gamma cross section in p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV

We report on a measurement of the gamma(1S + 2S + 3S) -> e(+)e(-) cross section at midrapidity in p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV. We find the cross section to be 114 +/- 38(stat + fit)(-24)(+23)(syst) pb. Perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-leading order in the color evaporation model are in agreement with our measurement, while calculations in the color singlet model underestimate it by 2 sigma. Our result is consistent with the trend seen in world data as a function of the center-of-mass energy of the collision and extends the availability of gamma data to RHIC energies. The dielectron continuum in the invariant-mass range near the gamma is also studied to obtain a combined yield of e(+)e(-) pairs from the sum of the Drell-Yan process and b-(b) over bar production.

Parton energy loss in heavy-ion collisions via direct-photon and charged-particle azimuthal correlations

Charged-particle spectra associated with direct photon (gamma(dir)) and pi(0) are measured in p + p and Au + Au collisions at center-of-mass energy root(S)(NN) = 200 GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. A shower-shape analysis is used to partially discriminate between gamma(dir) and pi(0). Assuming no associated charged particles in the gamma(dir) direction ( near side) and small contribution from fragmentation photons (gamma(frag)), the associated charged-particle yields opposite to gamma(dir) (away side) are extracted. In central Au + Au collisions, the charged-particle yields at midrapidity (vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1) and high transverse momentum (3 < (assoc)(PT) < 16 GeV/c) associated with gamma(dir) and pi(0) (vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.9, 8 < (trig)(PT) < 16 GeV/c) are suppressed by a factor of 3-5 compared with p + p collisions. The observed suppression of the associated charged particles is similar for gamma(dir) and pi(0) and independent of the gamma(dir) energy within uncertainties. These measurements indicate that, in the kinematic range covered and within our current experimental uncertainties, the parton energy loss shows no sensitivity to the parton initial energy, path length, or color charge.

Azimuthal di-hadron correlations in d plus Au and Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV measured at the STAR detector

Yields, correlation shapes, and mean transverse momenta p(T) of charged particles associated with intermediate-to high-p(T) trigger particles (2.5 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) in d + Au and Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV are presented. For associated particles at higher p(T) greater than or similar to 2.5 GeV/c, narrow correlation peaks are seen in d + Au and Au + Au, indicating that the main production mechanism is jet fragmentation. At lower associated particle pT < 2 GeV/c, a large enhancement of the near- (Delta phi similar to 0) and away-side (Delta phi similar to pi) associated yields is found, together with a strong broadening of the away-side azimuthal distributions in Au + Au collisions compared to d + Au measurements, suggesting that other particle production mechanisms play a role. This is further supported by the observed significant softening of the away-side associated particle yield distribution at Delta phi similar to pi in central Au + Au collisions.

Balance functions from Au+Au, d+Au, and p+p collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

Balance functions have been measured for charged-particle pairs, identified charged-pion pairs, and identified charged-kaon pairs in Au + Au, d + Au, and p + p collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using the STAR detector. These balance functions are presented in terms of relative pseudorapidity, Delta eta, relative rapidity, Delta y, relative azimuthal angle, Delta phi, and invariant relative momentum, q(inv). For charged-particle pairs, the width of the balance function in terms of Delta eta scales smoothly with the number of participating nucleons, while HIJING and UrQMD model calculations show no dependence on centrality or system size. For charged-particle and charged-pion pairs, the balance functions widths in terms of Delta eta and Delta y are narrower in central Au + Au collisions than in peripheral collisions. The width for central collisions is consistent with thermal blast-wave models where the balancing charges are highly correlated in coordinate space at breakup. This strong correlation might be explained by either delayed hadronization or limited diffusion during the reaction. Furthermore, the narrowing trend is consistent with the lower kinetic temperatures inherent to more central collisions. In contrast, the width of the balance function for charged-kaon pairs in terms of Delta y shows little centrality dependence, which may signal a different production mechanism for kaons. The widths of the balance functions for charged pions and kaons in terms of q(inv) narrow in central collisions compared to peripheral collisions, which may be driven by the change in the kinetic temperature.

