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The properties of compact stars and in particular the existence of twin star solutions are investigated within an effective model that is constrained by lattice QCD thermodynamics. The model is modified at large baryon densities to incorporate a large variety of scenarios of first order phase transitions to a phase of deconfined quarks. This is achieved by matching two different variants of the bag model equation of state, in order to estimate the role of the Bag model parameters on the appearance of a second family of neutron stars. The produced sequences of neutron stars are compared with modern constrains on stellar masses, radii, and tidal deformability from astrophysical observations and gravitational wave analyses. It is found that those scenarios in our analysis, in which a third family of stars appeared due to the deconfinement transition, are disfavored from astrophysical constraints.
The thermodynamic properties of the interacting particle–antiparticle boson system at high temperatures and densities were investigated within the framework of scalar and thermodynamic mean-field models. We assume isospin (charge) density conservation in the system. The equations of state and thermodynamic functions are determined after solving the self-consistent equations. We study the relationship between attractive and repulsive forces in the system and the influence of these interactions on the thermodynamic properties of the bosonic system, especially on the development of the Bose–Einstein condensate. It is shown that under “weak” attraction, the boson system has a phase transition of the second order, which occurs every time the dependence of the particle density crosses the critical curve or even touches it. It was found that with a “strong” attractive interaction, the system forms a Bose condensate during a phase transition of the first order, and, despite the finite value of the isospin density, these condensate states are characterized by a zero chemical potential. That is, such condensate states cannot be described by the grand canonical ensemble since the chemical potential is involved in the conditions of condensate formation, so it cannot be a free variable when the system is in the condensate phase.
A modification of the Einstein–Hilbert theory, the Covariant Canonical Gauge Gravity (CCGG), leads to a cosmological constant that represents the energy of the space–time continuum when deformed from its (A)dS ground state to a flat geometry. CCGG is based on the canonical transformation theory in the De Donder–Weyl (DW) Hamiltonian formulation. That framework modifies the Einstein–Hilbert Lagrangian of the free gravitational field by a quadratic Riemann–Cartan concomitant. The theory predicts a total energy-momentum of the system of space–time and matter to vanish, in line with the conjecture of a “Zero-Energy-Universe” going back to Lorentz (1916) and Levi-Civita (1917). Consequently, a flat geometry can only exist in presence of matter where the bulk vacuum energy of matter, regardless of its value, is eliminated by the vacuum energy of space–time. The observed cosmological constant Λobs is found to be merely a small correction attributable to deviations from a flat geometry and effects of complex dynamical geometry of space–time, namely torsion and possibly also vacuum fluctuations. That quadratic extension of General Relativity, anticipated already in 1918 by Einstein, thus provides a significant and natural contribution to resolving the “cosmological constant problem”.
This short paper gives a brief overview of the manifestly covariant canonical gauge gravity (CCGG) that is rooted in the De Donder-Weyl Hamiltonian formulation of relativistic field theories, and the proven methodology of the canonical transformation theory. That framework derives, from a few basic physical and mathematical assumptions, equations describing generic matter and gravity dynamics with the spin connection emerging as a Yang Mills-type gauge field. While the interaction of any matter field with spacetime is fixed just by the transformation property of that field, a concrete gravity ansatz is introduced by the choice of the free (kinetic) gravity Hamiltonian. The key elements of this approach are discussed and its implications for particle dynamics and cosmology are presented. New insights: Anomalous Pauli coupling of spinors to curvature and torsion of spacetime, spacetime with (A)dS ground state, inertia, torsion and geometrical vacuum energy, Zero-energy balance of the Universe leading to a vanishing cosmological constant and torsional dark energy.
An extension to the Einstein–Cartan (EC) action is discussed in terms of cosmological solutions. The torsion incorporated in the EC Lagrangian is assumed to be totally anti-symmetric, represented by a time-like axial vector Sμ. The dynamics of torsion is invoked by a novel kinetic term. Here we show that this kinetic term gives rise to dark energy, while the quadratic torsion term, emanating from the EC part, represents a stiff fluid that leads to a bouncing cosmology solution. A constraint on the bouncing solution is calculated using cosmological data from different epochs.
The cosmological implications of the Covariant Canonical Gauge Theory of Gravity (CCGG) are investigated. CCGG is a Palatini theory derived from first principles using the canonical transformation formalism in the covariant Hamiltonian formulation. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is thereby extended by a quadratic Riemann-Cartan term in the Lagrangian. Moreover, the requirement of covariant conservation of the stress-energy tensor leads to necessary presence of torsion. In the Friedman universe that promotes the cosmological constant to a time-dependent function, and gives rise to a geometrical correction with the EOS of dark radiation. The resulting cosmology, compatible with the ΛCDM parameter set, encompasses bounce and bang scenarios with graceful exits into the late dark energy era. Testing those scenarios against low-z observations shows that CCGG is a viable theory.
The cosmological implications of the Covariant Canonical Gauge Theory of Gravity (CCGG) are investigated. CCGG is a Palatini theory derived from first principles using the canonical transformation formalism in the covariant Hamiltonian formulation. The Einstein-Hilbert theory is thereby extended by a quadratic Riemann-Cartan term in the Lagrangian. Moreover, the requirement of covariant conservation of the stress-energy tensor leads to necessary presence of torsion. In the Friedman universe that promotes the cosmological constant to a time-dependent function, and gives rise to a geometrical correction with the EOS of dark radiation. The resulting cosmology, compatible with the ΛCDM parameter set, encompasses bounce and bang scenarios with graceful exits into the late dark energy era. Testing those scenarios against low-z observations shows that CCGG is a viable theory.
The dynamics of the torsion field is analyzed in the framework of the Covariant Canonical Gauge Theory of Gravity (CCGG), a De Donder–Weyl Hamiltonian formulation of gauge gravity. The action is quadratic in both, the torsion and the Riemann–Cartan tensor. Since the latter adds the derivative of torsion to the equations of motion, torsion is no longer identical to spin density, as in the Einstein–Cartan theory, but an additional propagating degree of freedom. As torsion turns out to be totally anti-symmetric, it can be parametrised via a single axial vector. It is shown in this paper that, in the weak torsion limit, the axial vector obeys a wave equation with an effective mass term which is partially dependent on the scalar curvature. The source of torsion is thereby given by the fermion axial current which is the net fermionic spin density of the system. Possible measurable effects and approaches to experimental analysis are addressed. For example, neutron star mergers could act as a dipoles or quadrupoles for torsional radiation, and an analysis of radiation of pulsars could lead to a detection of torsion wave background radiation.
We analyze the experimental data on nuclei and hypernuclei yields recently obtained by the STAR collaboration. The hybrid dynamical and statistical approaches which have been developed previously are able to describe the experimental data reasonably. We discuss the intriguing difference between the yields of normal nuclei and hypernuclei which may be related to the properties of hypermatter at subnuclear densities. New (hyper)nuclei could be detected via particle correlations. Such measurements are important to pin down the production mechanism.
Bounding Dark Energy from the SPARC rotation curves: Data driven probe for galaxy virialization
(2024)
Dark Energy (DE) acts as a repulsive force that opposes gravitational attraction. Assuming galaxies maintain a steady state over extended periods, the estimated upper bound on DE studies its resistance to the attractive gravitational force from dark matter. Using the SPARC dataset, we fit the Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) and Hernquist models to identify the most suitable galaxies for these models. Introducing the presence of DE in these galaxies helps establish the upper limit on its repulsive force. This upper bound on DE sits around ρ(<Λ)∼10−25~kg/m3, only two orders of magnitude higher than the one measured by Planck. We discuss the conditions for detecting DE in different systems and show the consistency of the upper bound from galaxies to other systems. The upper bound is of the same order of magnitude as ρ200=200ρc for both dark matter profiles. We also address the implications for future measurements on that upper bound and the condition for detecting the impact of Λ on galactic scales.
The STAR Collaboration presents measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from energetic direct-photon γdir and neutral-pion (π0) triggers in p+p and central Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV over a broad kinematic range, for jet resolution parameters R=0.2 and 0.5. Medium-induced jet yield suppression is observed to be larger for R=0.2 than for 0.5, reflecting the angular range of jet energy redistribution due to quenching. The magnitude of suppression is similar for γdir- and π0-triggered data, which constrains the color-charge and path-length dependence of jet quenching. Theoretical model calculations incorporating jet quenching do not fully describe the measurements.
The differential cross section for 𝑍0 production, measured as a function of the boson’s transverse momentum (𝑝T), provides important constraints on the evolution of the transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMDs). The transverse single spin asymmetry (TSSA) of the 𝑍0 is sensitive to one of the polarized TMDs, the Sivers function, which is predicted to have the opposite sign in 𝑝 + 𝑝 → 𝑊 ∕𝑍 + 𝑋 from that which enters in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering. In this Letter, the STAR Collaboration reports the first measurement of the 𝑍0∕𝛾∗ differential cross section as a function of its 𝑝T in 𝑝+𝑝 collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 510 GeV, together with the 𝑍0∕𝛾∗ total cross section. We also report the measurement of 𝑍0∕𝛾∗ TSSA in transversely polarized 𝑝+𝑝 collisions at 510 GeV.
