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The large acceptance and high momentum resolution as well as the significant particle identification capabilities of the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS allow for a broad study of fluctuations and correlations in hadronic interactions. In the first part recent results on event-by-event charge and p_t fluctuations are presented. Charge fluctuations in central Pb+Pb reactions are investigated at three different beam energies (40, 80, and 158 AGeV), while for the p_t fluctuations the focus is put on the system size dependence at 158 AGeV. In the second part recent results on Bose Einstein correlations of h-h- pairs in minimum bias Pb+Pb reactions at 40 and 158 AGeV, as well as of K+K+ and K-K- pairs in central Pb+Pb collisions at 158 AGeV are shown. Additionally, other types of two particle correlations, namely pi p, Lambda p, and Lambda Lambda correlations, have been measured by the NA49 experiment. Finally, results on the energy and system size dependence of deuteron coalescence are discussed.
The experiment NA49 at the CERN SPS is a large acceptance detector for charmed hadrons. The identification of neutral strange hadrons Lambda and AntiLambda is based on the measurement of their charged decay particles and the reconstruciton of the decay vertex. The charged particles were measured with the 4 time projection chambers (TPC), two of them are situated inside 2 large dipole magnets, the two others are downstream of the magnet. Lambda and AntiLambda baryons have been measured in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 160 GeV/nucleon over a wide range in rapidity (1 - 5) and transverse momentum (0 - 3 GeV/c). Particle yields and spectra will be shown for the different energies. The results will be put into the existing systematics of Lambda-production as a function of beam energy.
Vortrag gehalten an der Tagung "The XVI International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, organized by SUBATECH Laboratory", in Nantes, France, 18-24 Juli 2002.
Zielsetzung der ultrarelativistischen Schwerionenphysik ist es, hoch verdichtete und stark erhitzte Kernmaterie (gemeint ist hierbei nicht nur die Materie der Atomkerne, sondern allgemein stark wechselwirkende Materie) im Labor zu erzeugen und deren Eigenschaften zu untersuchen. Gitter-QCD Rechnungen sagen bei einer kritischen Energiedichte von 1-2 GeV/fm3 einen Übergang der hadronischen Materie in eine partonische Phase, dem Quark-Gluon-Plasma, voraus. Neben anderen Observablen wurde die Seltsamkeitsproduktion als mögliche Signatur für den Materiezustand quasifreier Quarks und Gluonen vorgeschlagen. Im Vergleich zu elementaren Nukleon-Nukleon-Reaktionen beobachtet man in Schwerionenkollisionen generell eine Überhöhung der Seltsamkeitsproduktion. Inwieweit dieser Unterschied bei allen Schwerpunktenergie auf rein hadronische Phänomene zurückgeführt werden kann, oder ob partonische Gleichgewichtseffekte eine wesentliche Rolle spielen, ist derzeit eines der wichtigen Themen der Schwerionenphysik. Antworten auf diese Fragen erhofft man sich aus der Untersuchung der Energieabhängigkeit der Erzeugung seltsamer Hadronen. Die NA49 Kollaboration hat deshalb am CERN-SPS ein Energie-Scan Programm aufgelegt, in dem zentrale Blei-Blei-Kollisionen bei 40, 80 und 158 A·GeV untersucht wurden. In dieser Arbeit wird die Produktion von Lambda und Antilambda Hyperonen bei den drei verschiedenen Strahlenergien untersucht. Lambda Hyperonen, die 30-60% der produzierten s-Quarks enthalten, erlauben neben der Seltsamkeitsproduktion gleichzeitig auch den durch die kollidierenden Kerne erzeugten Effekt der Baryonendichte zu studieren. Das NA49 Experiment führt präzise Messungen des hadronischen Endzustands über einen weiten Akzeptanzbereich durch. Die geladenen Sekundärteilchen werden in vier hochauflösenden Spurdriftkammern gemessen. Neutrale seltsame Teilchen (Lambda, Antilambda und K0s) werden anhand ihrer Zerfallstopologie identifiziert. Die