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Institute
The Born cross sections and effective form factors for process 𝑒+𝑒−→Ξ−¯Ξ+ are measured at eight center-of-mass energies between 2.644 and 3.080 GeV, using a total integrated luminosity of 363.9 pb−1 𝑒+𝑒− collision data collected with the BESIII detector at BEPCII. After performing a fit to the Born cross section of 𝑒+𝑒−→Ξ−¯Ξ+, no significant threshold effect is observed.
The Born cross sections for the process e+e−→η′π+π− at different center-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08~GeV are reported with improved precision from an analysis of data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. An obvious structure is observed in the Born cross section line shape. Fit as a Breit-Wigner resonance, it has a statistical significance of 6.3σ and a mass and width of M=(2108±46±25)~MeV/c2 and Γ=(138±36±30)~MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These measured resonance parameters agree with the measurements of BABAR in e+e−→η′π+π− and BESIII in e+e−→ωπ0 within two standard deviations.
The Born cross sections for the process e+e−→η′π+π− at different center-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08~GeV are reported with improved precision from an analysis of data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. An obvious structure is observed in the Born cross section line shape. Fit as a Breit-Wigner resonance, it has a statistical significance of 6.3σ and a mass and width of M=(2108±46±25)~MeV/c2 and Γ=(138±36±30)~MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These measured resonance parameters agree with the measurements of BABAR in e+e−→η′π+π− and BESIII in e+e−→ωπ0 within two standard deviations.
The Born cross sections for the process e+e−→η′π+π− at different center-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08 GeV are reported with improved precision from an analysis of data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. An obvious structure is observed in the Born cross section line shape. Fit as a Breit-Wigner resonance, it has a statistical significance of 6.3σ and a mass and width of M=(2111±43±25)~MeV/c2 and Γ=(135±34±30)~MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These measured resonance parameters agree with the measurements of BABAR in e+e−→η′π+π− and BESIII in e+e−→ωπ0 within two standard deviations.
Using a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb−1 taken at the center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV, we search for the Majorana neutrino (𝜈𝑚) in the lepton number violating decays 𝐷→𝐾𝜋𝑒+𝑒+. No significant signal is observed, and the upper limits on the branching fraction at the 90% confidence level are set to be ℬ(𝐷0→𝐾−𝜋−𝑒+𝑒+)<2.8×10−6, ℬ(𝐷+→𝐾0𝑆𝜋−𝑒+𝑒+)<3.3×10−6 and ℬ(𝐷+→𝐾−𝜋0𝑒+𝑒+)<8.5×10−6. The Majorana neutrino is searched for with different mass assumptions ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 GeV/𝑐2 in the decays 𝐷0→𝐾−𝑒+𝜈𝑚,𝜈𝑚→𝜋−𝑒+ and 𝐷+→𝐾0𝑆𝑒+𝜈𝑚,𝜈𝑚→𝜋−𝑒+, and the upper limits on the branching fraction at the 90% confidence level are at the level of 10−7∼10−6, depending on the mass of the Majorana neutrino. The constraints on the mixing matrix element |𝑉𝑒𝜈𝑚|2 are also evaluated.
We report on the first search for ¯Λ−Λ oscillations in the decay 𝐽/𝜓→𝑝𝐾−¯Λ+c.c. by analyzing 1.31×109 𝐽/𝜓 events accumulated with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The 𝐽/𝜓 events are produced using 𝑒+𝑒− collisions at a center of mass energy √𝑠=3.097 GeV. No evidence for hyperon oscillations is observed. The upper limit for the oscillation rate of ¯Λ to Λ hyperons is determined to be 𝒫(Λ)=[ℬ(𝐽/𝜓→𝑝𝐾−Λ+c.c.)/ℬ(𝐽/𝜓→𝑝𝐾−¯Λ+c.c.)]<4.4×10−6 corresponding to an oscillation parameter 𝛿𝑚Λ¯Λ of less than 3.8×10−18 GeV at the 90% confidence level.
We study the hadronic decays of Λ+c to the final states Σ+η and Σ+η′, using an e+e− annihilation data sample of 567 pb−1 taken at a center-of-mass energy of 4.6 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. We find evidence for the decays Λ+c→Σ+η and Σ+η′ with statistical significance of 2.5σ and 3.2σ, respectively. Normalizing to the reference decays Λ+c→Σ+π0 and Σ+ω, we obtain the ratios of the branching fractions B(Λ+c→Σ+η)B(Λ+c→Σ+π0) and B(Λ+c→Σ+η′)B(Λ+c→Σ+ω) to be 0.35±0.16±0.03 and 0.86±0.34±0.07, respectively. The upper limits at the 90\% confidence level are set to be B(Λ+c→Σ+η)B(Λ+c→Σ+π0)<0.58 and B(Λ+c→Σ+η′)B(Λ+c→Σ+ω)<1.2. Using BESIII measurements of the branching fractions of the reference decays, we determine B(Λ+c→Σ+η)=(0.41±0.19±0.05)% (<0.68%) and B(Λ+c→Σ+η′)=(1.34±0.53±0.21)% (<1.9%). Here, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The obtained branching fraction of Λ+c→Σ+η is consistent with the previous measurement, and the branching fraction of Λ+c→Σ+η′ is measured for the first time.