We report on the measurement of the Central Exclusive Production of charged particle pairs h+h− (h = π, K, p) with the STAR detector at RHIC in proton-proton collisions at √s = 200 GeV. The charged particle pairs produced in the reaction pp → p′ + h+h− + p′ are reconstructed from the tracks in the central detector and identified using the specific energy loss and the time of flight method, while the forward-scattered protons are measured in the Roman Pot system. Exclusivity of the event is guaranteed by requiring the transverse momentum balance of all four final-state particles. Differential cross sections are measured as functions of observables related to the central hadronic final state and to the forward-scattered protons. They are measured in a fiducial region corresponding to the acceptance of the STAR detector and determined by the central particles’ transverse momenta and pseudorapidities as well as by the forward-scattered protons’ momenta. This fiducial region roughly corresponds to the square of the four-momentum transfers at the proton vertices in the range 0.04 GeV2 < −t1, −t2 < 0.2 GeV2, invariant masses of the charged particle pairs up to a few GeV and pseudorapidities of the centrally-produced hadrons in the range |η| < 0.7. The measured cross sections are compared to phenomenological predictions based on the Double Pomeron Exchange (DPE) model. Structures observed in the mass spectra of π+π− and K+K− pairs are consistent with the DPE model, while angular distributions of pions suggest a dominant spin-0 contribution to π+π− production. For π+π− production, the fiducial cross section is extrapolated to the Lorentz-invariant region, which allows decomposition of the invariant mass spectrum into continuum and resonant contributions. The extrapolated cross section is well described by the continuum production and at least three resonances, the f0(980), f2(1270) and f0(1500), with a possible small contribution from the f0(1370). Fits to the extrapolated differential cross section as a function of t1 and t2 enable extraction of the exponential slope parameters in several bins of the invariant mass of π+π− pairs. These parameters are sensitive to the size of the interaction region.
Measurement of inclusive charged-particle jet production in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV
(2021)
The STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider reports the first measurement of inclusive jet production in peripheral and central Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−−√=200 GeV. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kT algorithm using charged tracks with pseudorapidity |η|<1.0 and transverse momentum 0.2<pchT,jet<30 GeV/c, with jet resolution parameter R=0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. The large background yield uncorrelated with the jet signal is observed to be dominated by statistical phase space, consistent with a previous coincidence measurement. This background is suppressed by requiring a high-transverse-momentum (high-pT) leading hadron in accepted jet candidates. The bias imposed by this requirement is assessed, and the pT region in which the bias is small is identified. Inclusive charged-particle jet distributions are reported in peripheral and central Au+Au collisions for 5<pchT,jet<25 GeV/c and 5<pchT,jet<30 GeV/c, respectively. The charged-particle jet inclusive yield is suppressed for central Au+Au collisions, compared to both the peripheral Au+Au yield from this measurement and to the pp yield calculated using the PYTHIA event generator. The magnitude of the suppression is consistent with that of inclusive hadron production at high pT, and that of semi-inclusive recoil jet yield when expressed in terms of energy loss due to medium-induced energy transport. Comparison of inclusive charged-particle jet yields for different values of R exhibits no significant evidence for medium-induced broadening of the transverse jet profile for R<0.4 in central Au+Au collisions. The measured distributions are consistent with theoretical model calculations that incorporate jet quenching.
Measurement of inclusive charged-particle jet production in Au + Au collisions at √sNN=200 GeV
(2020)
The STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider reports the first measurement of inclusive jet production in peripheral and central Au+Au collisions at √𝑠𝑁𝑁=200 GeV. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-𝑘𝑇 algorithm using charged tracks with pseudorapidity |𝜂|<1.0 and transverse momentum 0.2<𝑝ch
𝑇,jet<30 GeV/𝑐, with jet resolution parameter 𝑅=0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. The large background yield uncorrelated with the jet signal is observed to be dominated by statistical phase space, consistent with a previous coincidence measurement. This background is suppressed by requiring a high-transverse-momentum (high-𝑝𝑇) leading hadron in accepted jet candidates. The bias imposed by this requirement is assessed, and the 𝑝𝑇 region in which the bias is small is identified. Inclusive charged-particle jet distributions are reported in peripheral and central Au+Au collisions for 5<𝑝ch
𝑇,jet<25 GeV/𝑐 and 5<𝑝ch
𝑇,jet<30 GeV/𝑐, respectively. The charged-particle jet inclusive yield is suppressed for central Au+Au collisions, compared to both the peripheral Au+Au yield from this measurement and to the 𝑝𝑝 yield calculated using the PYTHIA event generator. The magnitude of the suppression is consistent with that of inclusive hadron production at high 𝑝𝑇 and that of semi-inclusive recoil jet yield when expressed in terms of energy loss due to medium-induced energy transport. Comparison of inclusive charged-particle jet yields for different values of 𝑅 exhibits no significant evidence for medium-induced broadening of the transverse jet profile for 𝑅 <0.4 in central Au+Au collisions. The measured distributions are consistent with theoretical model calculations that incorporate jet quenching.
The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of the transverse single-spin asymmetry (TSSA) of inclusive 𝜋0 at center-of-mass energies (√𝑠) of 200 GeV and 500 GeV in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions in the pseudo-rapidity region 2.7 to 4.0. The results at the two different energies show a continuous increase of the TSSA with Feynman-𝑥, and, when compared to previous measurements, no dependence on √𝑠 from 19.4 GeV to 500 GeV is found. To investigate the underlying physics leading to this large TSSA, different topologies have been studied. 𝜋0 with no nearby particles tend to have a higher TSSA than inclusive 𝜋0. The TSSA for inclusive electromagnetic jets, sensitive to the Sivers effect in the initial state, is substantially smaller, but shows the same behavior as the inclusive 𝜋0 asymmetry as a function of Feynman-𝑥. To investigate final-state effects, the Collins asymmetry of 𝜋0 inside electromagnetic jets has been measured. The Collins asymmetry is analyzed for its dependence on the 𝜋0 momentum transverse to the jet thrust axis and its dependence on the fraction of jet energy carried by the 𝜋0. The asymmetry was found to be small in each case for both center-of-mass energies. All the measurements are compared to QCD-based theoretical calculations for transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions. Some discrepancies are found, which indicates new mechanisms might be involved.
We report a new measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for dijet production in collisions of polarized protons at s√ = 200 GeV. Correlations between the proton spin and the transverse momenta of its partons, each perpendicular to the proton momentum direction, are probed at high Q2 ≈160 GeV2. The associated Sivers observable ⟨kT⟩, the average parton transverse momentum, is extracted using simple kinematics. Nonzero Sivers effects are observed for the first time in dijets from proton-proton collisions, but only when the jets are sorted by their net charge, which enhances the u- or d-quark contributions to separate data samples. This also enables a simple kinematic approach for determination of the individual partonic contributions to the observed asymmetries.
We report a new measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for dijet production in collisions of polarized protons at s√ = 200 GeV. Possible correlations between the proton spin and the transverse momenta of its partons, mutually orthogonal, with each perpendicular to the proton momentum direction, are probed at high Q2 ≈160 GeV2. The associated Sivers observable ⟨kT⟩, the average parton transverse momentum, is extracted using simple kinematics. Nonzero Sivers effects are observed for the first time in proton-proton collisions, but only when the jets are sorted by their net charge, which enhances the u- or d-quark contributions to separate data samples. This also enables a determination of the individual partonic contributions to the observed asymmetries.
Interacting with the environment to process sensory information, generate perceptions, and shape behavior engages neural networks in brain areas with highly varied representations, ranging from unimodal sensory cortices to higher-order association areas. Recent work suggests a much greater degree of commonality across areas, with distributed and modular networks present in both sensory and non-sensory areas during early development. However, it is currently unknown whether this initially common modular structure undergoes an equally common developmental trajectory, or whether such a modular functional organization persists in some areas—such as primary visual cortex—but not others. Here we examine the development of network organization across diverse cortical regions in ferrets of both sexes using in vivo widefield calcium imaging of spontaneous activity. We find that all regions examined, including both primary sensory cortices (visual, auditory, and somatosensory—V1, A1, and S1, respectively) and higher order association areas (prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices) exhibit a largely similar pattern of changes over an approximately 3 week developmental period spanning eye opening and the transition to predominantly externally-driven sensory activity. We find that both a modular functional organization and millimeter-scale correlated networks remain present across all cortical areas examined. These networks weakened over development in most cortical areas, but strengthened in V1. Overall, the conserved maintenance of modular organization across different cortical areas suggests a common pathway of network refinement, and suggests that a modular organization—known to encode functional representations in visual areas—may be similarly engaged in highly diverse brain areas.
Significance Different areas of the mature brain encode vastly different representations of the world. This study shows that a modular functional organization where nearby neurons participate in similar functional networks is shared across different brain areas not only during early development, but also as the brain matures where it remains a shared feature that shapes neural activity. The largely conserved trajectory of developmental changes across brain areas suggests that similar circuit mechanisms may drive this maturation. This implies that the large literature on developing cortical circuits, which is largely focused on sensory areas, may also apply more broadly, and that perturbations during development that impinge on any such shared mechanisms may produce deficits that extend across multiple brain systems.
The production cross section of inclusive isolated photons has been measured by the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC in pp collisions at centre-of-momentum energy of s√=13 TeV collected during the LHC Run 2 data-taking period. The measurement is performed by combining the measurements of the electromagnetic calorimeter EMCal and the central tracking detectors ITS and TPC, covering a pseudorapidity range of |ηγ|<0.67 and a transverse momentum range of 7<pγT<200 GeV/c. The result extends to lower pγT and xγT=2pγT/s√ ranges, the lowest xγT of any isolated photon measurements to date, extending significantly those measured by the ATLAS and CMS experiments towards lower pγT at the same collision energy with a small overlap between the measurements. The measurement is compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations and the results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments as well as with measurements at other collision energies. The measurement and theory prediction are in agreement with each other within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties.
The intensity and the features of sensory stimuli are encoded in the activity of neurons in the cortex. In the visual and piriform cortices, the stimulus intensity rescales the activity of the population without changing its selectivity for the stimulus features. The cortical representation of the stimulus is therefore intensity invariant. This emergence of network-invariant representations appears robust to local changes in synaptic strength induced by synaptic plasticity, even though (i) synaptic plasticity can potentiate or depress connections between neurons in a feature-dependent manner, and (ii) in networks with balanced excitation and inhibition, synaptic plasticity determines the nonlinear network behavior. In this study we investigate the consistency of invariant representations with a variety of synaptic states in balanced networks. By using mean-field models and spiking network simulations, we show how the synaptic state controls the emergence of intensity-invariant or intensity-dependent selectivity. In particular, we demonstrate that an effective power-law synaptic transformation at the population level is necessary for invariance. In a range of firing rates, purely depressing short-term synapses fulfills this condition, and in this case, the network is contrast-invariant. Instead, facilitating short-term plasticity generally narrows the network selectivity. We found that facilitating and depressing short-term plasticity can be combined to approximate a power-law that leads to contrast invariance. These results explain how the physiology of individual synapses is linked to the emergence of invariant representations of sensory stimuli at the network level.
