Gene van Buren

Spectra and radial flow in relativistic heavy ion collisions with Tsallis statistics in a blast-wave description

We have implemented the Tsallis statistics in a Blast-Wave model (TBW) and applied it to midrapidity transverse-momentum spectra of identified particles measured at BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This new TBW function fits the RHIC data very well for p{sub T}<3 GeV/c. We observed that the collective flow velocity starts from zero in p+p and peripheral Au+Au collisions and grows to 0.470{+-}0.009c in central Au+Au collisions. The resulting (q-1) parameter, which characterizes the degree of nonequilibrium in a system, indicates an evolution from a highly nonequilibrated system in p+p collisions toward an almost thermalized system in central Au+Au collisions. The temperature and collective velocity are well described by a quadratic dependence on (q-1). Two sets of parameters in our TBW are required to describe the meson and baryon groups separately in p+p collisions while one set appears to fit all spectra in central Au+Au collisions.

Overview of the inner silicon detector alignment procedure and techniques in the RHIC/STAR experiment

The STAR experiment was primarily designed to detect signals of a possible phase transition in nuclear matter. Its layout, typical for a collider experiment, contains a large Time Projection Chamber (TPC) in a solenoid magnet, a set of four layers of combined silicon strip and silicon drift detectors for secondary vertex reconstruction, plus other detectors. In this presentation, we will report on recent global and individual detector element alignment as well as drift velocity calibration work performed on this STAR inner silicon tracking system. We will show how attention to details positively impacts the physics capabilities of STAR and explain the iterative procedure conducted to reach such results in low, medium and high track density and detector occupancy.

STAR reconstruction improvements for tracking with the heavy flavor tracker

The reconstruction and identification of charmed hadron decays provides an important tool for the study of heavy quark behavior in the Quark Gluon Plasma. Such measurements require high resolution to topologically identify decay daughters at vertices displaced < 100 microns from the primary collision vertex, placing stringent demands on track reconstruction software. To enable these measurements at RHIC, the STAR experiment has designed and employed the Heavy Flavor Tracker (HFT). It is composed of silicon-based tracking detectors, providing four layers of high-precision position measurements which are used in combination with hits from the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to reconstruct track candidates. The STAR integrated tracking software (Sti) has delivered a decade of world-class physics. It was designed to leverage the discrete azimuthal symmetry of the detector and its simple radial ordering of components, permitting a flat representation of the detector geometry in terms of concentric cylinders and planes, and an approximate track propagation code. These design choices reflected a careful balancing of competing priorities, trading precision for speed in track reconstruction. To simplify the task of integrating new detectors, tools were developed to automatically generate the Sti geometry model, tying both reconstruction and simulation to the single source AgML geometry model. The increased precision and complexity of the HFT detector required a careful reassessment of this single geometry path and implementation choices. In this paper we will discuss the test suite and regression tools developed to improve reconstruction with the HFT, our lessons learned in tracking with high precision detectors and the tradeoffs between precision, speed and ease of use which were required.

Developments in tracking with STAR's heavy flavor tracker

A primary goal of the high luminosity era at RHIC will be the study of heavy quark behavior in Quark Gluon Plasma. The integration of high precision silicon-based tracking in the form of the Heavy Flavor Tracker for the STAR Experiment should enable the reconstruction and identification of charmed hadron decays, working in concert with STAR’s Time Projection Chamber to determine momenta and displacement of decay daughters from the primary collision vertex. To reach the precision demands, the new detectors must be calibrated and sufficiently accounted in tracking to observe charmed hadrons with high signal-to-noise. In this paper we will review the STAR Collaboration’s developments and achievements in this critical effort.