Pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at super proton synchrotron energies from the NA50 experiment

We present the measurements of charged particle pseudorapidity distributions dN_ch/dη performed by the NA50 experiment in Pb-Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. Measurements were done at incident energies of 40 GeV (√s = 8.77 GeV) and 158 GeV (√s = 17.3 GeV) per nucleon over a broad impact parameter range. The multiplicity distributions are studied as a function of centrality using the number of participating nucleons(N _part ), or the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions (N_coll). Their values at midrapidity exhibit a linear scaling withN _part at both energies. Particle yield increases approximately by a factor of 2 betweeny √s = 8.77 GeV and √s = 17.3 GeV.     

z-scaling in heavy ion collisions at the RHIC

Experimental data on transverse particle spectra obtained by the STAR, PHENIX, PHOBOS, and BRAHMS collaborations at the RHIC are analyzed in the framework of the generalized concept of z-scaling. It was developed for analysis of inclusive particle production in proton-(anti)proton collisions at high p _T and high multiplicities. The general scheme of the approach based on the physical principles of self-similarity, locality, and fractality is reviewed. Independence of the scaling function ψ(z) from energy, multiplicity, and atomic weight for h ^±, π ^±,0, K _S ⁰ , and Λ hadrons produced in Au-Au and Cu-Cu collisions at √s = 130 and 200 GeV is discussed. Based on z-scaling, the multiplicity dependence of pion transverse spectra up to p _T = 25 GeV/c in Au-Au collisions at √s = 200 GeV for experiments at the RHIC is predicted. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

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.     

Predictions of HBT parameters in Pb + Pb collisions at √<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">NN</Emphasis></Subscript> = 2.76 TeV from a hadronic rescattering model

A kinematic model based on the superposition of p + p collisions, relativistic geometry and final-state hadronic rescattering is used to predict two-boson HBT parameters in √s _NN = 2.76 TeV Pb + Pb collisions. A short proper time for hadronization is assumed. Previous calculations using this model which were performed for √s _NN = 200 GeV Au + Au collisions were shown to describe reasonably well the trends of two-pion HBT in experiments carried out at that energy, giving the present predictions for Pb + Pb at higher energy some degree of credibility.     

Description of pp collisions at LHC energies

The Monte Carlo version of quark-gluon string model is employed to study the multiplicity, rapidity and pr spectra of particles in pp collisions at energies from √s = 200 GeV to 14 TeV. A good quantitative agreement with the experimental data is found in a broad energy range. It means that the general features of ultrarelativistic pp interactions can be well understood in terms of soft- and hard-Pomeron exchanges. Predictions are made for the top LHC energy √s = 14TeV.     

Three-dimensional kaon and pion emission source extraction from √sNN = 200 GeV Au + Au collisions at RHIC-STAR

Three-dimensional source images for mid-rapidity, low transverse momentum kaon and pion pairs have been extracted from central Au + Au collisions data at √s _NN = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The pion source function displays significant non-Gaussian features implying a finite pion emission duration. On the other hand, the kaon source function is essentially Gaussian, consistent with instantaneous emission from the fireball.     

Proton femtoscopy at STAR

The analysis of two-particle femtoscopy provides a powerful tool to study the properties of matter created in heavy ion collisions. Applied to identical and nonidentical hadron pairs, it makes the study of space-time evolution of the source in femtoscopic scale possible. Baryon femtoscopy allows extraction of the radii of produced sources which can be compared to those deduced from identical pion studies, providing additional information about source characteristics. In this paper we present the correlation functions obtained for protons and antiprotons for Au + Au collisions √s _NN = 62.4 and 200 GeV. On the other hand, as STAR experiment participates in Beam Energy Scan program, we present theoretical predictions of p − p, [`(p)] - [`(p)]\bar p - \bar p and p - [`(p)]p - \bar p femtoscopic measurements, based on UrQMD simulation for √s _NN = 5–39 GeV.     