Matter-antimatter asymmetry is a research topic of fundamental interest, as it is the basis for the existence of the matter world, which survived annihilation with antimatter in the early Universe. High energy nuclear collisions create conditions similar to the Universe microseconds after the Big Bang, with comparable amounts of matter and antimatter. Much of the antimatter created escapes the rapidly expanding fireball without annihilation, making such collisions an effective experimental tool to create heavy antimatter nuclear objects and study their properties. In this paper, we report the first observation of the antimatter hypernucleus 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯, composed of an Λ¯, an antiproton and two antineutrons. The discovery was made through its two-body decay after production in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In total, 15.6 candidate 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ antimatter hypernuclei are obtained with an estimated background count of 6.4. Lifetimes of the antihypernuclei 3Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ and 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ are measured and compared with lifetimes of their corresponding hypernuclei, testing the symmetry between matter and antimatter. Various production yield ratios among (anti)hypernuclei and (anti)nuclei are also measured and compared with theoretical model predictions, shedding light on their production mechanism.
Antimatter is a research topic of fundamental interest. Sufficient matter-antimatter asymmetry in the early Universe created the matter-dominated world today. The origin of this asymmetry is not completely understood to date. High-energy nuclear collisions create conditions similar to the Universe microseconds after the Big Bang, with comparable amounts of matter and antimatter. Much of the antimatter created escapes the rapidly expanding fireball without annihilation, making such collisions an effective experimental tool to create heavy antimatter nuclear objects and study their properties. In this paper, we report the first observation of the antimatter hypernucleus 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯, composed of an Λ¯, an antiproton and two antineutrons. The discovery was made through its two-body decay after production in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In total, 15.6 candidate 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ antimatter hypernuclei are obtained with an estimated background count of 6.4. Lifetimes of the antihypernuclei 3Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ and 4Λ¯H¯¯¯¯ are measured and compared with the lifetimes of their corresponding hypernuclei, testing the symmetry between matter and antimatter. Various production yield ratios among (anti)hypernuclei and (anti)nuclei are also measured and compared with theoretical model predictions, shedding light on their production mechanism.
We report new STAR measurements of the single-spin asymmetries 𝐴𝐿 for 𝑊+ and 𝑊− bosons produced in polarized proton-proton collisions at √𝑠=510 GeV as a function of the decay-positron and decay-electron pseudorapidity. The data were obtained in 2013 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 250 pb−1. The results are combined with previous results obtained with 86 pb−1. A comparison with theoretical expectations based on polarized lepton-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering and prior polarized proton-proton data suggests a difference between the ¯𝑢 and ¯𝑑 quark helicity distributions for 0.05<𝑥<0.25. In addition, we report new results for the double-spin asymmetries 𝐴𝐿𝐿 for 𝑊±, as well as 𝐴𝐿 for 𝑍/𝛾* production and subsequent decay into electron-positron pairs.
We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of 3.5 < pT < 9 GeV/c in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in p + p collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity (|y|< 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of 3.5<pT<9 GeV/c in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in p+p collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity (|y|< 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of 3.5<pT<9 GeV/c in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in p+p collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four- and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U+U at sNN−−−√= 193 GeV, Cu+Au at sNN−−−√= 200 GeV and Au+Au spanning the range sNN−−−√= 11.5 - 200 GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and T$\mathrel{\protect\raisebox{-2.1pt}{R}}$ENTo model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.
Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four- and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U+U at sNN−−−√ = 193 GeV, Cu+Au at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV and Au+Au spanning the range sNN−−−√ = 11.5 - 200 GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and Glauber model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.
Azimuthal anisotropy measurement of (multi-)strange hadrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 54.4 GeV
(2022)
Azimuthal anisotropy of produced particles is one of the most important observables used to access the collective properties of the expanding medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this paper, we present second (v2) and third (v3) order azimuthal anisotropies of K0S, ϕ, Λ, Ξ and Ω at mid-rapidity (|y|<1) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV measured by the STAR detector. The v2 and v3 are measured as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. Their energy dependence is also studied. v3 is found to be more sensitive to the change in the center-of-mass energy than v2. Scaling by constituent quark number is found to hold for v2 within 10%. This observation could be evidence for the development of partonic collectivity in 54.4 GeV Au+Au collisions. Differences in v2 and v3 between baryons and anti-baryons are presented, and ratios of v3/v3/22 are studied and motivated by hydrodynamical calculations. The ratio of v2 of ϕ mesons to that of anti-protons (v2(ϕ)/v2(p¯)) shows centrality dependence at low transverse momentum, presumably resulting from the larger effects from hadronic interactions on anti-proton v2.
Azimuthal anisotropy measurement of (multi-)strange hadrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 54.4 GeV
(2023)
Azimuthal anisotropy of produced particles is one of the most important observables used to access the collective properties of the expanding medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this paper, we present second (v2) and third (v3) order azimuthal anisotropies of K0S, ϕ, Λ, Ξ and Ω at mid-rapidity (|y|<1) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV measured by the STAR detector. The v2 and v3 are measured as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. Their energy dependence is also studied. v3 is found to be more sensitive to the change in the center-of-mass energy than v2. Scaling by constituent quark number is found to hold for v2 within 10%. This observation could be evidence for the development of partonic collectivity in 54.4 GeV Au+Au collisions. Differences in v2 and v3 between baryons and anti-baryons are presented, and ratios of v3/v3/22 are studied and motivated by hydrodynamical calculations. The ratio of v2 of ϕ mesons to that of anti-protons (v2(ϕ)/v2(p¯)) shows centrality dependence at low transverse momentum, presumably resulting from the larger effects from hadronic interactions on anti-proton v2.
The elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central 3He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) at mid-rapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v2(pT) values depend on the colliding systems, the v3(pT) values are system-independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from sub-nucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.
The elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central 3He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) at mid-rapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v2(pT) values depend on the colliding systems, the v3(pT) values are system-independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from sub-nucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.
The elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central 3He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) at mid-rapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v2(pT) values depend on the colliding systems, the v3(pT) values are system-independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from sub-nucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.
The elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central 3He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) at mid-rapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v2(pT) values depend on the colliding systems, the v3(pT) values are system-independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from sub-nucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.
We present the first measurements of charge-dependent correlations on angular difference variables η1 − η2 (pseudorapidity) and φ1 − φ2 (azimuth) for primary charged hadrons with transverse momentum 0.15 <= pt <= 2 GeV/c and |η| <= 1.3 from Au–Au collisions at √sNN = 130 GeV. We observe correlation structures not predicted by theory but consistent with evolution of hadron emission geometry with increasing centrality from one-dimensional fragmentation of color strings along the beam direction to an at least two-dimensional hadronization geometry along the beam and azimuth directions of a hadron-opaque bulk medium.
Mid-rapidity transverse mass spectra and multiplicity densities of charged and neutral kaons are reported for Au + Au collisions at √sNN = 130 GeV at RHIC. The spectra are exponential in transverse mass, with an inverse slope of about 280 MeV in central collisions. The multiplicity densities for these particles scale with the negative hadron pseudo-rapidity density. The charged kaon to pion ratios are K+/π− = 0.161± 0.002(stat) ± 0.024(syst) and K−/π− = 0.146± 0.002(stat) ± 0.022(syst) for the most central collisions. The K+/π− ratio is lower than the same ratio observed at the SPS while the K−/π− is higher than the SPS result. The ratios are enhanced by about 50% relative to p + p and p¯ + p collision data at similar energies.
We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity (|y|< 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of 3.5<pT<9 GeV/c in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in p+p collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
We report a measurement of exclusive J/ψ photoproduction in Au+Au ultra-peripheral collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV using the STAR detector. For the first time, i) the rapidity correlation between J/ψ photoproduction and neutron emission from nuclear breakups has been experimentally measured; ii) nuclear suppression factors are measured for both the coherent and incoherent J/ψ production. At photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 25.0 GeV, the coherent and incoherent J/ψ cross sections of Au nuclei are found to be 71±10% and 36±7%, respectively, of that of free protons. The stronger suppression observed in the incoherent production provides a new experimental handle to study the initial-state parton density in heavy nuclei. Data are compared with theoretical models quantitatively.
We report a measurement of exclusive J/ψ photoproduction in Au+Au ultra-peripheral collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV using the STAR detector. For the first time, i) the rapidity correlation between J/ψ photoproduction and neutron emission from nuclear breakups has been experimentally measured; ii) nuclear suppression factors are measured for both the coherent and incoherent J/ψ production. At photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 25.0 GeV, the coherent and incoherent J/ψ cross sections of Au nuclei are found to be 71±10% and 36±7%, respectively, of that of free protons. The stronger suppression observed in the incoherent production provides a new experimental handle to study the initial-state parton density in heavy nuclei. Data are compared with theoretical models quantitatively.
We report the measurement of K∗0 meson at midrapidity (|y|< 1.0) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√~=~7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27 and 39 GeV collected by the STAR experiment during the RHIC beam energy scan (BES) program. The transverse momentum spectra, yield, and average transverse momentum of K∗0 are presented as functions of collision centrality and beam energy. The K∗0/K yield ratios are presented for different collision centrality intervals and beam energies. The K∗0/K ratio in heavy-ion collisions are observed to be smaller than that in small system collisions (e+e and p+p). The K∗0/K ratio follows a similar centrality dependence to that observed in previous RHIC and LHC measurements. The data favor the scenario of the dominance of hadronic re-scattering over regeneration for K∗0 production in the hadronic phase of the medium.
