Systematic study of charged-pion and kaon femtoscopy in Au + Au collisions atsNN=200GeV

We present a systematic study of charged-pion and kaon interferometry in Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. The kaon mean source radii are found to be larger than pion radii in the outward and longitudinal directions for the same transverse mass; this difference increases for more central collisions. The azimuthal-angle dependence of the radii was measured with respect to the second-order event plane and similar oscillations of the source radii were found for pions and kaons. Hydrodynamic models qualitatively describe the similar oscillations of the mean source radii for pions and kaons, but they do not fully describe the transverse-mass dependence of the oscillations.

Medium Modification of Jet Fragmentation inAu+AuCollisions atsNN=200  GeVMeasured in Direct Photon-Hadron Correlations

The jet fragmentation function is measured with direct photon-hadron correlations in p + p and Au + Au collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV. The P-T of the photon is an excellent approximation to the initial P-T of the jet and the ratio Z(T) = P-T(h)/P-T(gamma) is used as a proxy for the jet fragmentation function. A statistical subtraction is used to extract the direct photon-hadron yields in Au + Au collisions while a photon isolation cut is applied in p + p. I-AA, the ratio of hadron yield opposite the photon in Au + Au to that in p + p, indicates modification of the jet fragmentation function. Suppression, most likely due to energy loss in the medium, is seen at high Z(T). The associated h…

The PHENIX Collaboration

Measurement ofΥ(1S+2S+3S)production inp+pand Au + Au collisions atsNN=200GeV

Measurements of bottomonium production in heavy-ion and p + p collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are presented. The inclusive yield of the three states, (1S + 2S + 3S), was measured in the PHENIX experiment via electron-positron decay pairs at midrapidity for Au + Au and p + p collisions at root sNN = 200 GeV. The (1S + 2S + 3S) -> e(+)e(-) differential cross section at midrapidity was found to be B(ee)d sigma/dy = 108 +/- 38 (stat) +/- 15 (syst) +/- 11 (luminosity) pb in p + p collisions. The nuclear modification factor in the 30% most central Au + Au collisions indicates a suppression of the total. state yield relative to the extrapolation from p + p collision data. …

Cross section and transverse single-spin asymmetry ofηmesons inp↑+pcollisions ats=200  GeVat forward rapidity

We present a measurement of the cross section and transverse single-spin asymmetry (AN) for. mesons at large pseudorapidity from root s = 200 GeV p up arrow + p collisions. The measured cross section for 0.5 = 0.061 +/- 0.014. The results are consistent with prior transverse single-spin measurements of forward eta and pi(0) mesons at various energies in overlapping x(F) ranges. Comparison of different particle species can help to determine the origin of the large observed asymmetries in p up arrow + p collisions.

Measurement of the relative yields of ψ(2S) to ψ(1S) mesons produced at forward and backward rapidity in p+p , p+Al , p+Au , and He3+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV

The PHENIX Collaboration has measured the ratio of the yields of ψ(2S) to ψ(1S) mesons produced in p+p, p+Al, p+Au, and He3+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV over the forward and backward rapidity intervals 1.2<|y|<2.2. We find that the ratio in p+p collisions is consistent with measurements at other collision energies. In collisions with nuclei, we find that in the forward (p-going or He3-going) direction, the relative yield of ψ(2S) mesons to ψ(1S) mesons is consistent with the value measured in p+p collisions. However, in the backward (nucleus-going) direction, the ψ(2S) meson is preferentially suppressed by a factor of ∼2. This suppression is attributed in some models to the breakup of the w…

Heavy-quark production and elliptic flow in Au + Au collisions atsNN=62.4GeV

We present measurements of electrons and positrons from the semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor hadrons at midrapidity (|y|< 0.35) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−−√=62.4 GeV. The data were collected in 2010 by the PHENIX experiment that included the new hadron-blind detector. The invariant yield of electrons from heavy-flavor decays is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 1<peT<5 GeV/c. The invariant yield per binary collision is slightly enhanced above the p+p reference in Au+Au 0%–20%, 20%–40%, and 40%–60% centralities at a comparable level. At this low beam energy this may be a result of the interplay between initial-state Cronin effects, final-state flow, and energy …

Measurement of ϕ -meson production at forward rapidity in p+p collisions at s=510  GeV and its energy dependence from s=200  GeV to 7 TeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured the differential cross section of φ(1020)-meson production at forward rapidity in p+p collisions at s=510 GeV via the dimuon decay channel. The partial cross section in the rapidity and pT ranges 1.2

