P. J. Kroon

Azimuthal Angle Correlations for Rapidity Separated Hadron Pairs in d+Au Collisions at {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV

Deuteron-gold (d+Au) collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider provide ideal platforms for testing QCD theories in dense nuclear matter at high energy. In particular, models suggesting strong saturation effects for partons carrying small nucleon momentum fraction (x) predict modifications to jet production at forward rapidity (deuteron-going direction) in d+Au collisions. We report on two-particle azimuthal angle correlations between charged hadrons at forward/backward (deuteron/gold going direction) rapidity and charged hadrons at midrapidity in d+Au and p+p collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV. Jet structures observed in the correlations are quantified in terms of the conditional yield and angular width of away-side partners. The kinematic region studied here samples partons in the gold nucleus with x similar to 0.1 to similar to 0.01. Within this range, we find no x dependence of the jet structure in d+Au collisions.

Cold nuclear matter effects on J/{psi} production as constrained by deuteron-gold measurements at {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV

We present a new analysis of J/psi production yields in deuteron-gold collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV using data taken by the PHENIX experiment in 2003 and previously published in [S.S. Adler et al., Phys. Rev. Lett 96, 012304 (2006)]. The high statistics proton-proton J/psi data taken in 2005 is used to improve the baseline measurement and thus construct updated cold nuclear matter modification factors R_dAu. A suppression of J/psi in cold nuclear matter is observed as one goes forward in rapidity (in the deuteron-going direction), corresponding to a region more sensitive to initial state low-x gluons in the gold nucleus. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to theoretical calculations of nuclear shadowing to which a J/psi (or precursor) break-up cross-section is added. Breakup cross sections of sigma_breakup = 2.8^[+1.7_-1.4] (2.2^[+1.6_-1.5]) mb are obtained by fitting these calculations to the data using two different models of nuclear shadowing. These breakup cross section values are consistent within large uncertainties with the 4.2 +/- 0.5 mb determined at lower collision energies. Projecting this range of cold nuclear matter effects to copper-copper and gold-gold collisions reveals that the current constraints are not sufficient to firmly quantify the additional hot nuclear matter effect.

Single Electrons from Heavy-Flavor Decays in p+p Collisions at {radical}(s)=200 GeV

The invariant differential cross section for inclusive electron production in p+p collisions at [FORMULA: SEE TEXT] has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 0.4<or=pT<OR=5.0 GeV/c in the central rapidity region ([FORMULA: SEE TEXT]). The contribution to the inclusive electron spectrum from semileptonic decays of hadrons carrying heavy flavor, i.e., charm quarks or, at high , bottom quarks, is determined via three independent methods. The resulting electron spectrum from heavy-flavor decays is compared to recent leading and next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The total cross section of charm quark-antiquark pair production is determined to be [FORMULA: SEE TEXT].

Measurement of Identified {pi}{sup 0} and Inclusive Photon Second-Harmonic Parameter v{sub 2} and Implications for Direct Photon Production in {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV Au+Au

The azimuthal distribution of identified pi^0 and inclusive photons has been measured in sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions with the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The second harmonic parameter (v_2) was measured to describe the observed anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution. The measured inclusive photon v_2 is consistent with the value expected for the photons from hadron decay and is also consistent with the lack of direct photon signal over the measured p_T range 1-6 GeV/c. An attempt is made to extract v_2 of direct photons.

Common Suppression Pattern of {eta} and {pi}{sup 0} Mesons at High Transverse Momentum in Au+Au Collisions at {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of eta mesons have been measured within p(T)=2-10 GeV/c at midrapidity by the PHENIX experiment in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. In central Au+Au the eta yields are significantly suppressed compared to peripheral Au+Au, d+Au, and p+p yields scaled by the corresponding number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. The magnitude, centrality, and p(T) dependence of the suppression is common, within errors, for eta and pi(0). The ratio of eta to pi(0) spectra at high p(T) amounts to 0.40 < R-eta/pi(0)< 0.48 for the three systems, in agreement with the world average measured in hadronic and nuclear reactions and, at large scaled momentum, in e(+)e(-) collisions.

Nuclear effects on hadron production in d+Au collisions at {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV revealed by comparison with p+p data

PHENIX has measured the centrality dependence of midrapidity pion, kaon, and proton transverse momentum distributions in d+Au and p+p collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. The p+p data provide a reference for nuclear effects in d+Au and previously measured Au+Au collisions. Hadron production is enhanced in d+Au, relative to independent nucleon-nucleon scattering, as was observed in lower energy collisions. The nuclear modification factor for (anti)protons is larger than that for pions. The difference increases with centrality but is not sufficient to account for the abundance of baryon production observed in central Au+Au collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The centrality dependence in d+Au shows that the nuclear modification factor increases gradually with the number of collisions encountered by each participant nucleon. We also present comparisons with lower energy data as well as with parton recombination and other theoretical models of nuclear effects on particle production.

Production of {phi} mesons at midrapidity in {radical}(s{sub NN})=200 GeV Au+Au collisions at relativistic energies

We present the results of phi meson production in the K+K- decay channel from Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) =200 GeV as measured at midrapidity by the PHENIX detector at Brookhaven National Laboratorys Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Precision resonance centroid and width values are extracted as a function of collision centrality. No significant variation from the Particle Data Group accepted values is observed, contrary to some model predictions. The phi transverse mass spectra are fitted with a linear exponential function for which the derived inverse slope parameter is seen to be constant as a function of centrality. However, when these data are fitted by a hydrodynamic model the result is that the centrality-dependent freeze-out temperature and the expansion velocity values are consistent with the values previously derived from fitting identified charged hadron data. As a function of transverse momentum the collisions scaled peripheral-to-central yield ratio R-CP for the phi is comparable to that of pions rather than that of protons. This result lends support to theoretical models that distinguish between baryons and mesons instead of particle mass for explaining the anomalous (anti) proton yield.