We report the measurement of K∗0 meson at midrapidity (|y|< 1.0) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√~=~7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27 and 39 GeV collected by the STAR experiment during the RHIC beam energy scan (BES) program. The transverse momentum spectra, yield, and average transverse momentum of K∗0 are presented as functions of collision centrality and beam energy. The K∗0/K yield ratios are presented for different collision centrality intervals and beam energies. The K∗0/K ratio in heavy-ion collisions are observed to be smaller than that in small system collisions (e+e and p+p). The K∗0/K ratio follows a similar centrality dependence to that observed in previous RHIC and LHC measurements. The data favor the scenario of the dominance of hadronic re-scattering over regeneration for K∗0 production in the hadronic phase of the medium.
We report a new measurement of the production of electrons from open heavy-flavor hadron decays (HFEs) at mid-rapidity (|y|< 0.7) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. Invariant yields of HFEs are measured for the transverse momentum range of 3.5<pT<9 GeV/c in various configurations of the collision geometry. The HFE yields in head-on Au+Au collisions are suppressed by approximately a factor of 2 compared to that in p+p collisions scaled by the average number of binary collisions, indicating strong interactions between heavy quarks and the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Comparison of these results with models provides additional tests of theoretical calculations of heavy quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.
We report high-precision measurements of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, 𝐴𝐿𝐿, for midrapidity inclusive jet and dijet production in polarized 𝑝𝑝 collisions at a center-of-mass energy of √𝑠=200 GeV. The new inclusive jet data are sensitive to the gluon helicity distribution, Δ𝑔(𝑥,𝑄2), for gluon momentum fractions in the range from 𝑥≃0.05 to 𝑥≃0.5, while the new dijet data provide further constraints on the 𝑥 dependence of Δ𝑔(𝑥,𝑄2). The results are in good agreement with previous measurements at √𝑠=200 GeV and with recent theoretical evaluations of prior world data. Our new results have better precision and thus strengthen the evidence that Δ𝑔(𝑥,𝑄2) is positive for 𝑥>0.05.
Measurement of inclusive J/ψ polarization in p + p collisions at √s=200 GeV by the STAR experiment
(2020)
We report on new measurements of inclusive 𝐽/𝜓 polarization at midrapidity in 𝑝+𝑝 collisions at √𝑠=200 GeV by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The polarization parameters, 𝜆𝜃, 𝜆𝜙, and 𝜆𝜃𝜙, are measured as a function of transverse momentum (𝑝T) in both the helicity and Collins-Soper (CS) reference frames within 𝑝T<10 GeV/𝑐. Except for 𝜆𝜃 in the CS frame at the highest measured 𝑝T, all three polarization parameters are consistent with 0 in both reference frames without any strong 𝑝T dependence. Several model calculations are compared with data, and the one using the Color Glass Condensate effective field theory coupled with nonrelativistic QCD gives the best overall description of the experimental results, even though other models cannot be ruled out due to experimental uncertainties.
The linear and mode-coupled contributions to higher-order anisotropic flow are presented for Au+Au collisions at √sN N = 27, 39, 54.4, and 200 GeV and compared to similar measurements for Pb+Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The coefficients and the flow harmonics’ correlations, which characterize the linear and mode-coupled response to the lower-order anisotropies, indicate a beam energy dependence consistent with an influence from the specific shear viscosity (η/s). In contrast, the dimensionless coefficients, mode-coupled response coefficients, and normalized symmetric cumulants are approximately beam-energy independent, consistent with a significant role from initialstate effects. These measurements could provide unique supplemental constraints to (i) distinguish between different initial-state models and (ii) delineate the temperature (T ) and baryon chemical potential (μB ) dependence of the specific shear viscosity η s (T ,μB ).
The linear and mode-coupled contributions to higher-order anisotropic flow are presented for Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27, 39, 54.4, and 200 GeV and compared to similar measurements for Pb+Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The coefficients and the flow harmonics' correlations, which characterize the linear and mode-coupled response to the lower-order anisotropies, indicate a beam energy dependence consistent with an influence from the specific shear viscosity (η/s). In contrast, the dimensionless coefficients, mode-coupled response coefficients, and normalized symmetric cumulants are approximately beam-energy independent, consistent with a significant role from initial-state effects. These measurements could provide unique supplemental constraints to (i) distinguish between different initial-state models and (ii) delineate the temperature (T) and baryon chemical potential (μB) dependence of the specific shear viscosity ηs(T,μB).
The linear and mode-coupled contributions to higher-order anisotropic flow are presented for Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27, 39, 54.4, and 200 GeV and compared to similar measurements for Pb+Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The coefficients and the flow harmonics' correlations, which characterize the linear and mode-coupled response to the lower-order anisotropies, indicate a beam energy dependence consistent with an influence from the specific shear viscosity (η/s). In contrast, the dimensionless coefficients, mode-coupled response coefficients, and normalized symmetric cumulants are approximately beam-energy independent, consistent with a significant role from initial-state effects. These measurements could provide unique supplemental constraints to (i) distinguish between different initial-state models and (ii) delineate the temperature (T) and baryon chemical potential (μB) dependence of the specific shear viscosity ηs(T,μB).
We report directed flow (v1) of multistrange baryons (Ξ and Ω) and improved v1 data for K−, p¯, Λ¯ and ϕ in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=27 and 200 GeV from the STAR at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). We focus on particles whose constituent quarks are not transported from beam rapidity rather produced in the collisions. In midcentral collisions, we observe a coalescence sum rule for hadron combinations with identical quark content and a difference (``splitting'') in the slope of v1 vs. rapidity for combinations having nonidentical quark content. The splitting strength appears to increase with the electric charge difference and strangeness content difference of the constituent quarks in the combinations, consistent with an electromagnetic effect. The peripheral collision statistics are insufficient to draw firm conclusions.
Density fluctuations near the QCD critical point can be probed via an intermittency analysis in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We report the first measurement of intermittency in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 7.7-200 GeV measured by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The scaled factorial moments of identified charged hadrons are analyzed at mid-rapidity and within the transverse momentum phase space. We observe a power-law behavior of scaled factorial moments in Au+Au collisions and a decrease in the extracted scaling exponent (ν) from peripheral to central collisions. The ν is consistent with a constant for different collisions energies in the mid-central (10-40\%) collisions. Moreover, the ν in the 0-5\% most central Au+Au collisions exhibits a non-monotonic energy dependence that reaches a possible minimum around sNN−−−√ = 27 GeV. The physics implications on the QCD phase structure are discussed.
Density fluctuations near the QCD critical point can be probed via an intermittency analysis in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We report the first measurement of intermittency in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 7.7-200 GeV measured by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The scaled factorial moments of identified charged hadrons are analyzed at mid-rapidity and within the transverse momentum phase space. We observe a power-law behavior of scaled factorial moments in Au+Au collisions and a decrease in the extracted scaling exponent (ν) from peripheral to central collisions. The ν is consistent with a constant for different collisions energies in the mid-central (10-40\%) collisions. Moreover, the ν in the 0-5\% most central Au+Au collisions exhibits a non-monotonic energy dependence that reaches a possible minimum around sNN−−−√ = 27 GeV. The physics implications on the QCD phase structure are discussed.
Density fluctuations near the QCD critical point can be probed via an intermittency analysis in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We report the first measurement of intermittency in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 7.7-200 GeV measured by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The scaled factorial moments of identified charged hadrons are analyzed at mid-rapidity and within the transverse momentum phase space. We observe a power-law behavior of scaled factorial moments in Au+Au collisions and a decrease in the extracted scaling exponent (ν) from peripheral to central collisions. The ν is consistent with a constant for different collisions energies in the mid-central (10-40%) collisions. Moreover, the ν in the 0-5% most central Au+Au collisions exhibits a non-monotonic energy dependence that reaches a minimum around √sNN = 27 GeV. The physics implications on the QCD phase structure are discussed.
We report results on an elastic cross section measurement in proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy √𝑠 = 510 GeV, obtained with the Roman Pot setup of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The elastic differential cross section is measured in the four-momentum transfer squared range 0.23 ≤ −𝑡 ≤ 0.67 GeV2. This is the only measurement of the proton-proton elastic cross section in this 𝑡 range for collision energies above the Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR) and below the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) colliders. We find that a constant slope 𝐵 does not fit the data in the aforementioned 𝑡 range, and we obtain a much better fit using a second-order polynomial for 𝐵(𝑡). This is the first measurement below the LHC energies for which the non-constant behavior 𝐵(𝑡) is observed. The 𝑡 dependence of 𝐵 is also determined using six subintervals of 𝑡 in the STAR measured 𝑡 range, and is in good agreement with the phenomenological models. The measured elastic differential cross section d𝜎∕dt agrees well with the results obtained at √𝑠 = 540 GeV for proton–antiproton collisions by the UA4 experiment. We also determine that the integrated elastic cross section within the STAR 𝑡-range is 𝜎f id el = 462.1 ± 0.9(stat.) ± 1.1(syst.) ± 11.6(scale) 𝜇b.
Observation of directed flow of hypernuclei Λ³H and Λ⁴H in √sNN = 3 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC
(2023)
We report here the first observation of directed flow (v1) of the hypernuclei 3ΛH and 4ΛH in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 3 GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165 × 106 events in 5%-40% centrality, about 8400 3ΛH and 5200 4ΛH candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the midrapidity v1 slopes of 3ΛH and 4ΛH follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in such collisions.
We report here the first observation of directed flow (v1) of the hypernuclei 3ΛH and 4ΛH in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 3 GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165 million good events in 5-40% centrality, about 8400 3ΛH and 5200 4ΛH candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the mid-rapidity v1 slopes of 3ΛH and 4ΛH follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in such collisions.