High-pT spectra of charged hadrons in Au + Au collisions at √sNN = 9.2 GeV in STAR

The production of hadrons in heavy-ion collisions at high-p _T provides an important information on mechanism of particle formation and constituent energy loss in medium. Such information is needed for search of a Critical Point and signatures of phase transition. Measurements by the STAR Collaboration of charged hadron production in Au + Au collisions at √s _NN = 9.2 GeV over a wide transverse momentum p _T = 0.2−4 GeV/c and at mid-rapidity range are reported. It allows for a first measurement of the spectra for charged hadrons at high p _T at this energy. The spectra demonstrate the dependence on centrality which enhances with p _T . The constituent energy loss and its dependence on transverse momentum of particle, and centrality of collisions are estimated in the z-scaling approach.     

Measurement of two-particle correlations in pp collisions at √<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis> = 900 GeV with the ALICE detector

ALICE is the experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider dedicated to study high-energy nuclear collisions which is also carrying out a proton-proton physics program, thanks to its wide phase-space coverage and good momentum and spatial resolution. We present first results on two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in pp collisions at √s = 900 GeV measured with ALICE. An increase of the HBT radius with increasing event multiplicity is observed, in agreement with previous measurements. However, a strong decrease of the radius with increasing transverse momentum, as observed at RHIC and at Tevatron, is not evident in our analysis.     

Pion-proton correlations and asymmetry measurement in Au + Au collisions at √<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">NN</Emphasis></Subscript> = 200 GeV data

Correlations between non-identical particles at small relative velocity probe asymmetries in the average space-time emission points at freeze-out. The origin of such asymmetries may be from long-lived resonances, bulk collective effects, or differences in the freeze-out scenario for the different particle species. STAR has extracted pion-proton correlation functions from a dataset of Au+Au collisions at √s _NN = 200 GeV. We present correlation functions in the spherical harmonic decomposition representation, for different centralities and for different combinations of pions and (anti-)protons.     

Measurement of nuclear-modification factors for <Emphasis Type="Italic">π</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">η</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ϕ</Emphasis> mesons and protons in heavy-ion interactions in the PHENIX experiment

Light hadrons provide a convenient tool for studying the properties of hot and dense media formed in central collisions of relativistic heavy nuclei. The results obtained in the PHENIX experiment at the relativistic heavy-ion collider (RHIC, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA) by measuring nuclearmodification factors for light hadrons in various colliding systems (pp, dAu, CuCu, and AuAu) at the c.m. energies of √s _NN = 62.4 and 200 GeV are presented.     

Baryon to meson ratios in jets and ridges

We present an analysis of relative baryon to meson production for intermediate transverse momentum hadrons associated with a high-p _T trigger. The results of pion and (anti)proton spectra and ratios are presented for the “jet” and “ridge” components of the two-dimensional Δν − Δϕ triggered correlations in central Au+Au collisions at ?{s_NN }\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 200 GeV. We compare these results with the inclusive (non-triggered) measurements for the same data, and discuss our observations in conjunction with the results from d+Au, and pp data.     

Probing the quark-gluon phase transition using energy and system-size dependence of long-range multiplicity correlations in heavy ion collisions from the STAR experiment

Long-range forward-backward multiplicity correlations have been measured in heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Results for short and long-range multiplicity correlations (forward-backward) are presented for several systems (Au+Au, Cu+Cu, and pp) and energies (e.g. ?{s_NN }\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 200 and 62.4 GeV). A strong, long-range correlation is seen for central heavy ion collisions at ?{s_NN }\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 200 GeV that vanishes in semi-peripheral events and pp collisions. There is no apparent scaling with the number of participants (N _part) involved in the collision. These correlations provide information about the longitudinal behavior of the system formed in heavy ion collisions. To access the transverse behavior, the clusters produced in the same heavy ion collisions have been characterized by a study of the energy and system size dependence of the percolation density parameter (ρ). The relationship between the long-range correlation and percolation has been explored to characterize the hadron-quark/gluon phase transition and rapid thermalization of the system.     