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations for extracting event-by-event elliptic and triangular flow in Au + Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV

We present measurements of elliptic and triangular azimuthal anisotropy of charged particles detected at forward rapidity 1<|η|<3 in Au + Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV, as a function of centrality. The multiparticle cumulant technique is used to obtain the elliptic flow coefficients v2{2},v2{4},v2{6}, and v2{8}, and triangular flow coefficients v3{2} and v3{4}. Using the small-variance limit, we estimate the mean and variance of the event-by-event v2 distribution from v2{2} and v2{4}. In a complementary analysis, we also use a folding procedure to study the distributions of v2 and v3 directly, extracting both the mean and variance. Implications for initial geometrical fluctuations and their …

Measurements of mass-dependent azimuthal anisotropy in central p + Au, d + Au, and He3 + Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV

We present measurements of the transverse- momentum dependence of elliptic flow v2 for identified pions and (anti)protons at midrapidity (|η|<0.35), in 0%–5% central p+Au and He3+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV. When taken together with previously published measurements in d+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV, the results cover a broad range of small-collision-system multiplicities and intrinsic initial geometries. We observe a clear mass-dependent splitting of v2(pT) in d+Au and He3+Au collisions, just as in large nucleus-nucleus (A+A) collisions, and a smaller splitting in p+Au collisions. Both hydrodynamic and transport model calculations successfully describe the data at low pT (<1.5GeV/c), but …

Measurement of the higher-order anisotropic flow coefficients for identified hadrons in Au + Au collisions atsNN=200GeV

Measurements of the anisotropic flow coefficients v2{Ψ2},v3{Ψ3},v4{Ψ4}, and v4{Ψ2} for identified particles (π±,K±, and p+p) at midrapidity, obtained relative to the event planes Ψm at forward rapidities in Au + Au collisions at sNN=200GeV, are presented as a function of collision centrality and particle transverse momenta pT. The vn coefficients show characteristic patterns consistent with hydrodynamical expansion of the matter produced in the collisions. For each harmonic n, a modified valence quark-number Nq scaling [plotting vn{Ψm}/(Nq)n/2 versus transverse kinetic energies (KET)/Nq] is observed to yield a single curve for all the measured particle species for a broad range of KET. A si…

Evolution ofπ0Suppression inAu+AuCollisions fromsNN=39to 200 GeV

Neutral-pion pi(0) spectra were measured at midrapidity (vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.35) in Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 39 and 62.4 GeV and compared with earlier measurements at 200 GeV in a transverse-momentum range of 1 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c. The high-p(T) tail is well described by a power law in all cases, and the powers decrease significantly with decreasing center-of-mass energy. The change of powers is very similar to that observed in the corresponding spectra for p + p collisions. The nuclear modification factors (RAA) show significant suppression, with a distinct energy, centrality, and p(T) dependence. Above p(T) = 7 GeV/c, R-AA is similar for root sNN = 62.4 and 200 GeV at …

Polarization and cross section of midrapidity J/ψ production in p+p collisions at s=510  GeV

The PHENIX experiment has measured the spin alignment for inclusive J/ψ→e+e- decays in proton-proton collisions at s=510 GeV at midrapidity. The angular distributions have been measured in three different polarization frames, and the three decay angular coefficients have been extracted in a full two-dimensional analysis. Previously, PHENIX saw large longitudinal net polarization at forward rapidity at the same collision energy. This analysis at midrapidity, complementary to the previous PHENIX results, sees no sizable polarization in the measured transverse momentum range of 0.0

Inclusive cross section and double-helicity asymmetry forπ0production at midrapidity inp+pcollisions ats=510  GeV

PHENIX measurements are presented for the cross section and double-helicity asymmetry (A(LL)) in inclusive pi(0) production at midrapidity from p + p collisions at root s = 510 GeV from data taken in 2012 and 2013 at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The next-to-leading-order perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics theory calculation is in excellent agreement with the presented cross section results. The calculation utilized parton-to-pion fragmentation functions from the recent DSS14 global analysis, which prefer a smaller gluon-to-pion fragmentation function. The pi(0)A(LL) results follow an increasingly positive asymmetry trend with p(T) and root s with respect to the predictions and are …

Low-mass vector-meson production at forward rapidity inp+pcollisions ats=200  GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured low-mass vector-meson ,omega, rho, and phi, production through the dimuon decay channel at forward rapidity (1.2 mu mu) = 80 +/- 6(stat) +/- 12(syst)nb and d sigma/dy(phi -> mu mu) = 27 +/- 3(stat) +/- 4(syst)nb. These results are compared with midrapidity measurements and calculations.