In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a global spin polarization, PH, of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons along the direction of the system angular momentum was discovered and measured across a broad range of collision energies and demonstrated a trend of increasing PH with decreasing sNN−−−√. A splitting between Λ and Λ¯ polarization may be possible due to their different magnetic moments in a late-stage magnetic field sustained by the quark-gluon plasma which is formed in the collision. The results presented in this study find no significant splitting at the collision energies of sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV in the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase II using the STAR detector, with an upper limit of PΛ¯−PΛ<0.24% and PΛ¯−PΛ<0.35%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. We derive an upper limit on the naïve extraction of the late-stage magnetic field of B<9.4⋅1012 T and B<1.4⋅1013 T at sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV, respectively, although more thorough derivations are needed. Differential measurements of PH were performed with respect to collision centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity. With our current acceptance of |y|<1 and uncertainties, we observe no dependence on transverse momentum and rapidity in this analysis. These results challenge multiple existing model calculations following a variety of different assumptions which have each predicted a strong dependence on rapidity in this collision-energy range.
In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a global spin polarization, PH, of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons along the direction of the system angular momentum was discovered and measured across a broad range of collision energies and demonstrated a trend of increasing PH with decreasing sNN−−−√. A splitting between Λ and Λ¯ polarization may be possible due to their different magnetic moments in a late-stage magnetic field sustained by the quark-gluon plasma which is formed in the collision. The results presented in this study find no significant splitting at the collision energies of sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV in the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase II using the STAR detector, with an upper limit of PΛ¯−PΛ<0.24% and PΛ¯−PΛ<0.35%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. We derive an upper limit on the naïve extraction of the late-stage magnetic field of B<9.4⋅1012 T and B<1.4⋅1013 T at sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV, respectively, although more thorough derivations are needed. Differential measurements of PH were performed with respect to collision centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity. With our current acceptance of |y|<1 and uncertainties, we observe no dependence on transverse momentum and rapidity in this analysis. These results challenge multiple existing model calculations following a variety of different assumptions which have each predicted a strong dependence on rapidity in this collision-energy range.
In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a global spin polarization, PH, of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons along the direction of the system angular momentum was discovered and measured across a broad range of collision energies and demonstrated a trend of increasing PH with decreasing sNN−−−√. A splitting between Λ and Λ¯ polarization may be possible due to their different magnetic moments in a late-stage magnetic field sustained by the quark-gluon plasma which is formed in the collision. The results presented in this study find no significant splitting at the collision energies of sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV in the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase II using the STAR detector, with an upper limit of PΛ¯−PΛ<0.24% and PΛ¯−PΛ<0.35%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. We derive an upper limit on the naïve extraction of the late-stage magnetic field of B<9.4⋅1012 T and B<1.4⋅1013 T at sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV, respectively, although more thorough derivations are needed. Differential measurements of PH were performed with respect to collision centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity. With our current acceptance of |y|<1 and uncertainties, we observe no dependence on transverse momentum and rapidity in this analysis. These results challenge multiple existing model calculations following a variety of different assumptions which have each predicted a strong dependence on rapidity in this collision-energy range.
In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, a global spin polarization, PH, of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons along the direction of the system angular momentum was discovered and measured across a broad range of collision energies and demonstrated a trend of increasing PH with decreasing sNN−−−√. A splitting between Λ and Λ¯ polarization may be possible due to their different magnetic moments in a late-stage magnetic field sustained by the quark-gluon plasma which is formed in the collision. The results presented in this study find no significant splitting at the collision energies of sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV in the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase II using the STAR detector, with an upper limit of PΛ¯−PΛ<0.24% and PΛ¯−PΛ<0.35%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level. We derive an upper limit on the naïve extraction of the late-stage magnetic field of B<9.4⋅1012 T and B<1.4⋅1013 T at sNN−−−√=19.6 and 27 GeV, respectively, although more thorough derivations are needed. Differential measurements of PH were performed with respect to collision centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity. With our current acceptance of |y|<1 and uncertainties, we observe no dependence on transverse momentum and rapidity in this analysis. These results challenge multiple existing model calculations following a variety of different assumptions which have each predicted a strong dependence on rapidity in this collision-energy range.
We report the first measurements of cumulants, up to 4th order, of deuteron number distributions and proton-deuteron correlations in Au+Au collisions recorded by the STAR experiment in phase-I of Beam Energy Scan (BES-I) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Deuteron cumulants, their ratios, and proton-deuteron mixed cumulants are presented for different collision centralities covering a range of center of mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√ = 7.7 to 200 GeV. It is found that the cumulant ratios at lower collision energies favor a canonical ensemble over a grand canonical ensemble in thermal models. An anti-correlation between proton and deuteron multiplicity is observed across all collision energies and centralities, consistent with the expectation from global baryon number conservation. The UrQMD model coupled with a phase-space coalescence mechanism qualitatively reproduces the collision-energy dependence of cumulant ratios and proton-deuteron correlations.
We report results on an elastic cross section measurement in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√=510 GeV, obtained with the Roman Pot setup of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The elastic differential cross section is measured in the four-momentum transfer squared range 0.23≤−t≤0.67 GeV2. We find that a constant slope B does not fit the data in the aforementioned t range, and we obtain a much better fit using a second-order polynomial for B(t). The t dependence of B is determined using six subintervals of t in the STAR measured t range, and is in good agreement with the phenomenological models. The measured elastic differential cross section dσ/dt agrees well with the results obtained at s√=546~GeV for proton--antiproton collisions by the UA4 experiment. We also determine that the integrated elastic cross section within the STAR t-range is σfidel=462.1±0.9(stat.)±1.1(syst.)±11.6(scale) μb.
We report results on an elastic cross section measurement in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√=510 GeV, obtained with the Roman Pot setup of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The elastic differential cross section is measured in the four-momentum transfer squared range 0.23≤−t≤0.67 GeV2. We find that a constant slope B does not fit the data in the aforementioned t range, and we obtain a much better fit using a second-order polynomial for B(t). The t dependence of B is determined using six subintervals of t in the STAR measured t range, and is in good agreement with the phenomenological models. The measured elastic differential cross section dσ/dt agrees well with the results obtained at s√=546 GeV for proton--antiproton collisions by the UA4 experiment. We also determine that the integrated elastic cross section within the STAR t-range is σfidel=462.1±0.9(stat.)±1.1(syst.)±11.6(scale) μb.
The longitudinal and transverse spin transfers to Λ (Λ¯¯¯¯) hyperons in polarized proton-proton collisions are expected to be sensitive to the helicity and transversity distributions, respectively, of (anti-)strange quarks in the proton, and to the corresponding polarized fragmentation functions. We report improved measurements of the longitudinal spin transfer coefficient, DLL, and the transverse spin transfer coefficient, DTT, to Λ and Λ¯¯¯¯ in polarized proton-proton collisions at √s = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The data set includes longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 52 pb−1, and transversely polarized proton-proton collisions with a similar integrated luminosity. Both data sets have about twice the statistics of previous results and cover a kinematic range of |ηΛ(Λ¯¯¯¯)| < 1.2 and transverse momentum pT,Λ(Λ¯¯¯¯) up to 8 GeV/c. We also report the first measurements of the hyperon spin transfer coefficients DLL and DTT as a function of the fractional jet momentum z carried by the hyperon, which can provide more direct constraints on the polarized fragmentation functions.
The longitudinal and transverse spin transfers to Λ (Λ¯¯¯¯) hyperons in polarized proton-proton collisions are expected to be sensitive to the helicity and transversity distributions, respectively, of (anti-)strange quarks in the proton, and to the corresponding polarized fragmentation functions. We report improved measurements of the longitudinal spin transfer coefficient, DLL, and the transverse spin transfer coefficient, DTT, to Λ and Λ¯¯¯¯ in polarized proton-proton collisions at s√ = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The data set includes longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 52 pb−1, and transversely polarized proton-proton collisions with a similar integrated luminosity. Both data sets have about twice the statistics of previous results and cover a kinematic range of |ηΛ(Λ¯¯¯¯)| < 1.2 and transverse momentum pT,Λ(Λ¯¯¯¯) up to 8 GeV/c. We also report the first measurements of the hyperon spin transfer coefficients DLL and DTT as a function of the fractional jet momentum z carried by the hyperon, which can provide more direct constraints on the polarized fragmentation functions.
The longitudinal and transverse spin transfers to Λ (Λ¯¯¯¯) hyperons in polarized proton-proton collisions are expected to be sensitive to the helicity and transversity distributions, respectively, of (anti-)strange quarks in the proton, and to the corresponding polarized fragmentation functions. We report improved measurements of the longitudinal spin transfer coefficient, DLL, and the transverse spin transfer coefficient, DTT, to Λ and Λ¯¯¯¯ in polarized proton-proton collisions at s√ = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The data set includes longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 52 pb−1, and transversely polarized proton-proton collisions with a similar integrated luminosity. Both data sets have about twice the statistics of previous results and cover a kinematic range of |ηΛ(Λ¯¯¯¯)| < 1.2 and transverse momentum pT,Λ(Λ¯¯¯¯) up to 8 GeV/c. We also report the first measurements of the hyperon spin transfer coefficients DLL and DTT as a function of the fractional jet momentum z carried by the hyperon, which can provide more direct constraints on the
The differential cross section for Z0 production, measured as a function of the boson's transverse momentum (pT), provides important constraints on the evolution of the transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMDs). The transverse single spin asymmetry (TSSA) of the Z0 is sensitive to one of the polarized TMDs, the Sivers function, which is predicted to have the opposite sign in p+p →W/Z+X from that which enters in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering. In this Letter, the STAR Collaboration reports the first measurement of the Z0/γ∗ differential cross section as a function of its pT in p+p collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 510 GeV, together with the Z0/γ∗ total cross section. We also report the measurement of Z0/γ∗ TSSA in transversely polarized p+p collisions at 510 GeV.
