focused scalar wave interfere only one point in the focal plane will exhibit zero intensity. Advantages and disadvantages of the schemes are discussed.     

The effect of air impurities on pure neon luminescence

The luminescence decay curves of the 2p ₁ level of the NeI atom (the transition 3p??[1/2]₀?3s??[1/2] ₁ ^° , ?? = 585.2 nm) and the B ²?? _u ⁺ level of the N ₂ ⁺ molecule (the transition B ²?? _u ⁺ (?? = 0)?X ²?? _g ⁺ (??? = 0), ?? = 391.4 nm) in pure and air-containing neon are measured. The gas was excited by electron beam pulses (E _e = 150 keV, ?? = 5 ns, I _max = 500 A). It is shown that the molecular gases contained in air strongly quench the long-lived component of neon luminescence exciting due to dissociative recombination of Ne ₂ ⁺ molecular ions. The relative light yield at a wavelength of 585.2 nm as a function of the partial pressure of air in neon is determined to be ?? = (1+ 2??p)^?1, where p is the air pressure in Torr.     

Low p T phenomena in A+A and p+A collisions at mid-rapidity

CERN experiment NA44 measures pion and kaon distributions at p _T = 0–320 MeV/c at midrapidity in p+A and A+A collisions at 450 and 200A GeV/c, respectively. Pion production from p+Pb and A+A is slightly enhanced at low p _T relative to p+Be, but less than observed at target rapidity. The low p _T behavior can be understood in the context of the RQMD model as arising from baryonic resonance decays.     

Reconstruction of the coordinate dependences of quadratic susceptibility tensor \hat \chi ^{(2)} (z, ω1 ± ω2; ω1, ±ω2) components for the one-dimensionally inhomogeneous absorbing medium

A method for the unambiguous reconstruction of the spatial profiles of all components (except for ?? _zzz ) of the quadratic susceptibility complex tensor {ie165-2} (z, ??₁ + ??₂; ??₁, ??₂), which is responsible for the sumfrequency generation in a one-dimensionally inhomogeneous plate is proposed and proven for the first time. Such reconstruction is possible if the symmetry of the medium provides the diagonal character of the linear permittivity tensor {ie165-3} (z, ??). The procedure involves the measurement of the complex amplitude of the new wave with the frequency ??₁ + ??₂ that is reflected from the plate for a certain interval of the angles of incidence of the wave with the frequency ??₂. The reflected wave results from the nonlinear interaction of the wave with frequency ??₂ and the wave with frequency ??₁ that exhibits the normal incidence. A similar approach can be used to determine the profiles of the components of the quadratic susceptibility tensor {ie165-4}(z, ??₁ ? ??₂; ??₁, ? ??₂), which is responsible for the difference-frequency generation.     

Spin-rotating magnet for the ΔσL(np) experiment at LHEP JINR

The spin rotating magnet (SRM) is purposed for the orientation rotation of the nucleon spins in the polarized beam from the transverse (T) direction with respect to the nucleon beam momentum to the longitudinal (L) one. The longitudinally polarized neutron beam was used in the experiment for measuring the total cross section difference Δσ_L(np) with parallel and antiparallel orientation of the participant L polarization. To perform the nucleon spin rotation in the polarized nucleon beam through the angle of 90° over the beam momentum region of ～1.8–5.5 GeV/c, a proper spin rotation device had to be prepared. For this purpose, the necessary calculations of corresponding values of the magnetic induction integral were carried out. Using the calculations the dipole magnet SP 57 type was chosen for the Δσ_L(np) experiment and the required reconstruction of its pole tips was also accomplished. After the SRM installation at the neutron beam line the appropriate apparatus set for the magnetic measurements was prepared and the precise measurements of the whole set of the SRM characteristics were performed. The obtained results for the SRM magnetic field parameters were successfully used during the Δσ_L(np) experimental runs to specify the current at this magnet coil corresponding to the calculated magnetic induction integral for the given neutron beam momentum.     