Soft QCD in ATLAS: Minimum bias and diffraction studies

We present measurements of charged particle production in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 0.9, 2.36 and 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events were collected using a single-arm minimum bias trigger, charged tracks are measured with high precision in the inner tracking system. Minimum bias analysis uses data samples at all three energies, while diffractive events are studied using a sample of events at √s = 7 TeV. To study diffractive interactions, the events that have hits on exactly one side of the ATLAS detector were selected. The charged particle multiplicity, pseudorapidity and transverse momentum spectra are analyzed and compared to the predictions by various Monte Carlo models.     

Production of secondaries in high-energy heavy-ion collisions

In the framework of the quark-gluon string model, we calculate the inclusive spectra of secondaries produced in heavy-ion collisions at intermediate (CERN SPS) and at much higher (RHIC) energies. We demonstrate that the mechanism of secondary production changed drastically in the energy interval √s = 20–60 GeV and that it is in agreement with qualitative estimates of Glauber-Gribov theory. The results of numerical calculations at intermediate energies are in reasonable agreement with the data without change of the model parameters. At RHIC energies, numerically large inelastic screening correlations should be accounted for in calculations. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

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.     

Identified hadron production in √s = 130 GeV Au-Au collisions at relativistic heavy-ion collider

Identified π^±,K ^±, p and -p transverse momentum spectra at mid-rapidity in √^sNN = 130 GeV Au-Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse momenta increase with the number of participating nucleonsN _part similarly for all particle species. The multiplicity densities scale faster thanN _part. TheK ^± andp ^±yields per participant increase faster than the π^± yields. We combine the PHENIX neutral and charged pion measurement and find that in central collisions forp _T >-2 GeV/c,-p andp yields are comparable to or even exceed the pion yields.     

(1 + 1) dimensional hydrodynamics for high-energy heavy-ion collisions

A (1 + 1)-dimensional hydrodynamical model in the light-cone coordinates is used to describe central heavy-ion collisions at ultrarelativistic bombarding energies. Deviations from Bjorken scaling are taken into account by choosing finite-size profiles for the initial energy density. The sensitivity of fluid-dynamical evolution to the equation of state and the parameters of initial state are investigated. Experimental constraints on the total energy of produced particles are used to reduce the number of model parameters. Spectra of secondary particles are calculated under the assumption that the transition from the hydrodynamical stage to the collisionless expansion of matter occurs at a certain freeze-out temperature. An important role of resonances in the formation of observed hadronic spectra is demonstrated. The calculated rapidity distributions of pions, kaons, and antiprotons in central Au + Au collisions at √^s NN = 200 GeV are compared with experimental data of the BRAHMS Collaboration. Parameters of the initial state are reconstructed for different choices of the equation of state. The best fit of these data is obtained for a soft equation of state and Gaussian-like initial profiles of the energy density, intermediate between the Landau and Bjorken limits. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Charmonium production in fixed-target experiments with SPS and LHC beams at CERN

The possibility of measuring cross sections for the production of J/ψ mesons in fixed-target experiments with the proton and ion beams of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Switzerland) is considered. At the present time, measurements of charmonium production in proton-proton collisions at an energy of 7 TeV have begun at LHC. Previously, the production of J/ψ and ψ′ mesons was studied in the NA38, NA50, and NA60 fixed-target experiments with beams of the CERN synchrotron (SPS) and in the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA). A normal nuclear absorption of J/ψ mesons in proton-nucleus collisions and an enhanced, anomalous, suppression of the production of charmonium states in central collisions of relativistic nuclei were observed. At the present time, there are no theoretical models that could describe the entire body of experimental data. Measurements over a broad interval of proton and ion energies are required. Measurements of charmonium production using LHC beams with fixed targets in the energy range between the SPS and RHIC energies-a beam of 7-TeV protons (√s = 114.6 GeV) and a beam of 2.75-TeV/nucleon lead ions (√s = 71.8 GeV)-will provide an additional possibility for studying the charmonium-production mechanism. Estimates of the geometric acceptance, luminosity, and counting rate for the production of J/ψ mesons are presented.