untersuchten Lambda Hyperonen werden über drei Rapiditätseinheiten um den Bereich zentraler Rapidität und mit Transversalimpulsen von 0,4 und 2,5 GeV/c gemessen. Die Temperaturparameter der Lambda und Antilambda Transversalimpulsverteilungen bei zentraler Rapidität sind für die drei Energien im Rahmen der Fehler gleich. Als Funktion der Schwerpunktenergie beobachtet man einen Anstieg des Lambda-Temperaturparameters, was durch eine Erhöhung des kollektiven transversalen Flusses erklärt werden kann. Erste Ergebnisse zur Proton-Produktion zeigen einen ähnlichen Trend. Die Rapiditätsverteilungen der Lambda sind breiter als die der Antilambda-Hyperonen. Die Lambda Rapiditätsverteilung verbreitert sich mit ansteigender Schwerpunktenergie von einer bei zentraler Rapidität konzentrierten Verteilung bei 40 A·GeV zu einem flachen Verlauf bei 158 A·GeV. Die Lambdas enthalten Beiträge der extrem kurzlebigen Sigma 0, die elektromagnetisch in ein Lambda und ein Photon zerfallen. Die in der Analyse selektierten Lambda und Antilambda sind aufgrund der gewählten Qualitätskriterien nahezu frei von Beiträgen mehrfachseltsamer Baryonen. Der systematische Fehler der Spektren konnte zu 9% abgeschätzt werden. Die Korrekturen und die Analyseprozedur wurden durch die Extraktion des K0s Mesons bei 158 A·GeV und den Vergleich dieser Ergebnisse mit denen der geladenen Kaonen überprüft. Man stellt eine gute Übereinstimmung fest. Zusammen mit Ergebnissen bei niedrigeren Energien läßt sich die Anregungsfunktion der Lambda und AntiLambda Hyperonen studieren. Während die Lambda Multiplizität bei mittlerer Rapidität nach dem Anstieg bei niedrigen Energien im SPS-Energiebereich leicht abfällt bzw. die totale Multiplizität saturiert, beobachtet man für die AntiLambda einen stetigen Anstieg als Funktion der Schwerpunktenergie. Das <Lambda>/<Pi>-Verhältnis in Kern-Kern-Kollisionen zeigt einen steilen Anstieg im AGS-Energiebereich mit anschließendem Maximum und einem Abfall bei SPS-Energien. Dagegen beobachtet man in Nukleon-Nukleon-Reaktionen eine Saturation dieses Verhältnisses bei etwa der höchsten AGS-Energie. Die Normierung auf die Pionen dient dem Vergleich der Produktionsraten in Kern-Kern-Stößen mit denen der elementaren Systeme und ist unabhängig von der Anzahl der beteiligten Nukleonen. Das Maximum des Lambda/Pi Verhältnisses liegt zwischen 10 und 40 A·GeV, wie es von statistischen Modellen vorhergesagt wird. Die Energieabhängigkeit des Lambda/Pi-Verhältnisses läßt sich dementsprechend gut mit dem Statistischen Modell von Cleymans, Redlich et al. beschreiben. Der generelle Trend des Lambda/Pi Verhältnisses wird von den mikroskopischen Modellen (UrQMD, HSD, RQMD) richtig wiedergegeben, wobei jedoch die Datenpunkte (besonders für 40 A·GeV) unterschätzt werden. Die Vorhersagen des UrQMD- und HSD-Modells für die Lambda Rapiditätsverteilung zeigen sehr gute Übereinstimmung mit den Daten. Die Diskrepanz im Lambda/Pi Verhältnis ist somit auf die überschätzte Pion-Produktion zurückzuführen. Die AntiLambda Produktion wird von dem UrQMD- und RQMD-Modell um mehr als einen Faktor zwei unterschätzt. Die Lambda und Antilambda Produktionsraten für alle drei Energien und die totale K0s Multiplizität bei 158 A·GeV fügen sich in einer statistischen Modellanalyse von Becattini in die Systematik der anderen Teilchen ein. Der Seltsamkeits-Saturationsfaktor gamma s zeigt keine große Änderung als Funktion der Energie. Das AntiLambda/Lambda Verhältnis bei mittlerer Rapidität, das den Paarproduktionsprozess widerspiegelt, steigt rapide von AGS- bis RHIC-Energien an. Der gleiche Trend ist für das ¯p/p Verhältnis beobachtbar. Das AntiLambda/¯p Verhältnis erlaubt das Zusammenspiel der Produktions und Annihilationsprozesse zu studieren. Im SPS-Energiebereich steigt dieses Verhältnis mit abnehmender Schwerpunktenergie leicht an. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden auf der Strange-Quark-Matter Konferenz 2001 [1] und der Quark-Matter Konferenz 2002 [2] vorgestellt und diskutiert.
