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The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of back-to-back azimuthal correlations of di-π0s produced at forward pseudorapidities (2.6<η<4.0) in p+p, p+Al, and p+Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. We observe a clear suppression of the correlated yields of back-to-back π0 pairs in p+Al and p+Au collisions compared to the p+p data. The observed suppression of back-to-back pairs as a function of transverse momentum suggests nonlinear gluon dynamics arising at high parton densities. The larger suppression found in p+Au relative to p+Al collisions exhibits a dependence of the saturation scale, Q2s, on the mass number, A. A linear scaling of the suppression with A1/3 is observed with a slope of −0.09 ± 0.01.
A linearly polarized photon can be quantized from the Lorentz-boosted electromagnetic field of a nucleus traveling at ultra-relativistic speed. When two relativistic heavy nuclei pass one another at a distance of a few nuclear radii, the photon from one nucleus may interact through a virtual quark-antiquark pair with gluons from the other nucleus forming a short-lived vector meson (e.g. ρ0). In this experiment, the polarization was utilized in diffractive photoproduction to observe a unique spin interference pattern in the angular distribution of ρ0→π+π− decays. The observed interference is a result of an overlap of two wave functions at a distance an order of magnitude larger than the ρ0 travel distance within its lifetime. The strong-interaction nuclear radii were extracted from these diffractive interactions, and found to be 6.53±0.06 fm (197Au) and 7.29±0.08 fm (238U), larger than the nuclear charge radii. The observable is demonstrated to be sensitive to the nuclear geometry and quantum interference of non-identical particles.
The strong force, as one of the four fundamental forces at work in the universe, governs interactions of quarks and gluons, and binds together the atomic nucleus. Notwithstanding decades of progress since Yukawa first developed a description of the force between nucleons in terms of meson exchange, a full understanding of the strong interaction remains a major challenge in modern science. One remaining difficulty arises from the non-perturbative nature of the strong force, which leads to the phenomenon of quark confinement at distance scales on the order of the size of the proton. Here we show that in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, where quarks and gluons are set free over an extended volume, two species of produced vector (spin-1) mesons, namely ϕ and K∗0, emerge with a surprising pattern of global spin alignment. In particular, the global spin alignment for ϕ is unexpectedly large, while that for K∗0 is consistent with zero. The observed spin-alignment pattern and magnitude for the ϕ cannot be explained by conventional mechanisms, while a model with strong force fields accommodates the current data. This is the first time that the strong force field is experimentally supported as a key mechanism that leads to global spin alignment. We extract a quantity proportional to the intensity of the field of the strong force. Within the framework of the Standard Model, where the strong force is typically described in the quark and gluon language of Quantum Chromodynamics, the field being considered here is an effective proxy description. This is a qualitatively new class of measurement, which opens a new avenue for studying the behaviour of strong force fields via their imprint on spin alignment.
Two-particle correlations on transverse rapidity in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV at STAR
(2022)
Two-particle correlation measurements projected onto two-dimensional, transverse rapidity coordinates (yT1,yT2), allow access to dynamical properties of the QCD medium produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions that angular correlation measurements are not sensitive to. We report non-identified charged-particle correlations for Au + Au minimum-bias collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV taken by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC). Correlations are presented as 2D functions of transverse rapidity for like-sign, unlike-sign and all charged-particle pairs, as well as for particle pairs whose relative azimuthal angles lie on the near-side, the away-side, or at all relative azimuth. The correlations are constructed using charged particles with transverse momentum pT≥0.15 GeV/c, pseudorapidity from −1 to 1, and azimuthal angles from −π to π. The significant correlation structures that are observed evolve smoothly with collision centrality. The major correlation features include a saddle shape plus a broad peak with maximum near yT≈3, corresponding to pT≈ 1.5 GeV/c. The broad peak is observed in both like- and unlike-sign charge combinations and in near- and away-side relative azimuthal angles. The all-charge, all-azimuth correlation measurements are compared with the theoretical predictions of {\sc hijing} and {\sc epos}. The results indicate that the correlations for peripheral to mid-central collisions can be approximately described as a superposition of nucleon + nucleon collisions with minimal effects from the QCD medium. Strong medium effects are indicated in mid- to most-central collisions.