For the search of the chiral magnetic effect (CME), STAR previously presented the results from isobar collisions (9644Ru+9644Ru, 9640Zr+9640Zr) obtained through a blind analysis. The ratio of results in Ru+Ru to Zr+Zr collisions for the CME-sensitive charge-dependent azimuthal correlator (Δγ), normalized by elliptic anisotropy (v2), was observed to be close to but systematically larger than the inverse multiplicity ratio. The background baseline for the isobar ratio, Y=(Δγ/v2)Ru(Δγ/v2)Zr, is naively expected to be (1/N)Ru(1/N)Zr; however, genuine two- and three-particle correlations are expected to alter it. We estimate the contributions to Y from those correlations, utilizing both the isobar data and HIJING simulations. After including those contributions, we arrive at a final background baseline for Y, which is consistent with the isobar data. We extract an upper limit for the CME fraction in the Δγ measurement of approximately 10% at a 95% confidence level on in isobar collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV.
The chiral magnetic wave (CMW) has been theorized to propagate in the deconfined nuclear medium formed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, and to cause a difference in elliptic flow (v2) between negatively and positively charged hadrons. Experimental data consistent with the CMW have been reported by the STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), based on the charge asymmetry dependence of the pion v2 from Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27 to 200 GeV. In this comprehensive study, we present the STAR measurements of elliptic flow and triangular flow of charged pions, along with the v2 of charged kaons and protons, as a function of charge asymmetry in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27, 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV. The slope parameters extracted from the linear dependence of the v2 difference on charge asymmetry for different particle species are reported and compared in different centrality intervals. In addition, the slopes of v2 for charged pions in small systems, \textit{i.e.}, p+Au and d+Au at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV, are also presented and compared with those in large systems, \textit{i.e.}, Au+Au at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV and U+U at 193 GeV. Our results provide new insights for the possible existence of the CMW, and further constrain the background contributions in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC energies.
Elliptic flow of heavy-flavor decay electrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27 and 54.4 GeV at RHIC
(2023)
We report on new measurements of elliptic flow (v2) of electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.8) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27 and 54.4 GeV from the STAR experiment. Heavy-flavor decay electrons (eHF) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV exhibit a non-zero v2 in the transverse momentum (pT) region of pT< 2 GeV/c with the magnitude comparable to that at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. The measured eHF v2 at 54.4 GeV is also consistent with the expectation of their parent charm hadron v2 following number-of-constituent-quark scaling as other light and strange flavor hadrons at this energy. These suggest that charm quarks gain significant collectivity through the evolution of the QCD medium and may reach local thermal equilibrium in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=54.4 GeV. The measured eHF v2 in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√= 27 GeV is consistent with zero within large uncertainties. The energy dependence of v2 for different flavor particles (π,ϕ,D0/eHF) shows an indication of quark mass hierarchy in reaching thermalization in high-energy nuclear collisions.
Elliptic flow of heavy-flavor decay electrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27 and 54.4 GeV at RHIC
(2023)
We report on new measurements of elliptic flow (v2) of electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.8) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27 and 54.4 GeV from the STAR experiment. Heavy-flavor decay electrons (eHF) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV exhibit a non-zero v2 in the transverse momentum (pT) region of pT< 2 GeV/c with the magnitude comparable to that at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. The measured eHF v2 at 54.4 GeV is also consistent with the expectation of their parent charm hadron v2 following number-of-constituent-quark scaling as other light and strange flavor hadrons at this energy. These suggest that charm quarks gain significant collectivity through the evolution of the QCD medium and may reach local thermal equilibrium in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=54.4 GeV. The measured eHF v2 in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√= 27 GeV is consistent with zero within large uncertainties. The energy dependence of v2 for different flavor particles (π,ϕ,D0/eHF) shows an indication of quark mass hierarchy in reaching thermalization in high-energy nuclear collisions.
Elliptic flow of heavy-flavor decay electrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27 and 54.4 GeV at RHIC
(2023)
We report on new measurements of elliptic flow (v2) of electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.8) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27 and 54.4\,GeV from the STAR experiment. Heavy-flavor decay electrons (eHF) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4\,GeV exhibit a non-zero v2 in the transverse momentum (pT) region of pT< 2\,GeV/c with the magnitude comparable to that at sNN−−−√=200 \,GeV. The measured eHF v2 at 54.4\,GeV is also consistent with the expectation of their parent charm hadron v2 following number-of-constituent-quark scaling as other light and strange flavor hadrons at this energy. These suggest that charm quarks gain significant collectivity through the evolution of the QCD medium and may reach local thermal equilibrium in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=54.4\,GeV. The measured eHF v2 in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√= 27\,GeV is consistent with zero within large uncertainties. The energy dependence of v2 for different flavor particles (π,ϕ,D0/eHF) shows an indication of quark mass hierarchy in reaching thermalization in high-energy nuclear collisions.
Elliptic flow of heavy-flavor decay electrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 27 and 54.4 GeV at RHIC
(2023)
We report on new measurements of elliptic flow (v2) of electrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.8) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 27 and 54.4 GeV from the STAR experiment. Heavy-flavor decay electrons (eHF) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV exhibit a non-zero v2 in the transverse momentum (pT) region of pT< 2 GeV/c with the magnitude comparable to that at sNN−−−√=200 GeV. The measured eHF v2 at 54.4 GeV is also consistent with the expectation of their parent charm hadron v2 following number-of-constituent-quark scaling as other light and strange flavor hadrons at this energy. These suggest that charm quarks gain significant collectivity through the evolution of the QCD medium and may reach local thermal equilibrium in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=54.4 GeV. The measured eHF v2 in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√= 27 GeV is consistent with zero within large uncertainties. The energy dependence of v2 for different flavor particles (π,ϕ,D0/eHF) shows an indication of quark mass hierarchy in reaching thermalization in high-energy nuclear collisions.
We report a high precision measurement of the transverse single spin asymmetry AN at the center of mass energy √s=200 GeV in elastic proton–proton scattering by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The AN was measured in the four-momentum transfer squared t range 0.003⩽|t|⩽0.035 (GeV/c)2, the region of a significant interference between the electromagnetic and hadronic scattering amplitudes. The measured values of AN and its t-dependence are consistent with a vanishing hadronic spin-flip amplitude, thus providing strong constraints on the ratio of the single spin-flip to the non-flip amplitudes. Since the hadronic amplitude is dominated by the Pomeron amplitude at this √s, we conclude that this measurement addresses the question about the presence of a hadronic spin flip due to the Pomeron exchange in polarized proton–proton elastic scattering.
The STAR experiment at RHIC reports new measurements of jet quenching based on the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from direct photon (γdir) and neutral pion (π0) triggers in p+p and central Au+Au collisions at √sNN=200 GeV, for triggers in the range 9<EtrigT<20 GeV. The datasets have integrated luminosities of 3.9 nb−1 for Au+Au and 23 pb−1 for p+p collisions. Jets are reconstructed using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameters R=0.2 and 0.5. The large uncorrelated jet background in central Au+Au collisions is corrected using a mixed-event approach, which enables precise charged-particle jet measurements at low transverse momentum pchT,jet and large R. Recoil-jet distributions are reported in the range pchT,jet<25 GeV. Comparison of the distributions measured in p+p and Au+Au collisions reveals strong medium-induced jet yield suppression for R=0.2, with markedly less suppression for R=0.5. These data provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying jet quenching, and the angular dependence of medium-induced jet-energy transport.
We report the first measurements of cumulants, up to 4𝑡ℎ order, of deuteron number distributions and protondeuteron correlations in Au+Au collisions recorded by the STAR experiment in phase-I of Beam Energy Scan (BES) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Deuteron cumulants, their ratios, and proton-deuteron mixed cumulants are presented for different collision centralities covering a range of center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair √𝑠NN = 7.7 to 200 GeV. It is found that the cumulant ratios at lower collision energies favor a canonical ensemble over a grand canonical ensemble in thermal models. An anti-correlation between proton and deuteron multiplicity is observed across all collision energies and centralities, consistent with the expectation from global baryon number conservation. The UrQMD model coupled with a phase-space coalescence mechanism qualitatively reproduces the collision-energy dependence of cumulant ratios and proton-deuteron correlations.
We report the first measurements of cumulants, up to 4th order, of deuteron number distributions and proton-deuteron correlations in Au+Au collisions recorded by the STAR experiment in phase-I of Beam Energy Scan (BES) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Deuteron cumulants, their ratios, and proton-deuteron mixed cumulants are presented for different collision centralities covering a range of center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−−√~=~7.7 to 200~GeV. It is found that the cumulant ratios at lower collision energies favor a canonical ensemble over a grand canonical ensemble in thermal models. An anti-correlation between proton and deuteron multiplicity is observed across all collision energies and centralities, consistent with the expectation from global baryon number conservation. The UrQMD model coupled with a phase-space coalescence mechanism qualitatively reproduces the collision-energy dependence of cumulant ratios and proton-deuteron correlations.
Flow coefficients (v2 and v3) are measured in high-multiplicity p+Au, d+Au, and 3He+Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of √sNN = 200 GeV using the STAR detector. The measurements are conducted using two-particle correlations with a pseudorapidity requirement of |η|< 0.9 and a pair gap of |Δη|>1.0. The primary focus of this paper is on the analysis procedures and methods employed, especially the subtraction of non-flow contributions. Four well-established non-flow subtraction methods are applied to determine vn, and their validity is verified using the HIJING event generator. The vn values are compared across the three collision systems at similar multiplicities, which allows for cancellation of final state effects and isolation of the impact of the initial geometry. While the v2 values display differences among these collision systems, the v3 values are largely similar, consistent with the expectations of subnucleon fluctuations in the initial geometry. The ordering of vn differs quantitatively from previous measurements obtained using two-particle correlations with a larger rapidity gap; this difference could be partially attributed to the effects of flow decorrelations in the rapidity direction.