Anisotropy of the velocity space of electromagnetic radiation in a moving medium

Anisotropy arising in moving media is considered. In these media, the phase velocity of light nonlinearly depends on the velocity vector field of the medium due to anisotropic binding forces between lattice atoms. Observations of the optical anisotropy of light in a rotating optically transparent medium are discussed. Laser radiation with wavelength ?? = 0.632991 ± 1 × 10^?7 ??m propagating in an interferometer was passed through a rotating optical disk D = 62 mm in diameter. The projection of the beam??s path length in the medium onto the flat surface of the disk is l = 41 mm; the refractive index of the glass and its thickness are, respectively, n = 1.71250 for ?? = 632.8 nm and 10 mm; and the angle of incidence of the beam on the flat surface of the disk is ?₀ = 60°. The optical disk is rotated in two directions, and its rotation frequency may reach 250 Hz. Experimental data confirm the linear dependence of the fringe shift on the velocity of the medium up to 29.6 m/s. The measurement accuracy is sufficient to detect angular variations ??? = 3 × 10^?5 in the position of fringes at a fixed rotation velocity of the optical disk.     

The formation of correlated states and the increase in barrier transparency at a low particle energy in nonstationary systems with damping and fluctuations

We consider peculiarities in the formation of a coherent correlated state (CCS) of a particle in a periodically modulated harmonic oscillator with damping for various types of stochastic perturbation. It is shown that in the absence of stochastic perturbation, an optimal relation exists between the damping parameter (damping coefficient) and the modulation depth, for which the ??extrinsic?? characteristics of the oscillator (amplitudes of ??classical?? oscillation and the momentum of a particle) remain unchanged, while the correlation coefficient rapidly increases from |r| = 0 to |r|_max ?? 1; this corresponds to a completely correlated coherent state. Under nonoptimal conditions, the formation of the CCS with a simultaneous increase in is accompanied by damping or excitation of the oscillator. It is shown that for a certain relation between the damping coefficient and the modulation depth, the presence of a stochastic external force acting on the nonstationary oscillator does not prevent the formation of a CCS with |r|_max ?? 1. A fundamentally different effect is observed under a stochastic influence on the nonstationary frequency of the oscillator; this effect always limits the value of |r| at a level |r|_max < 1; a CCR cannot be formed with an unlimited increase in its intensity, and |r|_max ?? 0. The influence of the CCS formation on the averaged probability ??D?? of the tunnel effect (transparency of the potential barrier) is considered for a particle in an oscillator with damping both in the absence and in the presence of a stochastic force. It is shown using a specific example that complete clearing of the potential barrier and the increase in the barrier transparency from the initial value ??D _r=0?? = 10^?80 to ??D?? ?? 1 can occur over a comparatively short time interval in both these cases. These effects can be used to obtain highly efficient nuclear fusion at a low energy of interacting particles.     

Particle manipulation techniques in AEgIS

The AEgIS experiment (http://aegis.web.cern.ch) will measure the gravitational acceleration g of antihydrogen. Once performed this could be the first direct test of the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter. In the AEgIS experiment a beam of antihydrogen will travel horizontally along a path of about 1 m trough a moir?? deflectometer followed by a position sensitive detector. The g value will be obtained measuring the vertical displacement of the annihilation patterns. Before producing the beam, several tasks have to be performed mainly involving positron and electron plasma manipulation and particles cooling in Malmberg-Penning traps. The AEgIS experiment is currently under construction at CERN, meanwhile several tests involving particle manipulation and particle cooling are in progress. In this report some experimental results involving diocotron manipulation of plasma will be presented.     