In this paper we present recent results from the NA49 experiment for Lambda and Lambda hyperons produced in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 158 A GeV. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions for Lambda are shown for all three energies. The shape of the rapidity distribution becomes flatter with increasing beam energy. The multiplicities at mid-rapidity as well as the total yields are studied as a function of collision energy including AGS measurements. The ratio Lambda/pi at mid-rapidity and in 4 pi has a maximum around 40 A GeV. In addition, Lambda rapidity distributions have been measured at 40 and 80 A GeV, which allows to study the Lambda Lambda ratio.
The energy dependence of hadron production in central Pb+Pb collisions is presented and discussed. In particular, midrapidity m_T-spectra for pi-, K-, K+, p, bar p, d, phi, Lambda and bar Lambda at 40, 80 and 158 AGeV are shown. In addition Xi and Omega spectra are available at 158 AGeV. The spectra allow to determine the thermal freeze-out temperature T and the transverse flow velocity beta_T at the three energies. We do not observe a significant energy dependence of these parameters; furthermore there is no indication of early thermal freeze-out of Xi and Omega at 158 AGeV. Rapidity spectra for pi-, K-, K+ and phi at 40, 80 and 158 AGeV are shown, as well as first results on Omega rapidity distributions at 158 AGeV. The chemical freeze-out parameters T and mu_B at the three energies are determined from the total yields. The parameters are close to the expected phase boundary in the SPS energy range and above. Using the total yields of kaons and lambdas, the energy dependence of the strangeness to pion ratio is discussed. A maximum in this ratio is found at 40 AGeV. This maximum could indicate the formation of deconfined matter at energies above 40 AGeV. A search for open charm in a large sample of 158 AGeV events is presented. No signal is observed. This result is compared to several model predictions.
Experiment NA49 at the Cern SPS uses a large acceptance detector for a systematic study of particle yields and correlations in nucleus-nucleus, nucleon-nucleus and nucleon-nucleon collisions. Preliminary results for Pb+Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 158 A*GeV beam energy are shown and compared to measurements at lower and higher energies.
Rapidity distributions for $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 158 A$\cdot$GeV and for ${\rm K}_{s}^{0}$ mesons at 158 A$\cdot$GeV are presented. The lambda multiplicities are studied as a function of collision energy together with AGS and RHIC measurements and compared to model predictions. A different energy dependence of the $\Lambda/\pi$ and $\bar{\Lambda}/\pi$ is observed. The $\bar{\Lambda}/\Lambda$ ratio shows a steep increase with collision energy. Evidence for a $\bar{\Lambda}/\bar{\rm p}$ ratio greater than 1 is found at 40 A$\cdot$GeV.
System size and centrality dependence of the balance function in A + A collisions at √sNN = 17.2 GeV
(2004)
Electric charge correlations were studied for p+p, C+C, Si+Si and centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt s_NN = 17.2$ GeV with the NA49 large acceptance detector at the CERN-SPS. In particular, long range pseudo-rapidity correlations of oppositely charged particles were measured using the Balance Function method. The width of the Balance Function decreases with increasing system size and centrality of the reactions. This decrease could be related to an increasing delay of hadronization in central Pb+Pb collisions.
System size dependence of multiplicity fluctuations of charged particles produced in nuclear collisions at 158 A GeV was studied in the NA49 CERN experiment. Results indicate a non-monotonic dependence of the scaled variance of the multiplicity distribution with a maximum for semi-peripheral Pb+Pb interactions with number of projectile participants of about 35. This effect is not observed in a string-hadronic model of nuclear collision HIJING.