In Ref. [1] the BESIII collaboration published a cross section measurement of the process e+e− → π+π− in the energy range between 600 and 900 MeV. In this corrigendum, we report a corrected evaluation of the statistical errors in terms of a fully propagated covariance matrix. The correction also yields a reduced statistical uncertainty for the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, which now reads as aππ,LO μ (600 − 900 MeV) = (368.2 ± 1.5stat ± 3.3syst) × 10−10. The central values of the cross section measurement and of aππ,LO μ , as well as the systematic uncertainties remain unchanged.
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.
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.
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.
Using a data sample of 448.1 × 106 ψ(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we report the first observation of the electromagnetic Dalitz decay ψ(3686) → η e+e−, with significances of 7.0σ and 6.3σ when reconstructing the η meson via its decay modes η → γπ+π− and η → π+π−η (η → γγ ), respectively. The weighted average branching fraction is determined to be B(ψ(3686) → η e+e−) = (1.90 ± 0.25 ± 0.11) × 10−6, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Measurement of groomed jet substructure observables in p+p collisions at √s = 200 GeV with STAR
(2020)
In this letter, measurements of the shared momentum fraction (zg) and the groomed jet radius (Rg), as defined in the SoftDrop algorithm, are reported in p+p collisions at √s = 200 GeV collected by the STAR experiment. These substructure observables are differentially measured for jets of varying resolution parameters from R = 0.2 − 0.6 in the transverse momentum range 15 < pT,jet < 60 GeV/c. These studies show that, in the pT,jet range accessible at √s = 200 GeV and with increasing jet resolution parameter and jet transverse momentum, the zg distribution asymptotically converges to the DGLAP splitting kernel for a quark radiating a gluon. The groomed jet radius measurements reflect a momentum-dependent narrowing of the jet structure for jets of a given resolution parameter, i.e., the larger the pT,jet, the narrower the first splitting. For the first time, these fully corrected measurements are compared to Monte Carlo generators with leading order QCD matrix elements and leading log in the parton shower, and to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations at next-to-leading-log accuracy. We observe that PYTHIA 6 with parameters tuned to reproduce RHIC measurements is able to quantitatively describe data, whereas PYTHIA 8 and HERWIG 7, tuned to reproduce LHC data, are unable to provide a simultaneous description of both zg and Rg, resulting in opportunities for fine parameter tuning of these models for p+p collisions at RHIC energies. We also find that the theoretical calculations without non-perturbative corrections are able to qualitatively describe the trend in data for jets of large resolution parameters at high pT,jet, but fail at small jet resolution parameters and low jet transverse momenta.
Investigation of the linear and mode-coupled flow harmonics in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV
(2020)
Flow harmonics (vn) of the Fourier expansion for the azimuthal distributions of hadrons are commonly employed to quantify the azimuthal anisotropy of particle production relative to the collision symmetry planes. While lower order Fourier coefficients (v2 and v3) are more directly related to the corresponding eccentricities of the initial state, the higher-order flow harmonics (vn>3) can be induced by a modecoupled response to the lower-order anisotropies, in addition to a linear response to the same-order anisotropies. These higher-order flow harmonics and their linear and mode-coupled contributions can be used to more precisely constrain the initial conditions and the transport properties of the medium in theoretical models. The multiparticle azimuthal cumulant method is used to measure the linear and mode-coupled contributions in the higher-order anisotropic flow, the mode-coupled response coefficients, and the correlations of the event plane angles for charged particles as functions of centrality and transverse momentum in Au+Au collisions at nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy √sN N= 200 GeV. The results are compared to similar LHC measurements as well as to several viscous hydrodynamic calculations with varying initial conditions.
We measure the inclusive semielectronic decay branching fraction of the D+s meson. A double-tag technique is applied to e+e− annihilation data collected by the BESIII experiment at the BEPCII collider, operating in the center-of-mass energy range 4.178–4.230 GeV. We select positrons fromD+s→Xe+νe with momenta greater than 200 MeV/c and determine the laboratory momentum spectrum, accounting for the effects of detector efficiency and resolution. The total positron yield and semielectronic branching fraction are determined by extrapolating this spectrum below the momentum cutoff. We measure the D+s semielectronic branching fraction to be(6.30±0.13(stat.)±0.09(syst.)±0.04(ext.))%, showing no evidence for unobserved exclusive semielectronic modes. We combine this result with external data taken from literature to determine the ratio of the D+s and D0 semielectronic widths, Γ(D+s→Xe+νe)Γ(D0→Xe+νe)=0.790±0.016(stat.)±0.011(syst.)±0.016(ext.). Our results are consistent with and more precise than previous measurements.
