We report measurements of single- and double- spin asymmetries for $W^{\pm}$ and $Z/\gamma^*$ boson production in longitudinally polarized $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 510$ GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The asymmetries for $W^{\pm}$ were measured as a function of the decay lepton pseudorapidity, which provides a theoretically clean probe of the proton's polarized quark distributions at the scale of the $W$ mass. The results are compared to theoretical predictions, constrained by recent polarized deep inelastic scattering measurements, and show a preference for a sizable, positive up antiquark polarization in the range $0.05<x<0.2$.
Longitudinal single-spin asymmetry $A_L$ for W+ production as a function of lepton pseudorapidity.
Longitudinal single-spin asymmetry $A_L$ for W- production as a function of lepton pseudorapidity.
Longitudinal single-spin asymmetry $A_L$ for W+ production as a function of lepton pseudorapidity.
We present the measurement of the transverse single-spin asymmetry of weak boson production in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 500~\text{GeV}$ by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The measured observable is sensitive to the Sivers function, one of the transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions, which is predicted to have the opposite sign in proton-proton collisions from that observed in deep inelastic lepton-proton scattering. These data provide the first experimental investigation of the non-universality of the Sivers function, fundamental to our understanding of QCD.
The amplitude of the transverse single-spin asymmetry for $W^{+-}$ boson production as a function of $P_T^W$, in the |$y^W$| < 1 region, measured by STAR in proton+proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=500$ GeV with a recorded luminosity of 25 $pb^{-1}$. The average boson's rapidity value for each $P_T^W$ bin is $y^W=0.0$.
The amplitude of the transverse single-spin asymmetry for $W^{+-}$ boson production as a function of $y^W$, in the 0.5 GeV/c < $P_T^W$ < 10 GeV/c region, measured by STAR in proton+proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=500$ GeV with a recorded luminosity of 25 $pb^{-1}$. The average boson's transverse-momentum value for each $y^W$-bin is $P_T^W=5.3$ GeV/c.
The amplitude of the transverse single-spin asymmetry for $Z^0$ boson production, measured by STAR in proton+proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=500$ GeV with a recorded luminosity of 25 $pb^{-1}$.
We report a new high-precision measurement of the mid-rapidity inclusive jet longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, in polarized $pp$ collisions at center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. The STAR data place stringent constraints on polarized parton distribution functions extracted at next-to-leading order from global analyses of inclusive deep inelastic scattering (DIS), semi-inclusive DIS, and RHIC $pp$ data. The measured asymmetries provide evidence for positive gluon polarization in the Bjorken-$x$ region $x>0.05$.
Inclusive jet $A_{LL}$ vs. parton jet $p_T$ for |eta|<0.5.
Inclusive jet $A_{LL}$ vs. parton jet $p_T$ for 0.5<|eta|<1.0.
$A_{LL}$ model predictions for |eta|<0.5.
We present measurements of $\pi^-$ and $\pi^+$ elliptic flow, $v_2$, at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}} =$ 200, 62.4, 39, 27, 19.6, 11.5 and 7.7 GeV, as a function of event-by-event charge asymmetry, $A_{ch}$, based on data from the STAR experiment at RHIC. We find that $\pi^-$ ($\pi^+$) elliptic flow linearly increases (decreases) with charge asymmetry for most centrality bins at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}} = \text{27 GeV}$ and higher. At $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}} = \text{200 GeV}$, the slope of the difference of $v_2$ between $\pi^-$ and $\pi^+$ as a function of $A_{ch}$ exhibits a centrality dependence, which is qualitatively similar to calculations that incorporate a chiral magnetic wave effect. Similar centrality dependence is also observed at lower energies.
The distribution of observed charge asymmetry from STAR data.
Pion $v_2${2} as a function of observed charge asymmetry.
$v_2$ difference between $\pi^-$ and $\pi^+$ as a function of charge asymmetry with the tracking efficiency correction, for 30-40% central Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV. The errors are statistical only.
We report the first measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry $A_{LL}$ for mid-rapidity di-jet production in polarized $pp$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. The di-jet cross section was measured and is shown to be consistent with next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD predictions. $A_{LL}$ results are presented for two distinct topologies, defined by the jet pseudorapidities, and are compared to predictions from several recent NLO global analyses. The measured asymmetries, the first such correlation measurements, support those analyses that find positive gluon polarization at the level of roughly 0.2 over the region of Bjorken-$x > 0.05$.
Di-jet A_LL asymmetry vs parton-level invariant mass for the same-sign di-jet topology. The systematic uncertainty on the mass includes contributions from jet energy scale, the correction to parton-level, and the difference between NLO and PYTHIA cross sections. The systematic uncertainty on the asymmetry includes contributions from trigger and reconstruction bias and residual transverse beam polarization components. A 6.5% uncertainty common to all points due to uncertainty on the measured beam polarizations is also present, but not included in the uncertainties quoted below.
Theoretical predictions for the di-jet A_LL asymmetry for the same-sign topology using the DSSV14 and NNPDFpol1.1 polarized PDF sets. The DSSV14 prediction is presented without uncertainty while the systematic uncertainty on the NNPDFpol1.1 prediction contains contributions from factorization and renormalization scale uncertainties and PDF uncertainties.
Di-jet A_LL asymmetry vs parton-level invariant mass for the opposite-sign di-jet topology. The systematic uncertainty on the mass includes contributions from jet energy scale, the correction to parton-level, and the difference between NLO and PYTHIA cross sections. The systematic uncertainty on the asymmetry includes contributions from trigger and reconstruction bias and residual transverse beam polarization components. A 6.5% uncertainty common to all points due to uncertainty on the measured beam polarizations is also present, but not included in the uncertainties quoted below.
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