The transverse mass mt distributions for deuterons and protons are measured in Pb+Pb reactions near midrapidity and in the range 0<mt–m<1.0 (1.5) GeV/c2 for minimum bias collisions at 158A GeV and for central collisions at 40 and 80 A GeV beam energies. The rapidity density dn/dy, inverse slope parameter T and mean transverse mass <mt> derived from mt distributions as well as the coalescence parameter B2 are studied as a function of the incident energy and the collision centrality. The deuteron mt spectra are significantly harder than those of protons, especially in central collisions. The coalescence factor B2 shows three systematic trends. First, it decreases strongly with increasing centrality reflecting an enlargement of the deuteron coalescence volume in central Pb+Pb collisions. Second, it increases with mt. Finally, B2 shows an increase with decreasing incident beam energy even within the SPS energy range. The results are discussed and compared to the predictions of models that include the collective expansion of the source created in Pb+Pb collisions.
The results from the STAR Collaboration on directed flow (v1), elliptic flow (v2), and the fourth harmonic (v4) in the anisotropic azimuthal distribution of particles from Au+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200GeV are summarized and compared with results from other experiments and theoretical models. Results for identified particles are presented and fit with a blast-wave model. Different anisotropic flow analysis methods are compared and nonflow effects are extracted from the data. For v2, scaling with the number of constituent quarks and parton coalescence are discussed. For v4, scaling with v22 and quark coalescence are discussed.
The energy dependence of multiplicity fluctuations was studied for the most central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A and 158A GeV by the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS. The multiplicity distribution for negatively and positively charged hadrons is significantly narrower than Poisson one for all energies. No significant structure in energy dependence of the scaled variance of multiplicity fluctuations is observed. The measured scaled variance is lower than the one predicted by the grand-canonical formulation of the hadron-resonance gas model. The results for scaled variance are in approximate agreement with the string-hadronic model UrQMD.
We present a systematic analysis of two-pion interferometry in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200GeV using the STAR detector at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. We extract the Hanbury-Brown and Twiss radii and study their multiplicity, transverse momentum, and azimuthal angle dependence. The Gaussianness of the correlation function is studied. Estimates of the geometrical and dynamical structure of the freeze-out source are extracted by fits with blast-wave parametrizations. The expansion of the source and its relation with the initial energy density distribution is studied.
Results are presented on event-by-event fluctuations in transverse momentum of charged particles, produced at forward rapidities in p+p, C+C, Si+Si and Pb+Pb collisions at 158 AGeV. Three different characteristics are discussed: the average transverse momentum of the event, the Phi_pT fluctuation measure and two-particle transverse momentum correlations. In the kinematic region explored, the dynamical fluctuations are found to be small. However, a significant system size dependence of Phi_pT is observed, with the largest value measured in peripheral Pb+Pb interactions. The data are compared with predictions of several models. PACS numbers: 14.20.Jn, 13.75.Cs, 12.39.-x
Electric charge correlations were studied for p+p, C+C, Si+Si, and centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[sNN]=17.2 GeV with the NA49 large acceptance detector at the CERN SPS. In particular, long-range pseudorapidity correlations of oppositely charged particles were measured using the balance function method. The width of the balance function decreases with increasing system size and centrality of the reactions. This decrease could be related to an increasing delay of hadronization in central Pb+Pb collisions.
Evidence for an exotic S=-2, Q=-2 baryon resonance in proton-proton collisions at the CERN SPS
(2004)
Results of resonance searches in the Xi - pi -, Xi - pi +, Xi -bar+ pi -, and Xi -bar+ pi + invariant mass spectra in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=17.2 GeV are presented. Evidence is shown for the existence of a narrow Xi - pi - baryon resonance with mass of 1.862±0.002 GeV/c2 and width below the detector resolution of about 0.018 GeV/c2. The significance is estimated to be above 4.2 sigma . This state is a candidate for the hypothetical exotic Xi --3/2 baryon with S=-2, I=3 / 2, and a quark content of (dsdsu-bar). At the same mass, a peak is observed in the Xi - pi + spectrum which is a candidate for the Xi 03/2 member of this isospin quartet with a quark content of (dsusd-bar). The corresponding antibaryon spectra also show enhancements at the same invariant mass.