Inclusive pi(0), eta, and direct photon production at high transverse momentum in p plus p and d plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We report a measurement of high-p(T) inclusive pi(0), eta, and direct photon production in p + p and d + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV at midrapidity (0 < eta < 1). Photons from the decay pi(0) -> gamma gamma were detected in the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The eta -> gamma gamma decay was also observed and constituted the first eta measurement by STAR. The first direct photon cross-section measurement by STAR is also presented; the signal was extracted statistically by subtracting the pi(0), eta, and omega(782) decay background from the inclusive photon distribution observed in the calorimeter. The analysis is described in detail, and the results are found to be in good agreement with earlier measurements and with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations.

Observation of charge-dependent azimuthal correlations and possible local strong parity violation in heavy-ion collisions

Parity (P)-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in noncentral collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three-particle mixed-harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a P-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge-separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 and 62 GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to P violation.

Spectra of identified high-p(T) pi(+/-) and p((p)over-bar ) in Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We report new results on identified (anti) proton and charged pion spectra at large transverse momenta (3 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) from Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This study explores the system size dependence of two novel features observed at RHIC with heavy ions: the hadron suppression at high-p(T) and the anomalous baryon to meson enhancement at intermediate transverse momenta. Both phenomena could be attributed to the creation of a new form of QCD matter. The results presented here bridge the system size gap between the available pp and Au + Au data, and allow for a detailed exploration of the onset of the novel features. Comparative analysis of all available 200 GeV data indicates that the system size is a major factor determining both the magnitude of the hadron spectra suppression at large transverse momenta and the relative baryon to meson enhancement.

Charged and strange hadron elliptic flow in Cu plus Cu collisions at root s(NN)=62.4 and 200 GeV

We present the results of an elliptic flow, v(2), analysis of Cu + Cu collisions recorded with the solenoidal tracker detector (STAR) at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at root s(NN) = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Elliptic flow as a function of transverse momentum, v(2)(p(T)), is reported for different collision centralities for charged hadrons h(+/-) and strangeness-ontaining hadrons K-S(0), Lambda, Xi, and phi in the midrapidity region vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.0. Significant reduction in systematic uncertainty of the measurement due to nonflow effects has been achieved by correlating particles at midrapidity, vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.0, with those at forward rapidity, 2.5 < vertical bar eta vertical bar < 4.0. We also present azimuthal correlations in p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV to help in estimating nonflow effects. To study the system-size dependence of elliptic flow, we present a detailed comparison with previously published results from Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. We observe that v(2)(p(T)) of strange hadrons has similar scaling properties as were first observed in Au + Au collisions, that is, (i) at low transverse momenta, p(T) < 2 GeV/c, v(2) scales with transverse kinetic energy, m(T) - m, and (ii) at intermediate p(T), 2 < p(T) < 4 GeV/c, it scales with the number of constituent quarks, n(q.) We have found that ideal hydrodynamic calculations fail to reproduce the centrality dependence of v(2)(p(T)) for K-S(0) and Lambda. Eccentricity scaled v(2) values, v(2)/epsilon, are larger in more central collisions, suggesting stronger collective flow develops in more central collisions. The comparison with Au + Au collisions, which go further in density, shows that v(2)/epsilon depends on the system size, that is, the number of participants N-part. This indicates that the ideal hydrodynamic limit is not reached in Cu + Cu collisions, presumably because the assumption of thermalization is not attained.

Observation of pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) photoproduction in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV at the STAR detector

We present a measurement of pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) photonuclear production in ultraperipheral Au-Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV from the STAR experiment. The pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) final states are observed at low transverse momentum and are accompanied by mutual nuclear excitation of the beam particles. The strong enhancement of the production cross section at low transverse momentum is consistent with coherent photoproduction. The pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) invariant mass spectrum of the coherent events exhibits a broad peak around 1540 +/- 40 MeV/c(2) with a width of 570 +/- 60 MeV/c(2), in agreement with the photoproduction data for the rho(0)(1700). We do not observe a corresponding peak in the pi(+)pi(-) final state and measure an upper limit for the ratio of the branching fractions of the rho(0)(1700) to pi(+)pi(-) and pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) of 2.5% at 90% confidence level. The ratio of rho(0)(1700) and rho(0)(770) coherent production cross sections is measured to be 13.4 +/- 0.8(stat.) +/- 4.4(syst.)%.