The strong force, as one of the four fundamental forces at work in the universe, governs interactions of quarks and gluons, and binds together the atomic nucleus. Notwithstanding decades of progress since Yukawa first developed a description of the force between nucleons in terms of meson exchange, a full understanding of the strong interaction remains a major challenge in modern science. One remaining difficulty arises from the non-perturbative nature of the strong force, which leads to the phenomenon of quark confinement at distance scales on the order of the size of the proton. Here we show that in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, where quarks and gluons are set free over an extended volume, two species of produced vector (spin-1) mesons, namely ϕ and K∗0, emerge with a surprising pattern of global spin alignment. In particular, the global spin alignment for ϕ is unexpectedly large, while that for K∗0 is consistent with zero. The observed spin-alignment pattern and magnitude for the ϕ cannot be explained by conventional mechanisms, while a model with strong force fields accommodates the current data. This is the first time that the strong force field is experimentally supported as a key mechanism that leads to global spin alignment. We extract a quantity proportional to the intensity of the field of the strong force. Within the framework of the Standard Model, where the strong force is typically described in the quark and gluon language of Quantum Chromodynamics, the field being considered here is an effective proxy description. This is a qualitatively new class of measurement, which opens a new avenue for studying the behaviour of strong force fields via their imprint on spin alignment.
Notwithstanding decades of progress since Yukawa first developed a description of the force between nucleons in terms of meson exchange, a full understanding of the strong interaction remains a major challenge in modern science. One remaining difficulty arises from the non-perturbative nature of the strong force, which leads to the phenomenon of quark confinement at distances on the order of the size of the proton. Here we show that in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, where quarks and gluons are set free over an extended volume, two species of produced vector (spin-1) mesons, namely ϕ and K∗0, emerge with a surprising pattern of global spin alignment. In particular, the global spin alignment for ϕ is unexpectedly large, while that for K∗0 is consistent with zero. The observed spin-alignment pattern and magnitude for the ϕ cannot be explained by conventional mechanisms, while a model with a connection to strong force fields, i.e. an effective proxy description within the Standard Model and Quantum Chromodynamics, accommodates the current data. This connection, if fully established, will open a potential new avenue for studying the behaviour of strong force fields.
The transverse mass spectra and midrapidity yields for Xi s and Omega s are presented. For the 10% most central collisions, the Xi -bar+/h- ratio increases from the Super Proton Synchrotron to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider energies while the Xi -/h- stays approximately constant. A hydrodynamically inspired model fit to the Xi spectra, which assumes a thermalized source, seems to indicate that these multistrange particles experience a significant transverse flow effect, but are emitted when the system is hotter and the flow is smaller than values obtained from a combined fit to pi , K, p, and Lambda s.
Using a data sample of 448.1×106 𝜓(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII, we perform search for the hadronic transition ℎ𝑐→𝜋+𝜋−𝐽/𝜓 via 𝜓(3686)→𝜋0ℎ𝑐. No signals of the transition are observed, and the upper limit on the product branching fraction ℬ(𝜓(3686)→𝜋0ℎ𝑐)ℬ(ℎ𝑐→𝜋+𝜋−𝐽/𝜓) at the 90% confidence level (C.L.) is determined to be 2.0×10−6. This is the most stringent upper limit to date.
The decays of χc2→K+K−π0, KSK±π∓ and π+π−π0 are studied with the ψ(3686) data samples collected with the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII). For the first time, the branching fractions of χc2→K∗K¯¯¯¯¯, χc2→a±2(1320)π∓/a02(1320)π0 and χc2→ρ(770)±π∓ are measured. Here K∗K¯¯¯¯¯ denotes both K∗±K∓ and K∗0K¯¯¯¯¯0+c.c., and K∗ denotes the resonances K∗(892), K∗2(1430) and K∗3(1780). The observations indicate a strong violation of the helicity selection rule in χc2 decays into vector and pseudoscalar meson pairs. The measured branching fractions of χc2→K∗(892)K¯¯¯¯¯ are more than 10 times larger than the upper limit of χc2→ρ(770)±π∓, which is so far the first direct observation of a significant U-spin symmetry breaking effect in charmonium decays.