Observation of an exotic S = -2, Q = -2 baryon resonance in proton-proton collisions at the CERN SPS
(2003)
Results of resonance searches in the Xi- pi-, Xi- pi+, antiXi+ pi- and antiXi+ pi+ invariant mass spectra in proton-proton collisions at sqrt s=17.2 GeV are presented. Evidence is shown for the existence of a narrow Xi- pi- baryon resonance with mass of 1.862+/-0.002 GeV/c^2 and width below the detector resolution of about 0.018 GeV/c^2. The significance is estimated to be 4.0 sigma. This state is a candidate for the hypothetical exotic Xi_(3/2)^-- baryon with S = -2, I = 3/2 and a quark content of (d s d s ubar). At the same mass a peak is observed in the Xi- pi+ spectrum which is a candidate for the Xi_(3/2)^0 member of this isospin quartet with a quark content of (d s u s dbar). The corresponding antibaryon spectra also show enhancements at the same invariant mass.
Report from NA49
(2004)
The most recent data of NA49 on hadron production in nuclear collisions at CERN SPS energies are presented. Anomalies in the energy dependence of pion and kaon production in central Pb+Pb collisions are observed. They suggest that the onset of deconfinement is located at about 30 AGeV. Large multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations are measured for collisions of intermediate mass systems at 158 AGeV. The need for a new experimental programme at the CERN SPS is underlined.
Event-by-event fluctuations of particle ratios in central Pb + Pb collisions at 20 to 158 AGeV
(2004)
In the vicinity of the QCD phase transition, critical fluctuations have been predicted to lead to non-statistical fluctuations of particle ratios, depending on the nature of the phase transition. Recent results of the NA49 energy scan program show a sharp maximum of the ratio of K+ to Pi+ yields in central Pb+Pb collisions at beam energies of 20-30 AGeV. This observation has been interpreted as an indication of a phase transition at low SPS energies. We present first results on event-by-event fluctuations of the kaon to pion and proton to pion ratios at beam energies close to this maximum.
A non-monotonic energy dependence of the K + / pi + ratio with a sharp maximum close to 30 A GeV is observed in central Pb+Pb collisions. Within a statistical model of the early stage, this is interpreted as a sign of the phase transition to a QGP, which causes a sharp change in the energy dependence of the strangeness to entropy ratio. This observation naturally motivates us to study the production of multistrange hyperons (Xi, Omega) as a function of the beam energy. Furthermore it was suggested that the kinematic freeze-out of Omega takes place directly at QGP hadronization. If this is indeed the case, the transverse momentum spectra of the Omega directly reflect the transverse expansion velocity of a hadronizing QGP. In this report we show preliminary NA49 results on Omega - and Omega + production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40 and 158 A GeV and compare them to measurements of Xi - and Xi + production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 30, 40, 80 and 158 A GeV.
Results are presented on event-by-event electric charge fluctuations in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20, 30, 40, 80 and 158 AGeV. The observed fluctuations are close to those expected for a gas of pions correlated by global charge conservation only. These fluctuations are considerably larger than those calculated for an ideal gas of deconfined quarks and gluons. The present measurements do not necessarily exclude reduced fluctuations from a quark-gluon plasma because these might be masked by contributions from resonance decays.