Identified particle production, azimuthal anisotropy, and interferometry measurements in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=9.2 GeV

We present the first measurements of identified hadron production, azimuthal anisotropy, and pion interferometry from Au + Au collisions below the nominal injection energy at the BNL Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) facility. The data were collected using the large acceptance solenoidal tracker at RHIC (STAR) detector at root s(NN) = 9.2 GeV from a test run of the collider in the year 2008. Midrapidity results on multiplicity density dN/dy in rapidity y, average transverse momentum < p(T)>, particle ratios, elliptic flow, and Hanbury-Brown-Twiss (HBT) radii are consistent with the corresponding results at similar root s(NN) from fixed-target experiments. Directed flow measurements are presented for both midrapidity and forward-rapidity regions. Furthermore the collision centrality dependence of identified particle dN/dy, < p(T)>, and particle ratios are discussed. These results also demonstrate that the capabilities of the STAR detector, although optimized for root s(NN) = 200 GeV, are suitable for the proposed QCD critical-point search and exploration of the QCD phase diagram at RHIC.

Observation of an Antimatter Hypernucleus

Nuclear collisions recreate conditions in the universe microseconds after the Big Bang. Only a very small fraction of the emitted fragments are light nuclei, but these states are of fundamental interest. We report the observation of antihypertritons-comprising an antiproton, an antineutron, and an antilambda hyperon-produced by colliding gold nuclei at high energy. Our analysis yields 70 +/- 17 antihypertritons (3/Lambda(H) over bar) and 157 +/- 30 hypertritons (H-3(Lambda)). The measured yields of H-3(Lambda) (3/Lambda(H) over bar) and He-3 ((3)(He) over bar) are similar, suggesting an equilibrium in coordinate and momentum space populations of up, down, and strange quarks and antiquarks, unlike the pattern observed at lower collision energies. The production and properties of antinuclei, and of nuclei containing strange quarks, have implications spanning nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.

Longitudinal scaling property of the charge balance function in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We present measurements of the charge balance function, from the charged particles, for diverse pseudorapidity and transverse momentum ranges in Au + Au collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at RHIC. We observe that the balance function is boost-invariant within the pseudorapidity coverage vertical bar-1.3, 1.3 vertical bar. The balance function properly scaled by the width of the observed pseudorapidity window does not depend on the position or size of the pseudorapidity window. This scaling property also holds for particles in different transverse momentum ranges. In addition, we find that the width of the balance function decreases monotonically with increasing transverse momentum for all centrality classes. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Center of mass energy and system-size dependence of photon production at forward rapidity at RHIC

We present the multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of photons produced in Au + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at root(NN)-N-s = 62.4 and 200 GeV. The photons are measured in the region -3.7 < eta < -2.3 using the photon Multiplicity detector in the STAR experiment at RHIC. The number of photons produced per average number of participating nucleon pairs increases with the beam energy and is independent of (lie collision centrality. For collisions with similar average numbers of participating nucleons the photon multiplicities are observed to be similar for An + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at a given beam energy. The ratios of the number of charged particles to photons in the measured pseudorapidity range are found to be 1.4 +/- 0.1 and 1.2 +/- 0.1 for root(NN)-N-s = 62.4 and 200 GeV, respectively. The energy dependence of this ratio could reflect varying contributions from baryons to charged particles, while mesons are the dominant contributors to photon production in the given kinematic region. The photon pseudorapidity distributions normalized by average number of participating nucleon pairs, when plotted as a function of eta-Y-beam, are found to follow a longitudinal scaling independent of centrality and colliding ion species at both beam energies. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