The decays of χc2→K+K−π0, KSK±π∓ and π+π−π0 are studied with the ψ(3686) data samples collected with the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII). For the first time, the branching fractions of χc2→K∗K¯¯¯¯¯, χc2→a±2(1320)π∓/a02(1320)π0 and χc2→ρ(770)±π∓ are measured. Here K∗K¯¯¯¯¯ denotes both K∗±K∓ and K∗0K¯¯¯¯¯0+c.c., and K∗ denotes the resonances K∗(892), K∗2(1430) and K∗3(1780). The observations indicate a strong violation of the helicity selection rule in χc2 decays into vector and pseudoscalar meson pairs. The measured branching fractions of χc2→K∗(892)K¯¯¯¯¯ are more than 20 times larger than that of χc2→ρ(770)±π∓, which implies the effects are largely due to U-spin symmetry breaking, rather than just isospin symmetry breaking in charmonium decays.
The decays of χc2→K+K−π0, KSK±π∓ and π+π−π0 are studied with the ψ(3686) data samples collected with the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII). For the first time, the branching fractions of χc2→K∗K¯¯¯¯¯, χc2→a±2(1320)π∓/a02(1320)π0 and χc2→ρ(770)±π∓ are measured. Here K∗K¯¯¯¯¯ denotes both K∗±K∓ and K∗0K¯¯¯¯¯0+c.c., and K∗ denotes the resonances K∗(892), K∗2(1430) and K∗3(1780). The observations indicate a strong violation of the helicity selection rule in χc2 decays into vector and pseudoscalar meson pairs. The measured branching fractions of χc2→K∗(892)K¯¯¯¯¯ are more than 20 times larger than that of χc2→ρ(770)±π∓, which implies the effects are largely due to U-spin symmetry breaking, rather than just isospin symmetry breaking in charmonium decays.
The decays of χc2→K+K−π0, KSK±π∓ and π+π−π0 are studied with the ψ(3686) data samples collected with the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII). For the first time, the branching fractions of χc2→K∗K¯¯¯¯¯, χc2→a±2(1320)π∓/a02(1320)π0 and χc2→ρ(770)±π∓ are measured. Here K∗K¯¯¯¯¯ denotes both K∗±K∓ and K∗0K¯¯¯¯¯0+c.c., and K∗ denotes the resonances K∗(892), K∗2(1430) and K∗3(1780). The observations indicate a strong violation of the helicity selection rule in χc2 decays into vector and pseudoscalar meson pairs. The measured branching fractions of χc2→K∗(892)K¯¯¯¯¯ are more than 10 times larger than the upper limit of χc2→ρ(770)±π∓, which is so far the first direct observation of a significant U-spin symmetry breaking effect in charmonium decays.
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.
Measurement of branching fractions for D meson decaying into ϕ meson and a pseudoscalar meson
(2019)
The four decay modes D0 → φπ0, D0 → φη, D+ → φπ+, and D+ → φK + are studied by using a data sample taken at the centre-of-mass energy √s = 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb−1. The branching fractions of the first three decay modes are measured to be B(D0 → φπ0) = (1.168 ± 0.028 ± 0.028) × 10−3, B(D0 → φη) = (1.81 ± 0.46 ± 0.06) × 10−4, and B(D+ → φπ+) = (5.70 ± 0.05 ± 0.13) × 10−3, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. In addition, the upper limit of the branching fraction for D+ → φK+ is given to be 2.1 × 10−5 at the 90% confidence level. The ratio of B(D0 → φπ0) to B(D+ → φπ+) is calculated to be (20.49 ± 0.50 ± 0.45)%, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction based on isospin symmetry between these two decay modes.
