N. Xu

Hadron distributions - recent results from the CERN experiment NA44

Proton distributions at midrapidity have been measured for 158A{circ}GeV/c Pb + Pb collisions in the focusing spectrometer experiment NA44 at CERN. A high degree of nuclear stopping is found in the truly heavy ion collisions. Systematic results of single particle transverse momentum distributions of pions, kaons, and protons, of 200A-GeV/c S+S and 158A{circ}GeV/c Pb+Pb central collisions will be addressed within the context of thermalization. By comparing these data with thermal and transport models, freeze-out parameters such as the temperature parameter T{sub fo} and mean collective flow velocity ({Beta}) are extracted. Preliminary results of the particle ratios of K{sup -}/K{sup +} and p/p are discussed in the context of cascade models of RQMD and VENUS.

Mid-rapidity protons in 158A·GeV Pb+Pb collisions

Abstract Proton distributions at mid-rapidity (2 ≤ y ≤ 3) have been measured for 158A·GeV Pb+Pb collisions in the focusing spectrometer experiment NA44 at CERN. From baryon number conservation and by comparing the experimentally measured d N d y distribution with the transport model RQMD, we conclude that a rather high degree of nuclear stopping has been reached for the truly heavy-ion collisions at these energies. Transverse mass distributions exhibit characteristically thermal shapes and the slope parameters increase with the mass of the colliding system.

Strange meson enhancement in PbPb collisions

Abstract The NA44 Collaboration has measured yields and differential distributions of K + , K − , π + , π − in transverse kinetic energy and rapidity, around the center-of-mass rapidity in 158 A GeV/ c Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. A considerable enhancement of K + production per π is observed, as compared to p + p collisions at this energy. To illustrate the importance of secondary hadron rescattering as an enhancement mechanism, we compare strangeness production at the SPS and AGS with predictions of the transport model RQMD.The NA44 Collaboration has measured yields and differential distributions of K+, K-, pi+, pi- in transverse kinetic energy and rapidity, around the center-of-mass rapidity in 158 A GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. A considerable enhancement of K+ production per pi is observed, as compared to p+p collisions at this energy. To illustrate the importance of secondary hadron rescattering as an enhancement mechanism, we compare strangeness production at the SPS and AGS with predictions of the transport model RQMD.

One and two-dimensional analysis of 3π correlations measured in Pb+Pb interactions

Abstract π−π−π− correlations from Pb+Pb collisions at 158 GeV/c per nucleon are presented as measured by the focusing spectrometer of the NA44 experiment at CERN. The three-body effect is found to be stronger for Pb+Pb than for S+Pb. The two-dimensional three-particle correlation function is also measured and the longitudinal extension of the source is larger than the transverse extension.

Coulomb effect in single particle distributions

Abstract Single particle distributions from heavy-ion collisions show the effect of Coulomb interactions on the final state. While a rather strong effect is seen in the ratio π − π + from central 158A·GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions, at most a small enhancement is found in the ratios from S+S and S+Pb collisions at 200A·GeV/c.

Particle ratios from central Pb + Pb collisions at the CERN SPS

We will address the physics of K?/K+ and /p ratios measured in 158 A GeV Pb + Pb collisions as a function of centrality and transverse momentum. We observe little significant centrality dependence in neither K?/K+ nor /p ratios and they are almost constant as a function of PT. In addition to the chemical freeze-out temperature Tch, we extract the chemical potentials for both light and strange quarks (?q and ?s) by comparing the present data with simple model predictions. Tch is greater than the thermal freeze-out temperature which is extracted from the transverse momentum distribution of charged hadrons.

A multiplicity-vertex detector for the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

Abstract A Multiplicity-Vertex Detector (MVD) has been designed, and is in construction for the PHENIX Experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The 35 000 channel silicon detector is a two-layer barrel comprised of 112 strip detectors, and two disk-shaped endcaps comprised of 24 wedge-shaped pad detectors. The support structure of the MVD is very low mass, only 0.4% of a radiation length in the central barrel. The detector front-end electronics are a custom CMOS chip set containing preamplifier, discriminator, analog memory unit, and analog-to-digital converter. The system has pipelined acquisition, performs in simultaneous read/write mode, and is clocked by the 10 MHz beam crossing rate at RHIC. These die, together with a pair of commercial FPGAs that are used for control logic, are packaged in a mutlichip-module (MCM). The MCM will be fabricated in the High-Density-Interconnect (HDI) process. The prototype MCM design layout is described.

Two-proton correlations near midrapidity in p+Pb and S+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS

Correlations of two protons emitted near midrapidity in p+Pb collisions at 450 GeV/c and S+Pb collisions at 200A GeV/c are presented, as measured by the NA44 Experiment. The correlation effect, which arises as a result of final state interactions and Fermi-Dirac statistics, is related to the space-time characteristics of proton emission. The measured source sizes are smaller than the size of the target lead nucleus but larger than the sizes of the projectiles. A dependence on the collision centrality is observed; the source size increases with decreasing impact parameter. Proton source sizes near midrapidity appear to be smaller than those of pions in the same interactions. Quantitative agreement with the results of RQMD (v1.08) simulations is found for p+Pb collisions. For S+Pb collisions the measured correlation effect is somewhat weaker than that predicted by the model simulations, implying either a larger source size or larger contribution of protons from long-lived particle decays.Abstract Correlations of two protons emitted near midrapidity in p + Pb collisions at 450 GeV/ c and S + Pb collisions at 200 A GeV/ c are presented, as measured by the NA44 Experiment. The correlation effect, which arises as a result of final state interactions and Fermi-Dirac statistics, is related to the space-time characteristics of proton emission. The measured source sizes are smaller than the size of the target lead nucleus but larger than the sizes of the projectiles. A dependence on the collision centrality is observed; the source size increases with decreasing impact parameter. Proton source sizes near midrapidity appear to be smaller than those of pions in the same interactions. Quantitative agreement with the results of RQMD (v1.08) simulations is found for p + Pb collisions. For S + Pb collisions the measured correlation effect is somewhat weaker than that predicted by the model simulations, implying either a larger source size or larger contribution of protons from long-lived particle decays.

Measuring the space-time extent of nuclear collisions using interferometry

Abstract Hanbury-Brown and Twiss (HBT) interferometry is used to study the space-time evolution of nuclear collisions at CERN energies. Pairs of identified pions, kaons and protons are studied by NA44 for a variety of collisions systems ranging from p-Pb to Pbue5f8Pb. The pion and kaon correlation data from the 1994 and 1995 Pb runs are compared to published data. The systematic increase in radius parameter with system size is continued in the Pb data sample. Model comparision stress the importance of scattering in the evolution of the collision.

One-, two- and three-particle hadron spectra — Recent results from CERN/SPS experiment NA44

Abstract Recent results of analyses on hadron spectra from the focusing spectrometer experiment NA44 are presented. One-, two- and three-particle hadron spectra in the mid-rapidity region at CERN/SPS energy have been measured. The mT inverse-slopes of proton and anti-proton in collision systems from p+A to Pb+Pb are discussed. Spectra of deuteron, triton and anti-deuteron are presented, and the flow effect on the composite particle spectra are discussed. The two-particle interferometry analysis is made for the π±π± and K+K+ correlations in the central Pb+Pb collisions, and the dependences of interferometric parameters on the transverse mass and the multiplicity are discussed.