Measurement of J/ψ at forward and backward rapidity in p+p , p+Al , p+Au , and He3+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV

Charmonium is a valuable probe in heavy-ion collisions to study the properties of the quark gluon plasma, and is also an interesting probe in small collision systems to study cold nuclear matter effects, which are also present in large collision systems. With the recent observations of collective behavior of produced particles in small system collisions, measurements of the modification of charmonium in small systems have become increasingly relevant. We present the results of J/ψ measurements at forward and backward rapidity in various small collision systems, p+p, p+Al, p+Au, and He3+Au, at sNN=200 GeV. The results are presented in the form of the observable RAB, the nuclear modification …

Cross section and longitudinal single-spin asymmetry AL for forward W±→μ±ν production in polarized p+p collisions at s=510  GeV

We have measured the cross section and single-spin asymmetries from forward W±→μ±ν production in longitudinally polarized p+p collisions at s=510 GeV using the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The cross sections are consistent with previous measurements at this collision energy, while the most forward and backward longitudinal single spin asymmetries provide new insights into the sea quark helicities in the proton. The charge of the W bosons provides a natural flavor separation of the participating partons. © 2018 authors. Published by the American Physical Society.

Search for dark photons from neutral meson decays inp+pandd+Aucollisions atsNN=200 GeV

The standard model (SM) of particle physics is spectacularly successful, yet the measured value of the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g−2)μ deviates from SM calculations by 3.6σ. Several theoretical models attribute this to the existence of a “dark photon,” an additional U(1) gauge boson, which is weakly coupled to ordinary photons. The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has searched for a dark photon, U, in π0,η→γe+e− decays and obtained upper limits of O(2×10−6) on U−γ mixing at 90% C.L. for the mass range 30<mU<90 MeV/c2. Combined with other experimental limits, the remaining region in the U−γ mixing parameter space that can explain the (g−2)μ deviation from its SM…

Nonperturbative-transverse-momentum effects and evolution in dihadron and direct photon-hadron angular correlations in p+p collisions at s=510  GeV

Dihadron and isolated direct photon-hadron angular correlations are measured in $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV. Correlations of charged hadrons of $0.7<p_T<10$ GeV/$c$ with $\pi^0$ mesons of $4<p_T<15$ GeV/$c$ or isolated direct photons of $7<p_T<15$ GeV/$c$ are used to study nonperturbative effects generated by initial-state partonic transverse momentum and final-state transverse momentum from fragmentation. The nonperturbative behavior is characterized by measuring the out-of-plane transverse momentum component $p_{\rm out}$ perpendicular to the axis of the trigger particle, which is the high-$p_T$ direct photon or $\pi^0$. Nonperturbative evolution effects are extracted from …

Measurement of charged pion double spin asymmetries at midrapidity in longitudinally polarized p+p collisions at s=510  GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured the longitudinal double spin asymmetries, $A_{LL}$, for charged pions at midrapidity ($|\eta|<0.35$) in longitudinally polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=510$ GeV. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon spin contribution to the total spin of the proton in the parton momentum fraction $x$ range between 0.04 and 0.09. One can infer the sign of the gluon polarization from the ordering of pion asymmetries with charge alone. The asymmetries are found to be consistent with global quantum-chromodynamics fits of deep-inelastic scattering and data at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV, which show a nonzero positive contribution of…

Nuclear matter effects onJ/ψproduction in asymmetric Cu + Au collisions atsNN=200GeV

We report on J/psi production from asymmetric Cu + Au heavy-ion collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at both forward (Cu-going direction) and backward (Au-going direction) rapidities. The nuclear modification of J/psi yields in Cu + Au collisions in the Au-going direction is found to be comparable to that inAu + Au collisions when plotted as a function of the number of participating nucleons. In the Cu-going direction, J/psi production shows a stronger suppression. This difference is comparable in magnitude and has the same sign as the difference expected from shadowing effects due to stronger low-x gluon suppression in the larger Au nucleus.