STAR's measurements of directed flow (v1) around midrapidity for π±, K±, K0S, p and p¯ in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrtsNN = 200$ GeV are presented. A negative v1(y) slope is observed for most of produced particles (π±, K±, K0S and p¯). The proton v1(y) slope is found to be much closer to zero compared to antiprotons. A sizable difference is seen between v1 of protons and antiprotons in 5-30% central collisions. The v1 excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, UrQMD, AMPT, QGSM with parton recombination, and a hydrodynamics model with a tilted source) are made. Anti-flow alone cannot explain the centrality dependence of the difference between the v1(y) slopes of protons and antiprotons.
STAR's measurements of directed flow (v1) around midrapidity for π±, K±, K0S, p and p¯ in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrtsNN = 200$ GeV are presented. A negative v1(y) slope is observed for most of produced particles (π±, K±, K0S and p¯). In 5-30% central collisions a sizable difference is present between the v1(y) slope of protons and antiprotons, with the former being consistent with zero within errors. The v1 excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, UrQMD, AMPT, QGSM with parton recombination, and a hydrodynamics model with a tilted source) are made. For those models which have calculations of v1 for both pions and protons, none of them can describe v1(y) for pions and protons simultaneously. The hydrodynamics model with a tilted source as currently implemented cannot explain the centrality dependence of the difference between the v1(y) slopes of protons and antiprotons.
Born cross sections for the processes e+e− → ωη and e+e− → ωπ0 have been determined for centerof-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The results obtained in this work are consistent with previous measurements but with improved precision. Two resonant structures are observed. In the e+e− → ωη cross sections, a resonance with a mass of (2176 ± 24 ± 3) MeV/c2 and a width of (89 ± 50 ± 5) MeV is observed with a significance of 6.2σ. Its properties are consistent with the φ(2170). In the e+e− → ωπ0 cross sections, a resonance denoted Y (2040) is observed with a significance of more than 10σ. Its mass and width are determined to be (2034 ± 13 ± 9) MeV/c2 and (234 ± 30 ± 25) MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic.
The Born cross sections of the e+e− → +¯ − and e+e− → −¯ + processes are determined for centerof-mass energy from 2.3864 to 3.0200 GeV with the BESIII detector. The cross section lineshapes can be described properly by a pQCD function and the resulting ratio of effective form factors for the + and − is consistent with 3. In addition, ratios of the + electric and magnetic form factors, |GE /GM |, are obtained at three center-of-mass energies through an analysis of the angular distributions. These measurements, which are studied for the first time in the off-resonance region, provide precision experimental input for understanding baryonic structure. The observed new features of the ± form factors require more theoretical discussions for the hyperons.
A data-driven method was applied to Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV made with the STAR detector at RHIC to isolate pseudorapidity distance η-dependent and η-independent correlations by using two- and four-particle azimuthal cumulant measurements. We identified a η-independent component of the correlation, which is dominated by anisotropic flow and flow fluctuations. It was also found to be independent of η within the measured range of pseudorapidity |η| < 1. In 20–30% central Au+Au collisions, the relative flow fluctuation was found to be 34%±2%(stat.)±3%(sys.) for particles with transverse momentum pT less than 2 GeV/c. The η-dependent part, attributed to nonflow correlations, is found to be 5% ± 2%(sys.) relative to the flow of the measured second harmonic cumulant at |η| > 0.7.
Using 5.9 pb−1 of e+e− annihilation data collected at center-of-mass energies from 3.640 to 3.701 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII Collider, we measure the observed cross sections of e+e−→K0SX (where X=anything). From a fit to these observed cross sections with the sum of continuum and ψ(3686) and J/ψ Breit-Wigner functions and considering initial state radiation and the BEPCII beam energy spread, we obtain for the first time the inclusive decay branching fraction B(ψ(3686)→K0SX)=(16.04±0.29±0.90)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.