In heavy-ion collision experiments, the global collectivity of final-state particles can be quantified by anisotropic flow coefficients (vn). The first-order flow coefficient, also referred to as the directed flow (v1), describes the collective sideward motion of produced particles and nuclear fragments in heavy-ion collisions. It carries information on the very early stage of the collision, especially at large pseudorapidity (η), where it is believed to be generated during the nuclear passage time. Directed flow therefore probes the onset of bulk collective dynamics during thermalization, providing valuable experimental guidance to models of the pre-equilibrium stage. In 2018, the Event Plane Detector (EPD) was installed in STAR and used for the Beam Energy Scan phase-II (BES-II) data taking. The combination of EPD (2.1<|η|<5.1) and high-statistics BES-II data enables us to extend the v1 measurement to the forward and backward η regions. In this paper, we present the measurement of v1 over a wide η range in Au+Au collisions at √sNN= 19.6 and 27 GeV using the STAR EPD. The results of the analysis at √sNN=19.6 GeV exhibit excellent consistency with the previous PHOBOS measurement, while elevating the precision of the overall measurement. The increased precision of the measurement also revealed finer structures in heavy-ion collisions, including a potential observation of the first-order event-plane decorrelation. Multiple physics models were compared to the experimental results. Only a transport model and a three-fluid hybrid model can reproduce a sizable v1 at large η as was observed experimentally. The model comparison also indicates v1 at large η might be sensitive to the QGP phase transition.
With the STAR experiment at RHIC, we characterize √sNN = 200 GeV p+Au collisions by event activity (EA) measured within the pseudorapidity range η∈[−5,−3.4] in the Au-going direction and report correlations between this EA and hard- and soft-scale particle production at mid-rapidity (η∈[−1,1]). At the soft scale, charged particle production in low-EA p+Au collisions is comparable to that in \pp collisions and increases monotonically with increasing EA. At the hard scale, we report measurements of high transverse momentum (pT) jets in events of different EAs. In contrast to the soft particle production, high-pT particle production and EA are found to be inversely related. To investigate whether this is a signal of jet quenching in high-EA events, we also report ratios of pT imbalance and azimuthal separation of dijets in high- and low-EA events. Within our measurement precision, no significant differences are observed, disfavoring the presence of jet quenching in the highest 30% EA p+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV.
Atomic nuclei are self-organized, many-body quantum systems bound by strong nuclear forces within femtometer-scale space. These complex systems manifest a diverse set of shapes~, traditionally explored via non-invasive spectroscopic techniques at low energies. Their instantaneous shapes, obscured by long-timescale quantum fluctuations, are considered not directly observable at low energy. We introduce a complementary method, collective flow assisted nuclear shape imaging, to image the nuclear global shape by colliding them at ultrarelativistic speeds and analyzing the collective response of outgoing debris. This technique captures a collision-specific snapshot of the spatial matter distribution in the nuclei, which, through the hydrodynamic expansion, leaves imprints on the particle momentum distribution patterns observed in detectors. We benchmark this method in collisions of ground state Uranium-238 nuclei, known for its elongated, axial-symmetric shape. Our findings, while confirming an overall deformation broadly consistent with prior low-energy experiments, also indicate a small deviation from axial symmetry in the nuclear ground state. This approach marks a new way of imaging nuclei, especially those with uncertain shape characteristics, and refines initial conditions in high-energy nuclear collisions. It tackles the important issue of nuclear structure evolution across various energy scales.
In a Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), the fundamental building blocks of matter, quarks and gluons, are under extreme conditions of temperature and density. A QGP could exist in the early stages of the Universe, and in various objects and events in the cosmos. The thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of the QGP are described by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and can be studied in heavy-ion collisions. Despite being a key thermodynamic parameter, the QGP temperature is still poorly known. Thermal lepton pairs (e+e− and μ+μ−) are ideal penetrating probes of the true temperature of the emitting source, since their invariant-mass spectra suffer neither from strong final-state interactions nor from blue-shift effects due to rapid expansion. Here we measure the QGP temperature using thermal e+e− production at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The average temperature from the low-mass region (in-medium ρ0 vector-meson dominant) is (1.99±0.24)×1012 K, consistent with the chemical freeze-out temperature from statistical models and the phase transition temperature from LQCD. The average temperature from the intermediate mass region (above the ρ0 mass, QGP dominant) is significantly higher at (3.40±0.55)×1012 K. This work provides essential experimental thermodynamic measurements to map out the QCD phase diagram and understand the properties of matter under extreme conditions.
We report results on an elastic cross section measurement in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√=510 GeV, obtained with the Roman Pot setup of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The elastic differential cross section is measured in the four-momentum transfer squared range 0.23≤−t≤0.67 GeV2. We find that a constant slope B does not fit the data in the aforementioned t range, and we obtain a much better fit using a second-order polynomial for B(t). The t dependence of B is determined using six subintervals of t in the STAR measured t range, and is in good agreement with the phenomenological models. The measured elastic differential cross section dσ/dt agrees well with the results obtained at s√=546 GeV for proton--antiproton collisions by the UA4 experiment. We also determine that the integrated elastic cross section within the STAR t-range is σfidel=462.1±0.9(stat.)±1.1(syst.)±11.6(scale) μb.
The STAR Collaboration presents measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from energetic direct-photon γdir and neutral-pion (π0) triggers in p+p and central Au+Au collisions at √sNN=200 GeV over a broad kinematic range, for jet resolution parameters R=0.2 and 0.5. Medium-induced jet yield suppression is observed to be larger for R=0.2 than for 0.5, reflecting the angular range of jet energy redistribution due to quenching. The magnitude of suppression is similar for γdir- and π0-triggered data, which constrains the color-charge and path-length dependence of jet quenching. Theoretical model calculations incorporating jet quenching do not fully describe the measurements.
The STAR Collaboration presents measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from energetic direct-photon γdir and neutral-pion (π0) triggers in p+p and central Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV over a broad kinematic range, for jet resolution parameters R=0.2 and 0.5. Medium-induced jet yield suppression is observed to be larger for R=0.2 than for 0.5, reflecting the angular range of jet energy redistribution due to quenching. The magnitude of suppression is similar for γdir- and π0-triggered data, which constrains the color-charge and path-length dependence of jet quenching. Theoretical model calculations incorporating jet quenching do not fully describe the measurements.
We measure triangular flow relative to the reaction plane at 3 GeV center-of-mass energy in Au+Au collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. A significant v3 signal for protons is observed, which increases for higher rapidity, higher transverse momentum, and more peripheral collisions. The triangular flow is essentially rapidity-odd with a slope at mid-rapidity, dv3/dy|(y=0), opposite in sign compared to the slope for directed flow. No significant v3 signal is observed for charged pions and kaons. Comparisons with models suggest that a mean field potential is required to describe these results, and that the triangular shape of the participant nucleons is the result of stopping and nuclear geometry.
We measure triangular flow relative to the reaction plane at 3 GeV center-of-mass energy in Au+Au collisions at RHIC. A significant v3 signal is observed for protons, whose magnitude increases for higher rapidity, higher transverse momentum, and more peripheral collisions. The triangular flow is essentially rapidity-odd with a rapidity slope at mid-rapidity, dv3/dy|(y=0), opposite in sign compared to the slope for directed flow. No significant v3 signal is observed for charged pions and kaons. Comparisons with models suggest that a mean field potential is required to describe these results, and that the triangular shape of the participant nucleons is the result of stopping and nuclear geometry.
We report results on an elastic cross section measurement in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√=510 GeV, obtained with the Roman Pot setup of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The elastic differential cross section is measured in the four-momentum transfer squared range 0.23≤−t≤0.67 GeV2. We find that a constant slope B does not fit the data in the aforementioned t range, and we obtain a much better fit using a second-order polynomial for B(t). The t dependence of B is determined using six subintervals of t in the STAR measured t range, and is in good agreement with the phenomenological models. The measured elastic differential cross section dσ/dt agrees well with the results obtained at s√=546 GeV for proton--antiproton collisions by the UA4 experiment. We also determine that the integrated elastic cross section within the STAR t-range is σfidel=462.1±0.9(stat.)±1.1(syst.)±11.6(scale) μb.
Measurements of exclusive J/ψ, ψ(2s), and electron-positron (e+e−) pair photoproduction in Au+Au ultra-peripheral collisions are reported by the STAR experiment at √sNN=200 GeV. We report several first measurements at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider, which are i) J/ψ photoproduction with large momentum transfer up to 2.2 (GeV/c)2, ii) coherent J/ψ photoproduction associated with neutron emissions from nuclear breakup, iii) the rapidity dependence of incoherent J/ψ photoproduction, iv) the ψ(2s) photoproduction cross section at mid-rapidity, and v) e+e− pair photoproduction up to high invariant mass of 6 GeV/c2. For measurement ii), the coherent J/ψ total cross section of γ∗+Au→J/ψ+Au as a function of the center-of-mass energy Wγ∗N has been obtained without photon energy ambiguities. The data are quantitatively compared with the Monte Carlo models STARlight, Sartre, BeAGLE, and theoretical calculations of gluon saturation with color glass condensate, nuclear shadowing with leading twist approximation, Quantum Electrodynamics, and the Next-to-Leading Order perturbative QCD. At the photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 25.0 GeV, the coherent and incoherent J/ψ cross sections of Au nuclei are found to be 71±10% and 36±7%, respectively, of that of free protons. These data provide an important experimental constraint for nuclear parton distribution functions and a unique opportunity to advance the understanding of the nuclear modification effect at the top RHIC energy.
The first measurement of the impact-parameter dependent angular anisotropy in the decay of coherently photoproduced ρ0 mesons is presented. The ρ0 mesons are reconstructed through their decay into a pion pair. The measured anisotropy corresponds to the amplitude of the cos(2ϕ) modulation, where ϕ is the angle between the two vectors formed by the sum and the difference of the transverse momenta of the pions, respectively. The measurement was performed by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC using data from ultraperipheral Pb−Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair. Different impact-parameter regions are selected by classifying the events in nuclear-breakup classes. The amplitude of the cos(2ϕ) modulation is found to increase by about one order of magnitude from large to small impact parameters. Theoretical calculations, which describe the measurement, explain the cos(2ϕ) anisotropy as the result of a quantum interference effect at the femtometer scale that arises from the ambiguity as to which of the nuclei is the source of the photon in the interaction.
