Dynamics of pion production in heavy-ion collisions around 1A GeV energies

Within the framework of the improved isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model, the dynamics of pion emission in heavy-ion collisions in the region of 1A GeV energies as a probe of nuclear symmetry energy at suprasaturation densities is investigated systematically. The total pion multiplicities and the pi(-)/pi(+) yields are calculated for selected Skyrme parameters SkP, SLy6, Ska, and SIII and also for the cases of different stiffness of symmetry energy with the parameter SLy6. The influence of Coulomb potential, symmetry energy, and in-medium pion potential on the pion production is investigated and compared to each other by analyzing the distributions of transverse momentum and longitudinal rapidity and also the excitation functions of the total pion and the pi(-)/pi(+) ratio. The directed flow, elliptic flow, and polar-angle distributions are calculated for the cases of different collision centralities and also the various stiffnesses of the symmetry energies. A comparison of the calculations with the available experimental data is performed.

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.

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.

Isospin-dependent pairing interaction from nuclear matter calculations

The isospin dependence of the effective pairing interaction is discussed on the basis of the Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer theory of superfluid asymmetric nuclear matter. It is shown that the energy gap, calculated within the mean field approximation in the range from symmetric nuclear matter to pure neutron matter, is not linearly dependent on the symmetry parameter owing to the nonlinear structure of the gap equation. Moreover, the construction of a zero-range effective pairing interaction compatible with the neutron and proton gaps in homogeneous matter is investigated, along with some recent proposals of isospin dependence tested on the nuclear data table.

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.

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.

用RIMS研究低能He2+与Ar碰撞的多电子过程

用反冲离子动量谱仪研究了低能He2+与Ar碰撞的多电子交换过程。该技术的独特优势是对反冲离子末态动量的完全测量。实验上鉴别了单电子俘获SC，双电子俘获DC和转移电离TI各子过程，并得到了末态量子态布居信息，首次测量了该体系各反应道的角微分截面及直接与碰撞参数相关的信息。实验发现电子主要俘获到入射离子基态或单激发态，反冲离子处于单激发态或多激发态，并有较大几率形成空心离子。研究表明电荷交换过程中存在较强的电子-电子关联作用。角分布随反冲离子电荷态增加而变宽，并向大角度方向移动，表明碰撞参数减小，相互作用加剧。SC和DC与MCBM理论角微分截面符合很好，说明在大碰撞参数时经典近似有一定合理性。不同碰撞参数范围内反冲纵向动量分布表明，SC在碰撞参数7.2a.u.≥b≥3.6a.u.时发生机率最大，随碰撞参数减小，靶离子有不断向更高激发态过渡的趋势

三体核力对核物质中基态关联效应和中子星物质中1S0态质子超流性的影响

本论文介绍了极端条件下核物质性质研究的现状以及目前常用的几种微观核多体方法，系统描述了核物质中的基态关联效应、温度效应对单核子势的影响和同位旋非对称核物质 态中子、质子超流性，重点考虑了利用介子交换流方法建立的微观三体核力所产生的影响。利用BHF和BCS的理论方法,计算了同位旋非对称核物质中 态中子和质子的对关联能隙，着重讨论了三体核力的影响。结果表明，三体核力对同位旋非对称核物质中 态的中子超流性影响相对较小，但是对 态的质子超流性具有重要影响，其效应随总核子数密度的增大而迅速增强。随着同位旋非对称度 的增加，中子能隙向低密移动，能隙峰值逐渐增大，并且这种效果随着 的增加而逐渐减弱，而质子的情况刚好相反。另外还参与了 稳定中子星物质中超流性的研究。利用质量算子空穴线展开，通过计算不同温度和密度下的核物质中单核子势和核子有效质量，重点研究和讨论了基态关联效应和三体核力贡献对热核物质中单核子势的影响，研究表明：基态关联效应提供了一个排斥效应，温度和三体核力都削弱了基态关联效应

