We present results for the charged-particle multiplicity distribution at mid-rapidity in Au - Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV measured with the PHENIX detector at RHIC. For the 5% most central collisions we find $dN_{ch}/d\eta_{|\eta=0} = 622 \pm 1 (stat) \pm 41 (syst)$. The results, analyzed as a function of centrality, show a steady rise of the particle density per participating nucleon with centrality.
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.
The first measurement of energy produced transverse to the beam direction at RHIC is presented. The mid-rapidity transverse energy density per participating nucleon rises steadily with the number of participants, closely paralleling the rise in charged-particle density, such that E_T / N_ch remains relatively constant as a function of centrality. The energy density calculated via Bjorken's prescription for the 2% most central Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV is at least epsilon_Bj = 4.6 GeV/fm^3 which is a factor of 1.6 larger than found at sqrt(s_NN)=17.2 GeV (Pb+Pb at CERN).
Identified pi^[+/-] K^[+/-], p and p-bar transverse momentum spectra at mid-rapidity in sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au-Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse momenta increase with the number of participating nucleons in a similar way for all particle species. The multiplicity densities scale faster than the number of participating nucleons. Kaon and nucleon yields per participant increase faster than the pion yields. In central collisions at high transverse momenta (p_T greater than 2 GeV/c), anti-proton and proton yields are comparable to the pion yields.
We have studied the properties of hadron production in photon-photon scattering with tagged photons at the e + e − storage ring PETRA. A tail in the p T distribution of particles consistent with p T −4 has been observed. We show that this tail cannot be due to the hadronic part of the photon. Selected events with high p T particles are found to be consistent with a two-jet structure as expected from a point-like coupling of the photons to quarks. The lowest-order cross section predicted for γγ → q q , σ = 3 Σ e q 4 · σ γγ → μμ , is approached from above by the data at large transverse momenta.
Inclusive π − spectra have been measured for 14 N+C collisions at 41 A , 67 A , 80 A and 135 A MeV, the lowest energies measured for the charged pion. The cross sections fall exponentially with T π and the exponential slope factors at 90° in the nucleon-nucleon center of mass frame are determined. Energy distributions below a beam energy of 100 A MeV are less steep than expected from the monotonic decrease of the slope factor down to 100 A MeV. The production mechanism of energetic pions far below threshold is discussed for several models.
A measurement of continuum dimuon production in proton-copper collisions at 800-GeV incident energy is presented. The dimuons observed in this experiment cover the mass range from 6.5 to 18 GeV near y=0 in the proton-nucleon center-of-momentum frame. Scaling forms of the cross section for the continuum are compared with the results of other experiments in the context of the parton model and quantum chromodynamics. The present limitations of such scaling comparisons are discussed.
The inclusive production of D ∗± mesons in single tagged photon-photon collisions is investigated using the JADE detector at PETRA. D ∗± mesons are reconstructed through their decay into D 0 +π ± where the D 0 decays via D 0 →Kππ 0 . The event rate and topology are compared to the expectations of c quark production in the quark-parton model: γγ→c c .
Transverse mass spectra of pions, kaons, and protons from the symmetric heavy-ion collisions 200 A GeV S+S and 158 A GeV Pb+Pb, measured in the NA44 focusing spectrometer at CERN, are presented. The mass dependence of the slope parameters provides evidence of collective transverse flow from expansion of the system in heavy-ion induced central collisions.
We have measured antiproton production cross sections as functions of centrality in collisions of 14.6 GeV/c per nucleon Si28 ions with targets of Al, Cu, and Pb. For all targets, the antiproton yields increase linearly with the number of projectile nucleons that have interacted, and show little target dependence. We discuss the implications of this result on the production and absorption of antiprotons within the nuclear medium.
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