Investigating strangeness enhancement with multiplicity in pp collisions using angular correlations
(2024)
A study of strange hadron production associated with hard scattering processes and with the underlying event is conducted to investigate the origin of the enhanced production of strange hadrons in small collision systems characterised by large charged-particle multiplicities. For this purpose, the production of the single-strange meson K0S and the double-strange baryon Ξ± is measured, in each event, in the azimuthal direction of the highest-pT particle (``trigger" particle), related to hard scattering processes, and in the direction transverse to it in azimuth, associated with the underlying event, in pp collisions at s√=5.02 TeV and s√=13 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC. The per-trigger yields of K0S and Ξ± are dominated by the transverse-to-leading production (i.e., in the direction transverse to the trigger particle), whose contribution relative to the toward-leading production is observed to increase with the event charged-particle multiplicity. The transverse-to-leading and the toward-leading Ξ±/K0S yield ratios increase with the multiplicity of charged particles, suggesting that strangeness enhancement with multiplicity is associated with both hard scattering processes and the underlying event. The relative production of Ξ± with respect to K0S is higher in transverse-to-leading processes over the whole multiplicity interval covered by the measurement. The K0S and Ξ± per-trigger yields and yield ratios are compared with predictions of three different phenomenological models, namely PYTHIA 8.2 with the Monash tune, PYTHIA 8.2 with ropes and EPOS LHC. The comparison shows that none of them can quantitatively describe either the transverse-to-leading or the toward-leading yields of K0S and Ξ±.
The transverse momentum (pT) differential production cross section of the promptly-produced charm-strange baryon Ξ0c (and its charge conjugate Ξ0c¯¯¯¯¯¯) is measured at midrapidity via its hadronic decay into π+Ξ− in p−Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon−nucleon collision sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The Ξ0c nuclear modification factor (RpPb), calculated from the cross sections in pp and p−Pb collisions, is presented and compared with the RpPb of Λ+c baryons. The ratios between the pT-differential production cross section of Ξ0c baryons and those of D0 mesons and Λ+c baryons are also reported and compared with results at forward and backward rapidity from the LHCb Collaboration. The measurements of the production cross section of prompt Ξ0c baryons are compared with a model based on perturbative QCD calculations of charm-quark production cross sections, which includes only cold nuclear matter effects in p−Pb collisions, and underestimates the measurement by a factor of about 50. This discrepancy is reduced when the data is compared with a model in which hadronisation is implemented via quark coalescence. The pT-integrated cross section of prompt Ξ0c-baryon production at midrapidity extrapolated down to pT = 0 is also reported. These measurements offer insights and constraints for theoretical calculations of the hadronisation process. Additionally, they provide inputs for the calculation of the charm production cross section in p−Pb collisions at midrapidity.
Measurements of (anti)deuteron and (anti)3He production in the rapidity range |y|< 0.5 as a function of the transverse momentum and event multiplicity in Xe−Xe collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon−nucleon pair of sNN−−−√ = 5.44 TeV are presented. The coalescence parameters B2 and B3 are measured as a function of the transverse momentum per nucleon. The ratios between (anti)deuteron and (anti)3He yields and those of (anti)protons and pions are reported as a function of the mean charged-particle multiplicity density, and compared with two implementations of the statistical hadronization model (SHM) and with coalescence predictions. The elliptic flow of (anti)deuterons is measured for the first time in Xe−Xe collisions and shows features similar to those already observed in Pb−Pb collisions, i.e., the mass ordering at low transverse momentum and the meson−baryon grouping at intermediate transverse momentum. The production of nuclei is particularly sensitive to the chemical freeze-out temperature of the system created in the collision, which is extracted from a grand-canonical-ensemble-based thermal fit, performed for the first time including light nuclei along with light-flavor hadrons in Xe−Xe collisions. The extracted chemical freeze-out temperature Tchem = (154.2 ± 1.1) MeV in Xe−Xe collisions is similar to that observed in Pb−Pb collisions and close to the crossover temperature predicted by lattice QCD calculations.
First measurements of hadron(h)−Λ azimuthal angular correlations in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC are presented. These correlations are used to separate the production of associated Λ baryons into three different kinematic regions, namely those produced in the direction of the trigger particle (near-side), those produced in the opposite direction (away-side), and those whose production is uncorrelated with the jet-axis (underlying event). The per-trigger associated Λ yields in these regions are extracted, along with the near- and away-side azimuthal peak widths, and the results are studied as a function of associated particle pT and event multiplicity. Comparisons with the DPMJET event generator and previous measurements of the ϕ(1020) meson are also made. The final results indicate that strangeness production in the highest multiplicity p−Pb collisions is enhanced relative to low multiplicity collisions in the jet-like regions, as well as the underlying event. The production of Λ relative to charged hadrons is also enhanced in the underlying event when compared to the jet-like regions. Additionally, the results hint that strange quark production in the away-side of the jet is modified by soft interactions with the underlying event.
he first measurement of 3ΛH and 3Λ¯¯¯¯H¯¯¯¯ differential production with respect to transverse momentum and centrality in Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02~TeV is presented. The 3ΛH has been reconstructed via its two-charged-body decay channel, i.e., 3ΛH→3He+π−. A Blast-Wave model fit of the pT-differential spectra of all nuclear species measured by the ALICE collaboration suggests that the 3ΛH kinetic freeze-out surface is consistent with that of other nuclei. The ratio between the integrated yields of 3ΛH and 3He is compared to predictions from the statistical hadronisation model and the coalescence model, with the latter being favoured by the presented measurements.
This Letter presents the first measurement of event-by-event fluctuations of the net number (difference between the particle and antiparticle multiplicities) of multistrange hadrons Ξ− and Ξ¯¯¯¯+ and its correlation with the net-kaon number using the data collected by the ALICE Collaboration in pp, p−Pb, and Pb−Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The statistical hadronization model with a correlation over three units of rapidity between hadrons having the same and opposite strangeness content successfully describes the results. On the other hand, string-fragmentation models that mainly correlate strange hadrons with opposite strange quark content over a small rapidity range fail to describe the data.
The free energy of TAP-solutions for the SK-model of mean field spin glasses can be expressed as a nonlinear functional of local terms: we exploit this feature in order to contrive abstract REM-like models which we then solve by a classical large deviations treatment. This allows to identify the origin of the physically unsettling quadratic (in the inverse of temperature) correction to the Parisi free energy for the SK-model, and formalizes the true cavity dynamics which acts on TAP-space, i.e. on the space of TAP-solutions. From a non-spin glass point of view, this work is the first in a series of refinements which addresses the stability of hierarchical structures in models of evolving populations.
The total charm-quark production cross section per unit of rapidity dσ(cc)/dy, and the fragmentation fractions of charm quarks to different charm-hadron species f(c → hc), are measured for the first time in p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV at midrapidity (−0.96 < y < 0.04 in the centre-ofmass frame) using data collected by ALICE at the CERN LHC. The results are obtained based on all the available measurements of prompt production of ground-state charm-hadron species: D0, D+,D+s, and J/ψ mesons, and Λ+cand Ξ0cbaryons. The resulting cross section is dσ(cc)/dy = 219.6±6.3 (stat.)+10.5−11.8(syst.)+7.6−2.9(extr.)±5.4 (BR)±4.6 (lumi.)±19.5 (rapidity shape) +15.0 (Ω0c) mb, which is consistent with a binary scaling of pQCD calculations from pp ollisions. The measured fragmentation fractions are compatible with those measured in pp collisions at √s = 5.02 and 13 TeV, showing an increase in the relative production rates of charm baryons with respect to charm mesons in pp and p–Pb collisions compared with e+e − and e−p collisions. The pT-integrated nuclear modification factor of charm quarks, RpPb(cc) = 0.91±0.04 (stat.) +0.08 −0.09 (syst.) +0.04 −0.03 (extr.)±0.03 (lumi.), is found to be consistent with unity and with theoretical predictions including nuclear modifications of the parton distribution functions.
This work aims to differentiate strangeness produced from hard processes (jet-like) and softer processes (underlying event) by measuring the angular correlation between a high-momentum trigger hadron (h) acting as a jet-proxy and a produced strange hadron (φ(1020) meson). Measuring h–φ correlations at midrapidity in p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV as a function of event multiplicity provides insight into the microscopic origin of strangeness enhancement in small collision systems. The jet-like and the underlying-event-like strangeness production are investigated as a function of event multiplicity. They are also compared between a lower and higher momentum region. The evolution of the per-trigger yields within the near-side (aligned with the trigger hadron) and away-side (in the opposite direction of the trigger hadron) jet is studied separately, allowing for the characterization of two distinct jet-like production regimes. Furthermore, the h–φ correlations within the underlying event give access to a production regime dominated by soft production processes, which can be compared directly to the in-jet production. Comparisons between h–φ and dihadron correlations show that the observed strangeness enhancement is largely driven by the underlying event, where the φ/h ratio is significantly larger than within the jet regions. As multiplicity increases, the fraction of the total φ(1020) yield coming from jets decreases compared to the underlying event production, leading to high-multiplicity events being dominated by the increased strangeness production from the underlying event
Long- and short-range correlations for pairs of charged particles are studied via two-particle angular correlations in pp collisions at √sNN = 13 TeV and p–Pb collisions at √s = 5.02 TeV. The correlation functions are measured as a function of relative azimuthal angle ∆φ and pseudorapidity separation ∆η for pairs of primary charged particles within the pseudorapidity interval |η| < 0.9 and the transverse-momentum interval 1 < pT < 4 GeV/c. Flow coefficients are extracted for the long-range correlations (1.6 < |∆η| < 1.8) in various high-multiplicity event classes using the low-multiplicity template fit method. The method is used to subtract the enhanced yield of away-side jet fragments in high-multiplicity events. These results show decreasing flow signals toward lower multiplicity events. Furthermore, the flow coefficients for events with hard probes, such as jets or leading particles, do not exhibit any significant changes compared to those obtained from high-multiplicity events without any specific event selection criteria. The results are compared with hydrodynamic-model calculations, and it is found that a better understanding of the initial conditions is necessary to describe the results, particularly for low-multiplicity events.