Dielectron production in Au + Au collisions atsNN=200GeV

We present measurements of e+e- production at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV. The invariant yield is studied within the PHENIX detector acceptance over a wide range of mass (mee<5 GeV/c2) and pair transverse momentum (pT<5 GeV/c) for minimum bias and for five centrality classes. The e+e- yield is compared to the expectations from known sources. In the low-mass region (mee=0.30-0.76 GeV/c2) there is an enhancement that increases with centrality and is distributed over the entire pair pT range measured. It is significantly smaller than previously reported by the PHENIX experiment and amounts to 2.3±0.4(stat)±0.4(syst)±0.2(model) or to 1.7±0.3(stat)±0.3(syst)±0.2(model) for min…

Measurement ofKS0andK*0inp+p,d+Au, and Cu + Cu collisions atsNN=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has performed a systematic study of K-S(0) and K*(0) meson production at midrapidity in p + p, d + Au, and Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. The K-S(0) and K*(0) mesons are reconstructed via their K-S(0) -> pi(0)(-> gamma gamma) pi(0)(-> gamma gamma) and K*(0) -> K-+/-pi(-/+) decay modes, respectively. The measured transverse-momentum spectra are used to determine the nuclear modification factor of K-S(0) and K*(0) mesons in d + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at different centralities. In the d + Au collisions, the nuclear modification factor of K-S(0) and K*(0) mesons is almost constant as a function of transverse momentum a…

Measurement of jet-medium interactions via direct photon-hadron correlations in Au+Au and d+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV

We present direct photon-hadron correlations in 200 GeV/A Au+Au, d+Au, and p+p collisions, for direct photon pT from 5–12 GeV/c, collected by the PHENIX Collaboration in the years from 2006 to 2011. We observe no significant modification of jet fragmentation in d+Au collisions, indicating that cold nuclear matter effects are small or absent. Hadrons carrying a large fraction of the quark's momentum are suppressed in Au+Au compared to p+p and d+Au. As the momentum fraction decreases, the yield of hadrons in Au+Au increases to an excess over the yield in p+p collisions. The excess is at large angles and at low hadron pT and is most pronounced for hadrons associated with lower momentum direct …

J/ψsuppression at forward rapidity in Au+Au collisions atsNN=39and 62.4 GeV

We present measurements of the J/psi invariant yields in root s(NN) = 39 and 62.4 GeV Au + Au collisions at forward rapidity (1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2). Invariant yields are presented as a function of both collision centrality and transverse momentum. Nuclear modifications are obtained for central relative to peripheral Au + Au collisions (R-CP) and for various centrality selections in Au + Au relative to scaled p + p cross sections obtained from other measurements (R-AA). The observed suppression patterns at 39 and 62.4 GeV are quite similar to those previously measured at 200 GeV. This similar suppression presents a challenge to theoretical models that contain various compe…

Centrality dependence of low-momentum direct-photon production inAu+Aucollisions atsNN=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured the centrality dependence of the direct photon yield from Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=200 GeV down to pT=0.4 GeV/c. Photons are detected via photon conversions to e+e− pairs and an improved technique is applied that minimizes the systematic uncertainties that usually limit direct photon measurements, in particular at low pT. We find an excess of direct photons above the Ncoll-scaled yield measured in p+p collisions. This excess yield is well described by an exponential distribution with an inverse slope of about 240MeV/c in the pT range 0.6–2.0 GeV/c. While the shape of the pT distribution is independent of centrality within the experimental uncert…

Measurements of Elliptic and Triangular Flow in High-MultiplicityHe3+AuCollisions atsNN=200  GeV

We present the first measurement of elliptic ($v_2$) and triangular ($v_3$) flow in high-multiplicity $^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. Two-particle correlations, where the particles have a large separation in pseudorapidity, are compared in $^{3}$He$+$Au and in $p$$+$$p$ collisions and indicate that collective effects dominate the second and third Fourier components for the correlations observed in the $^{3}$He$+$Au system. The collective behavior is quantified in terms of elliptic $v_2$ and triangular $v_3$ anisotropy coefficients measured with respect to their corresponding event planes. The $v_2$ values are comparable to those previously measured in $d$$+$Au collis…

Production of π0 and η mesons in Cu+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV

Production of π0 and η mesons has been measured at midrapidity in Cu+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV. Measurements were performed in π0(η)→γγ decay channel in the 1(2)-20GeV/c transverse momentum range. A strong suppression is observed for π0 and η meson production at high transverse momentum in central Cu+Au collisions relative to the p+p results scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. In central collisions the suppression is similar to Au+Au with comparable nuclear overlap. The η/π0 ratio measured as a function of transverse momentum is consistent with mT-scaling parametrization down to pT=2GeV/c, its asymptotic value is constant and consistent with Au+Au and p+p and does not show…