System-size dependence of strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at √sNN = 17.3 GeV
(2005)
Emission of pi, K, phi and Lambda was measured in near-central C+C and Si+Si collisions at 158 AGeV beam energy. Together with earlier data for p+p, S+S and Pb+Pb, the system-size dependence of relative strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions is obtained. Its fast rise and the saturation observed at about 60 participating nucleons can be understood as onset of the formation of coherent partonic subsystems of increasing size. PACS numbers: 25.75.-q
Production of Lambda and Antilambda hyperons was measured in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80, and 158 A GeV beam energy on a fixed target. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions are given for all three energies. The Lambda/pi ratio at mid-rapidity and in full phase space shows a pronounced maximum between the highest AGS and 40 A GeV SPS energies, whereas the anti-Lambda}/pi ratio exhibits a monotonic increase. PACS numbers: 25.75.-q
Results are presented on Omega production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40 and 158 AGeV beam energy. Given are transverse-mass spectra, rapidity distributions, and total yields for the sum Omega+Antiomega at 40 AGeV and for Omega and Antiomega separately at 158 AGeV. The yields are strongly under-predicted by the string-hadronic UrQMD model and are in better agreement with predictions from a hadron gas models. PACS numbers: 25.75.Dw
Particle production in central Pb+Pb collisions was studied with the NA49 large acceptance spectrometer at the CERN SPS at beam energies of 20, 30, 40, 80, and 158 GeV per nucleon. A change of the energy dependence is observed around 30A GeV for the yields of pions and strange particles as well as for the shapes of the transverse mass spectra. At present only a reaction scenario with onset of deconfinement is able to reproduce the measurements.
The hadronic final state of central Pb+Pb collisions at 20, 30, 40, 80, and 158 AGeV has been measured by the CERN NA49 collaboration. The mean transverse mass of pions and kaons at midrapidity stays nearly constant in this energy range, whereas at lower energies, at the AGS, a steep increase with beam energy was measured. Compared to p+p collisions as well as to model calculations, anomalies in the energy dependence of pion and kaon production at lower SPS energies are observed. These findings can be explained, assuming that the energy density reached in central A+A collisions at lower SPS energies is sufficient to transform the hot and dense nuclear matter into a deconfined phase.
The hadronic final state of central Pb+Pb collisions at 20, 30, 40, 80, and 158 AGeV has been measured by the CERN NA49 collaboration. The mean transverse mass of pions and kaons at midrapidity stays nearly constant in this energy range, whereas at lower energies, at the AGS, a steep increase with beam energy was measured. Compared to p+p collisions as well as to model calculations, anomalies in the energy dependence of pion and kaon production at lower SPS energies are observed. These findings can be explained, assuming that the energy density reached in central A+A collisions at lower SPS energies is sufficient to force the hot and dense nuclear matter into a deconfined phase.
The STAR Collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider presents measurements of 𝐽/𝜓→𝑒+𝑒− at midrapidity and high transverse momentum (𝑝𝑇>5 GeV/𝑐) in 𝑝+𝑝 and central Cu+Cu collisions at √𝑠𝑁𝑁=200 GeV. The inclusive 𝐽/𝜓 production cross section for Cu+Cu collisions is found to be consistent at high 𝑝𝑇 with the binary collision-scaled cross section for 𝑝+𝑝 collisions. At a confidence level of 97%, this is in contrast to a suppression of 𝐽/𝜓 production observed at lower 𝑝𝑇. Azimuthal correlations of 𝐽/𝜓 with charged hadrons in 𝑝+𝑝 collisions provide an estimate of the contribution of 𝐵-hadron decays to 𝐽/𝜓 production of 13%±5%.
We study the beam-energy and system-size dependence of \phi meson production (using the hadronic decay mode \phi -- K+K-) by comparing the new results from Cu+Cu collisions and previously reported Au+Au collisions at \sqrt{s_NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV measured in the STAR experiment at RHIC. Data presented are from mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) for 0.4 < pT < 5 GeV/c. At a given beam energy, the transverse momentum distributions for \phi mesons are observed to be similar in yield and shape for Cu+Cu and Au+Au colliding systems with similar average numbers of participating nucleons. The \phi meson yields in nucleus-nucleus collisions, normalised by the average number of participating nucleons, are found to be enhanced relative to those from p+p collisions with a different trend compared to strange baryons. The enhancement for \phi mesons is observed to be higher at \sqrt{s_NN} = 200 GeV compared to 62.4 GeV. These observations for the produced \phi(s\bar{s}) mesons clearly suggest that, at these collision energies, the source of enhancement of strange hadrons is related to the formation of a dense partonic medium in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions and cannot be alone due to canonical suppression of their production in smaller systems.