等时性回旋加速器的理论与设计

本论文比较系统地介绍了等时性回旋加速器的理论，并以兰州重离子加速器系统的注入器SFC和主加速器SSC两台等时性回旋加速器为例介绍该类型加速器的设计特点和设计方法，以及作者在这两台加速器上所做的一些具体设计和改进工作。 首先一般性地介绍加速器尤其是回旋加速器在原子核物理及粒子物理中的作用以及在其它应用学科中的作用，加速器学科尤其是回旋加速器的发展水平和发展趋势。在第二章中给出经典回旋加速器和等时性回旋加速器的理论基础，包括等时性加速原理，轴向聚焦和径向聚焦的稳定加速条件以及由扇块产生的方位角调变磁场提供的轴向聚焦力，径向运动稳定区和共振理论，和加速平衡轨道理论。从第三章到第五章，从等时场的建立，注入系统及引出系统等比较具体的方面来阐述该类型加速器的理论和各种实现方法。第三章介绍GORDON理论和Kb——Kr两种比较常见的理论等时场的建立方法，磁铁和线圈的设计和作用，以及磁场的测量。还介绍了对实际等时性磁场的评价以及通过对束流相位的测量来反映实际等时场的作用和对等时场的再优化等方法。在第四章中，系统地介绍了利用外离子源或利用其它加速器作为注入器时通常采用轴向或者径向注入方法。注入引出系统尤其是注入系统通常是影响一台加速器传输效率的关键性部分，因而在如何提高注入系统的效率方面人们做了大量的工作，特别是轴向注入方法。回旋加速器的中心区是注入的结束和正常加速过程的开始，其设计的好坏对注入效率和后面的束流轨道也是很重要的。第五章在讨论束流从加速器中的引出时，主要强调束流用户或后级加速器对引出束流品质的要求以及引出效率，因而强调了较高的内束流质量和单圈引出的重要性，以及提高引出点的圈距的具体的方法如提高加速圈距、共振进动和非共振进动方法。引出路径上的束流聚焦也是引出系统设计应考虑的一个方面。另外还介绍了再生引出和剥离膜引出方法。在这几章中不仅介绍了回旋加速器的理论，通常从Hamilton方法出发，而且还介绍了进行实际加速器设计中常用的束流轨道数值计算方法。但前者在理解加速器的物理图像方法以及在设计初期对某些重要的参数的评价和估计方面是很必要的。在介绍等时性回旋加速器的理论和设计方法的同时还以SFC和SSC两台回旋加速器和它们的分系统的具体设计为例子作了比较详细的实际应用对照。 论文的最后部分，即第六章是介绍作者自己在回旋加速器的理论和设计方面的部分工作，为了保持整篇论文的协调一致，没有将在国外所做的工作列入，只编入了在HIRFL上进行的直接与回旋加速器的物理设计有关的工作： ① 作者提出的一种新的等时场垫补和优化方法，该方法利用回旋加速器垫补线圈的磁场贡献具有台阶性的特点，对垫补或优化区域采取从小半径到大半径或反过来逐步垫补的方法，它既适用于紧凑式回旋加速器也适用于分离扇回旋加速器，它具有直观性和可对垫补及优化过程进行直接干预的特点。 ② 对SFC的轴向注入系统进行了改进设计，新的注入系统配备两台在线ECR离子源并加强和增加了注入束运线的功能，如增加了离子源的电荷态分析能力，束流发射度的限制功能、进行发射度测量和束流状态的监测功能等等。新的注入系统还提高了三次谐波加速情况下的注入电压以减小空间电荷效应的影响。相比原系统新的轴向注入束运系统有更高的注入效率，更好的调束手段和更好的空间安排。 ③ 对SFC轴向注入束运线的聚束器系统进行了重新设计，用二台分别工作再SFC采用基波加速模式和三次谐波加速模式下的不同聚束器结构代替原来的一台聚束器，以适应SFC较宽的加速粒子和能量范围，并提高了聚束器本身的指标，可以明显地提高轴向注入系统的传输效率和SFC的内束流质量，同时该聚束器系统还采用了新的半频聚束模式，在不影响SFC的效率和束流质量的情况下可以将SFC与SSC的理论纵向匹配效率由原设计的50%提高到100%。 ④ 对SFC加速器的中心区进行了改进设计，配合轴向注入系统将三次谐波加速时的注入半径由2.5cm提高到3.0cm，使加速较重的重离子的条件得到改善，并保留基波加速时2.5cm的注入半径，即新的中心区要适应两套注入参数，每次仅更换新的螺旋线型静电偏转镜。新的中心区还照顾到SFC高频DEE电压在某些情况下偏低的不足。 ⑤ 在对HIRFL加速器系统进行了全面的分析后，提出了一系列的提高其束流指标和运行效率的改进措施，作为进一步工作的方向，并给出了在完成目前正在进行的改进工作后和2000年前后HIRFL可能达到的束流指标。 在附录中一般性地介绍了Hamilton分析力学和带电粒子束的相空间理论，在讨论了束流动力学研究中经常用到的传输矩阵方法和轨迹跟踪方法。在附录二中介绍了加速器用的多电荷态离子源的情况，尤其是以ECR离子源为代表的高电荷重离子源的情况。