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We present a new type of flow analysis, based on a particle-pair correlation function, in which there is no need for an event-by-event determination of the reaction plane. Consequently, the need to correct for dispersion in an estimated reaction plane does not arise. Our method also offers the option to avoid any influence from particle misidentification. Using this method, streamer chamber data for collisions of Ar+KCl and Ar+BaI2 at 1.2 GeV/nucleon are compared with predictions of a nuclear transport model.
Nuclear transport models are important tools for interpretation of many heavy-ion experiments and are essential in efforts to probe the nuclear equation of state. In order to fulfill these roles, the model predictions should at least agree with observed single-particle-inclusive momentum spectra; however, this agreement has recently been questioned. The present work compares the Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck model to data for mass-symmetric systems ranging from 12C+12C to 139La+139La, and we find good agreement within experimental uncertainties at 0.4A and 0.8A GeV. For currently available data, these uncertainties are too large to permit effective nucleon-nucleon scattering cross sections in the nuclear medium to be extracted at a useful level of precision.
Streamer chamber data for collisions of Ar + KCl and Ar + BaI2 at 1.2 GeV/nucleon are compared with microscopic model predictions based on the Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation, for various density-dependent nuclear equations of state. Multiplicity distributions and inclusive rapidity and transverse momentum spectra are in good agreement. Rapidity spectra show evidence of being useful in determining whether the model uses the correct cross sections for binary collisions in the nuclear medium, and whether momentum-dependent interactions are correctly incorporated. Sideward flow results do not favor the same nuclear stiffness parameter at all multiplicities.
Inclusive neutron spectra were measured at 0°, 4°, 8°, 15°, 30°, and 42° from Nb-Nb and Au-Au collisions at 800 MeV/nucleon. A peak that originates from neutron evaporation from the projectile appears in the spectra at angles out to 8°. The shapes and magnitudes of the spectra are compared with those calculated from models of nucleus-nucleus collisions. The differential cross sections for Au-Au collisions are about four times those for Nb-Nb collisions. The predictions of the Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (VUU) and QMD theories agree with the angular distributions of the differential cross sections except at small angles; the VUU prediction overestimates the angular distributions from a few degrees to about 20°, whereas the QMD prediction underestimates the angular distributions below 8°. The Firestreak model overestimates the angular distribution for Nb-Nb collisions and underestimates it for Au-Au collisions. Also, the VUU and QMD models agree with the measured double-differential cross sections in more angular and energy regions than the Firestreak and intranuclear cascade models; however, none of the models can account for the peaks at small angles (θ≤15°).
Nuclear transport models including density- and momentum-dependent mean-field effects are compared to intranuclear-cascade models and tested on recent data on inclusive p-like cross sections for 800A-MeV La+La. We find a remarkable agreement between most model calculations but a systematic disagreement with the measured yield at 20°, possibly indicating a need for modification of nuclear transport properties at high densities.
We report inclusive photon measurements about midrapidity ( |y| <0.5 ) from 197 Au + 197 Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=130 GeV at RHIC. Photon pair conversions were reconstructed from electron and positron tracks measured with the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) of the STAR experiment. With this method, an energy resolution of Delta E/E ~ 2% at 0.5 GeV has been achieved. Reconstructed photons have also been used to measure the transverse momentum ( pt ) spectra of pi 0 mesons about midrapidity ( |y| <1 ) via the pi 0 --> gamma gamma decay channel. The fractional contribution of the pi 0 --> gamma gamma decay to the inclusive photon spectrum decreases by 20%±5% between pt =1.65 GeV/c and pt =2.4 GeV/c in the most central events, indicating that relative to pi 0 --> gamma gamma decay the contribution of other photon sources is substantially increasing.
We report on the rapidity and centrality dependence of proton and antiproton transverse mass distributions from 197Au + 197Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=130 GeV as measured by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Our results are from the rapidity and transverse momentum range of |y| <0.5 and 0.35< pt <1.00 GeV/c . For both protons and antiprotons, transverse mass distributions become more convex from peripheral to central collisions demonstrating characteristics of collective expansion. The measured rapidity distributions and the mean transverse momenta versus rapidity are flat within |y| <0.5 . Comparisons of our data with results from model calculations indicate that in order to obtain a consistent picture of the proton (antiproton) yields and transverse mass distributions the possibility of prehadronic collective expansion may have to be taken into account.
We present the first large-acceptance measurement of event-wise mean transverse momentum <pt> fluctuations for Au-Au collisions at nucleon-nucleon center-of-momentum collision energy sqrt[sNN] = 130 GeV. The observed nonstatistical <pt> fluctuations substantially exceed in magnitude fluctuations expected from the finite number of particles produced in a typical collision. The r.m.s. fractional width excess of the event-wise <pt> distribution is 13.7±0.1(stat) ±1.3(syst)% relative to a statistical reference, for the 15% most-central collisions and for charged hadrons within pseudorapidity range | eta |<1,2 pi azimuth, and 0.15 <= pt <= 2 GeV/c. The width excess varies smoothly but nonmonotonically with collision centrality and does not display rapid changes with centrality which might indicate the presence of critical fluctuations. The reported <pt> fluctuation excess is qualitatively larger than those observed at lower energies and differs markedly from theoretical expectations. Contributions to <pt> fluctuations from semihard parton scattering in the initial state and dissipation in the bulk colored medium are discussed.
We present STAR measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter v2 and the binary-collision scaled centrality ratio RCP for kaons and lambdas ( Lambda + Lambda -bar) at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV. In combination, the v2 and RCP particle-type dependencies contradict expectations from partonic energy loss followed by standard fragmentation in vacuum. We establish pT ~ 5 GeV/c as the value where the centrality dependent baryon enhancement ends. The K0S and Lambda + Lambda -bar v2 values are consistent with expectations of constituent-quark-number scaling from models of hadron formation by parton coalescence or recombination.
Pion-kaon correlation functions are constructed from central Au+Au STAR data taken at sqrt[sNN]=130 GeV by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The results suggest that pions and kaons are not emitted at the same average space-time point. Space-momentum correlations, i.e., transverse flow, lead to a space-time emission asymmetry of pions and kaons that is consistent with the data. This result provides new independent evidence that the system created at RHIC undergoes a collective transverse expansion.