中子及中子星物质中的3PF2态超流性和微观三体核力效力效应

本论文介绍了当前中子及中子星物质中超流性研究的背景及现状、核多体理论Brueckner-Hartree-Fock及同位旋相关的Brueckner-Hartree-Fock方法，以及利用BHF和BCS理论计算中子及中子星物质中的对关联能隙方法。系统计算并描述了中子及中子星物质中子的3PF2态超流性，并重点考虑了利用介子交换流方法建立的微观三体核力所产生的影响。 我们的研究结果表明：三体核力对中子物质中3PF2态中子超流性有强烈的增强效应。 当在BCS能隙方程中采用自由粒子能谱近似时，三体核力使相应的对关联能隙峰值增加了77%(由0.64MeV增大到1.13MeV)；当采用自洽BHF单粒子能谱时，三体核力导致相应的对关联能隙峰值由0.22MeV增大到0.50MeV，增加了约127%。 三体核力使中子星物质中3PF2态中子超流能隙随着密度的增大而单调递增。当采用自洽BHF单粒子能谱时不考虑三体核力时，对关联能隙峰值在密度约1.9fm-3时有峰值0.19MeV。而在这个两体力导致的能隙的峰值密度，三体核力导致相应的对关联能隙由0.19MeV增大到0.36MeV

三体核力影响下的核物质状态方程及中子星物质中的中子质子超流性

本论文介绍了极端条件下核物质研究的现状以及目前常用的几种核多体方法，系统描述了冷、热非对称核物质的状态方程和刀稳定中子星物质中的15。态中子和质子超流性，特别是微观三体核力对此所产生的影响。通过引入微观三体核力，扩展了有限温度的BI．tleclcller-Hal'tree-Fock（FTBHF）理论。利用这一扩展的理沦，详细研究了同位旋非对称热核物质的状态方程、液气相变临界现象以及三体核力对此所产生的影响。在不同的中质比条件下，重点讨论了热核物质液气相变的临界温度和动力学不稳定区域的温度、同位旋相关性。由此表明，三体核力的引入在一定程度上降低了液气相变的临界温度值，在固定的温度和密度下，非对称核物质的压弧随同位旋非对称度的增加而单调的增力日，而且随着核物质温度的升高和非对称度的增加，动力学不稳定区域逐渐缩小。通过与其它理论模型（特别是Di1'ac-BHF方法）所预言的结果相比较，就目前扩展的包含三体核力修正的FTBHF理论与Dilac-BHF方法所计算的临界温度的差异问题，文中给出一种可能的解释。通过计算热核物质的单粒子结合能，给出了有限温度条件下对称能的计算方式，并且细致研究了不同温度、密度下的对称能以及三体核力在高密度区域对对称能的影响。结果表明，微观三体核力强烈影响着高密度区域的对称能，使其对温度的变化更加明显。此外，其它重要物理量（例如中子和质子的单粒子势能、有效质量等）的同位旋依赖性和温度、密度相关性在文中也被详细的讨论。利用质量算子的空穴线展井，表明了在基态关联所导致的对单核子势的重排修正项影响下的HLlgenholtz-VanHove(HVH)定理的恢复程度，并且进一步计算了中子和质子化学势。并且以包含兰体核力的FTBI-方法为基础，研究了热核物质中重排项的密度和温度依赖性并讨论了三体核力对重排项的影响。通过计算不同温度和密度下的核物质中单核子势和核子有效质量，特别是研究和讨论了基态关联效应和三体核力贡献对热核物质中单核子势的影响，表明了基态关联和三体核力对单核子势修正的重要性。利用BHF和BCS的理论方法，计算了β稳定中子星物质中处于150态的中子和质子的对关联能隙，着重研究和讨论了三体核力的影响。结果表明，三体核力对刀稳定物质中｛s0态中子超流性的影响相对较小，但是对，S0态质子超流性具有重要影响，其效应随核子数密度的增大而迅速增强。三体核力的主要作用是强烈地抑制了高密度区刀稳定中子星物质中的150态质子超流性，而且三体核力对中子星物质中，So态超流相的抑制效应主要是通过质子或中子的有效对相互作用而起作用的。