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 polarization of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons along the beam direction has been measured relative to the second and third harmonic event planes in isobar Ru+Ru and Zr+Zr collisions at √sNN = 200 GeV. This is the first experimental evidence of the hyperon polarization by the triangular flow originating from the initial density fluctuations. The amplitudes of the sine modulation for the second and third harmonic results are comparable in magnitude, increase from central to peripheral collisions, and show a mild pT dependence. The azimuthal angle dependence of the polarization follows the vorticity pattern expected due to elliptic and triangular anisotropic flow, and qualitatively disagree with most hydrodynamic model calculations based on thermal vorticity and shear induced contributions. The model results based on one of existing implementations of the shear contribution lead to a correct azimuthal angle dependence, but predict centrality and pT dependence that still disagree with experimental measurements. Thus, our results provide stringent constraints on the thermal vorticity and shear-induced contributions to hyperon polarization. Comparison to previous measurements at RHIC and the LHC for the second-order harmonic results shows little dependence on the collision system size and collision energy.
Using 2.93 fb−1 of e+e− collision data taken with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV, the observation of the D0→K1(1270)−e+νe semileptonic decay is presented. The statistical significance of the decay D0→K1(1270)−e+νe is greater than 10σ. The branching fraction of D0→K1(1270)−e+νe is measured to be (1.09±0.13+0.09−0.16±0.12)×10−3. Here, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third originates from the assumed branching fraction of K1(1270)−→K−π+π−. The fraction of longitudinal polarization in D0→K1(1270)−e+νe is determined for the first time to be 0.50±0.19stat±0.08syst.
Using 2.93 fb−1 of e+e− collision data taken with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV, the observation of the D0→K1(1270)−e+νe semileptonic decay is presented. The statistical significance of the decay D0→K1(1270)−e+νe is greater than 10σ. The branching fraction of D0→K1(1270)−e+νe is measured to be (1.09±0.13+0.09−0.13±0.12)×10−3. Here, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third originates from the assumed branching fraction of K1(1270)−→K−π+π−.
We report new measurements of the branching fraction ℬ(𝐷+𝑠→ℓ+𝜈), where ℓ+ is either 𝜇+ or 𝜏+(→𝜋+¯𝜈𝜏), based on 6.32 fb−1 of electron-positron annihilation data collected by the BESIII experiment at six center-of-mass energy points between 4.178 and 4.226 GeV. Simultaneously floating the 𝐷+𝑠→𝜇+𝜈𝜇 and 𝐷+𝑠→𝜏+𝜈𝜏 components yields ℬ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜏+𝜈𝜏)=(5.21±0.25±0.17)×10−2, ℬ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜇+𝜈𝜇)=(5.35±0.13±0.16)×10−3, and the ratio of decay widths 𝑅=Γ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜏+𝜈𝜏)Γ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜇+𝜈𝜇)=9.73+0.61−0.58±0.36, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. No evidence of 𝐶𝑃 asymmetry is observed in the decay rates 𝐷±𝑠→𝜇±𝜈𝜇 and 𝐷±𝑠→𝜏±𝜈𝜏: 𝐴𝐶𝑃(𝜇±𝜈)=(−1.2±2.5±1.0)% and 𝐴𝐶𝑃(𝜏±𝜈)=(+2.9±4.8±1.0)%. Constraining our measurement to the Standard Model expectation of lepton universality (𝑅=9.75), we find the more precise results ℬ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜏+𝜈𝜏)=(5.22±0.10±0.14)×10−2 and 𝐴𝐶𝑃(𝜏±𝜈𝜏)=(−0.1±1.9±1.0)%. Combining our results with inputs external to our analysis, we determine the 𝑐→¯𝑠 quark mixing matrix element, 𝐷+𝑠 decay constant, and ratio of the decay constants to be |𝑉𝑐𝑠|=0.973±0.009±0.014, 𝑓𝐷+𝑠=249.9±2.4±3.5 MeV, and 𝑓𝐷+𝑠/𝑓𝐷+=1.232±0.035, respectively.
Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb−1 collected at a center-of-mass energy √𝑠=3.773 GeV by the BESIII detector, the decay 𝐷0→𝜔𝜙 is observed for the first time. The branching fraction is measured to be (6.48±0.96±0.40)×10−4 with a significance of 6.3𝜎, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. An angular analysis reveals that the 𝜙 and 𝜔 mesons from the 𝐷0→𝜔𝜙 decay are transversely polarized. The 95% confidence level upper limit on longitudinal polarization fraction is set to be less than 0.24, which is inconsistent with current theoretical expectations and challenges our understanding of the underlying dynamics in charm meson decays.
Using data samples with a total integrated luminosity of 20.1 fb−1 collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, the cross section of the process 𝑒+𝑒−→𝜋+𝜋−𝜓(3686) is measured at center-of-mass energies between 4.0076 and 4.6984 GeV. The measured cross section is consistent with previous results, and with much improved precision. A fit to the measured energy-dependent cross section, which includes three Breit-Wigner functions and a nonresonant contribution, confirms the existence of the charmonium-like states 𝑌(4220), 𝑌(4390), and 𝑌(4660). This is the first observation of the 𝑌(4660) at the BESIII experiment.