Strangeness enhancement in sulphur—Nucleus collisions at 200 A GeV/c

The NA35 experiment used several independent methods to determine the strange particle production in p+S and S+A collisions. The different techniques show consistent results. Strangeness conservation in full phase space is used as an additional check of the consistency of the data. On the base of the analysis in full phase space it could be shown that strangeness conservation is fullfilled. The NA35K _S ⁰ in S+S and S+Ag are consistent with the NA44 results forK ⁺ andK ^?. The results of the NA36 collaboration for S+Pb collisions were extrapolated to full phase space. The comparison with the NA35 results shows more than two times lower yields. The ratio of Λ to $\bar \Lambda $ at midrapidity of NA36 is inconsistent with the high baryon density determind by NA35. The strange particle production is compared to the abundance of non strange particles, especially negatively charged pions which are measured in full phase space in the same experiment. A clear enhanced strange hadron production relative to σ^? is observed in S+Ag collisions compared to p+S reactions at the same energy. TheK _S ⁰ multiplicity in full phase space per negative hadron (h ^?) in S+S, S+Ag and Pb+Pb is enhanced by about a factor 1.6 compared to N+N and p+S collisions. The NA36 result for theK _S ⁰ multiplicity perh ^? in S+Pb is below the N+N value.     

Transverse-momentum distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">J</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">ψ</Emphasis> mesons produced in proton-nucleus and lead-lead interactions

The transverse-momentum and transverse-mass distributions of J/ψ mesons produced in proton-nucleus and lead-lead interactions at 400 GeV and 158 GeV/nucleon, respectively, were measured in the NA50 experiment. The change in these distributions with increasing centrality is studied for various interaction energies. Data obtained in the NA38 experiment for collisions of light nuclei at 200 GeV per nucleon is also used in the present analysis. Investigation of the transverse-momentum and transverse-mass distributions of J/ψ particles can provide additional information about the properties of the phase transition of ordinary nuclear matter to quark-gluon plasma.     

Kaon production in S+nucleus and Pb+Pb collisions at CERN SPS

Charged and neutral kaon production in S-nucleus and Pb-Pb collisions has been measured at CERN in the NA35 and NA49 experiments, close to mid-rapidity. The production ofK ^± in S+S, Ag, Au at 200 GeV/nucleon was measured via their one-prong (kink) topology inside a Time Projection Chamber (TPC). The resulting charged kaon yields are in agreement with other measurements done in the same experiment. TheK ⁺/K ^? ratio was found to be 1.30±0.15 in central S+Au interactions. The production ofK _S ⁰ in Pb+Pb collisions was measured using the NA49’s large (Main) TPCs outside the magnetic field. The resulting yields are compatible with other measurements performed in the same experiment, within the quoted systematic errors. The preliminary rapidity distribution in Pb+Pb scales with the number of participants if compared to S+S collisions. From this we conclude that no further strangeness enhancement (relative to nucleon-nucleon collisions) is observed in going from S+S to Pb+Pb.     

Systematics of M4 transitions

Reduced probabilities of known ?? transitions of M4 multipolarity are analyzed. Hindrance factors of 95 M4 transitions are calculated and presented. It is shown that the investigated M4 transitions are inhibited in regard to estimates using Moszkovsky formulas, and their mean hindrance factor is 5.5. The factors are close to unity in two cases only, but the intensity of a weak M4 transition could be overestimated in an experiment due to the summation effect. Dependences of the hindrance factors on the number of protons and neutrons are shown for M4 transitions between states with dominant single-particle components ??1g9/2 ?? ??2p1/2, ??1h11/2 ?? ??2d3/2, and ??1i13/2 ?? ??2f5/2.     

Peculiarities of applying the ω n k criterion for the electron identification problem based on the transition radiation detector in the compressed baryonic matter experiment

The problem of electron identification under conditions of a dominating pion background with the help of a multilayered transition radiation detector (TRD) in the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment is considered. With this aim, various mathematical methods, including methods based on the nonparametric goodness-of-fit ?? _n ^k criterion, have been elaborated and investigated. The characteristic properties of distributions of energy losses by electrons and pions in the TRD radiators are considered, and specific features of applying traditional statistical methods, methods based on the ?? _n ^k criterion, and artificial neural networks to the analyzed problem are discussed. The results of a comparative analysis of the power of these methods are presented, and recommendations for their usage are given.     

Exploring the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter; news from SPS and RHIC

Two experimental programs are aiming to study nuclear collisions in the energy regime in order to explore an essential part of the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. The programs are motivated by observations that indicate a phase transition to take place in this energy domain: the onset of deconfinement. The STAR collaboration proposes an energy scan in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL. The ongoing program of the NA61/SHINE experiment consists of a two-dimensional energy-system size scan in nuclear and elementary collisions. The goal of both programs is to study the properties of the onset of deconfinement and to eventually discover the conjectured critical point of strongly interacting matter. A comparison of the strengths and limitations reveals the complementarity of the two programs.     

φ production in In–In collisions at 158 A GeV

The NA60 experiment has measured muon pair production in In–In collisions at 158 AGeV at the CERN SPS. This paper presents a high statistics measurement of φ→μ μ meson production. Differential spectra, yields, mass and width are measured as a function of centrality and compared to previous measurements in other colliding systems at the same energy. The width of the rapidity distribution is found to be constant as a function of centrality, compatible with previous results. The decay muon polar angle distribution is measured in several reference frames. No evidence of polarization is found as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. The analysis of the p _T spectra shows that the φ has a small radial flow, implying a weak coupling to the medium. The T _eff parameter measured in In–In collisions suggests that the high value observed in Pb–Pb in the kaon channel is difficult to reconcile with radial flow alone. The absolute yield is compared to results in Pb–Pb collisions: though significantly smaller than measured by NA50 in the muon channel, it is found to exceed the NA49 and CERES data in the kaon channel at any centrality. The mass and width are found to be compatible with the PDG values at any centrality and at any p _T : no evidence for in-medium modifications is observed.     

Mechanism of pion production in αp scattering at 1 GeV/nucleon

An analysis of the experimental data on one-pion and two-pion production in the p(??, ????)X reaction studied in a semi-exclusive experiment at an energy of E _?? = 4.2 GeV has been performed. The obtained results demonstrate that the inelastic ??-particle scattering on the proton at the energy of the experiment proceeds either through excitation and decay of the ?? resonance in the projectile ?? particle, or through excitation in the target proton of the Roper resonance, which decays into a nucleon and a pion, or a nucleon and a ?? meson??a system of two pions in the isospin I = 0, S-wave state.     

Phenyl substituted Mg porphyrazines: The effect of annulation of a chalcogen-containing heterocycle on the spectral-luminescent properties

We have performed complex experimental and theoretical investigations of the spectral-luminescent properties and electronic structure of new phthalocyanine analogs, Mg octaphenylporphyrazine and its derivatives with an annulated thiadiazole or selenadiazole ring instead of two phenyl groups. Fluorescence characteristics have been determined at 293 and 77 K: emission, excitation, and fluorescence polarization spectra; fluorescence quantum yield ?? _F , and lifetime ?? _F . Annulation of a five-membered chalcogen-containing heterocycle leads to splitting of the long-wavelength absorption band Q(0-0) and to the bathochromic shift of its longest wavelength component Q _x (0-0), which increase upon passage from S to Se. At the same time, the fluorescence quantum yield ?? _F and lifetime ?? _F decrease, which is related to the intramolecular heavy-atom effect. The geometric structure of the ground state of the Mg porphyrazine molecules has been determined based on the density functional theory (DFT), and excited electronic states have been calculated with modified parametrization of the INDO/S method, INDO/Sm. Semiquantitatively, the calculated level positions of the lowest Q states and spectral shifts of Mg octaphenylporphyrazine and S-derivative agree with experimental data. For the range of the Soret band, calculated transition energies and their intensity distributions substantially depend on the dihedral angle ?? between a phenyl ring and porphyrazine macrocycle. We show that, based on calculations at the angle ?? = 60°, bands in the observed absorption spectra can be assigned with an accuracy of ??2000 cm^?1.     

Direct photon production from pions and protons at 200 GeV/c

Direct photon production has been studied by an experiment performed with the NA3 spectrometer at CERN, using incident negative and positive beams at 200 GeV/c interacting with an isoscalar Carbon target. Two different triggers have been used; one of them requires the photon conversion. The experiment is sensitive to direct photons produced with 3.0≦P _T ≦6 GeV/c and center-of-mass rapidity ?0.4≦y ^*≦1.2. Inclusive cross sections are given for incident π^± and protons, and compared with second order QCD predictions; finally an estimation of the gluon structure function of the nucleon is given.