The extreme temperatures and energy densities generated by ultra-relativistic collisions between heavy nuclei produce a state of matter with surprising fluid properties. Non-central collisions have angular momentum on the order of 1000$\hbar$, and the resulting fluid may have a strong vortical structure that must be understood to properly describe the fluid. It is also of particular interest because the restoration of fundamental symmetries of quantum chromodynamics is expected to produce novel physical effects in the presence of strong vorticity. However, no experimental indications of fluid vorticity in heavy ion collisions have so far been found. Here we present the first measurement of an alignment between the angular momentum of a non-central collision and the spin of emitted particles, revealing that the fluid produced in heavy ion collisions is by far the most vortical system ever observed. We find that $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ hyperons show a positive polarization of the order of a few percent, consistent with some hydrodynamic predictions. A previous measurement that reported a null result at higher collision energies is seen to be consistent with the trend of our new observations, though with larger statistical uncertainties. These data provide the first experimental access to the vortical structure of the "perfect fluid" created in a heavy ion collision. They should prove valuable in the development of hydrodynamic models that quantitatively connect observations to the theory of the Strong Force. Our results extend the recent discovery of hydrodynamic spin alignment to the subatomic realm.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy. A 0.8% error on the alpha value used in the paper is corrected in this table. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
Lambda and AntiLambda polarization as a function of collision energy calculated using the new $\alpha_\Lambda=0.732$ updated on PDG2020. Systematic error bars include those associated with particle identification (negligible), uncertainty in the value of the hyperon decay parameter (2%) and reaction plane resolution (2%) and detector efficiency corrections (4%). The dominant systematic error comes from statistical fluctuations of the estimated combinatoric background under the (anti-)$\Lambda$ mass peak.
We have measured the asymmetry of the cross section for γp→π+n from a polarized target at 5 and 16 GeV. The range of four-momentum transfer was 0.02<~−t<~1.0 GeV2. The π+ mesons were produced in a polarized butanol target and detected with the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center 20−GeVc spectrometer. A sizable asymmetry was found at both 5 and 16 GeV, a typical value being -0.6 near −t=0.3 GeV2. A small amount of data on the asymmetry of other photoproduction processes was also obtained.
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Axis error includes +- 0.0/0.0 contribution (?////).
The analyzing powers of π+ and π− were measured using an incident 22−GeV/c transversely polarized proton beam at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. A magnetic spectrometer measured π± inclusive asymmetries on a hydrogen and a carbon target. An elastic polarimeter with a CH2 target measured pp elastic-scattering asymmetries to determine the beam polarization using published data for the pp elastic analyzing power. Using the beam polarization determined from the elastic polarimeter and asymmetries from the inclusive spectrometer, analyzing powers AN for π± were determined in the xF and pT ranges (0.45–0.8) and (0.3–1.2 GeV/c), respectively. The analyzing power results are similar in both sign and character to other measurements at 200 and 11.7 GeV/c, confirming the expectation that high-energy pion inclusive analyzing powers remain large and relatively energy independent. This suggests that pion inclusive polarimetry may be a suitable method for measuring future beam polarizations at BNL RHIC or DESY HERA. Analyzing powers of π+ and π− produced on hydrogen and carbon targets are the same. Various models to explain inclusive analyzing powers are also discussed.
Analyzing power measurements for PI+ and PI- production on the carbon target at incident momentum 21.6 GeV. See text of article for definitions of method 'A' and 'B'.
Analyzing power measurements for inclusive PI- production from the hydrogen target.
Analyzing power measurements for inclusive PI+ production from the hydrogen target.
Data on Λ and\(\bar \Lambda \) polarization inK±p interactions at 32 GeV/c are presented. A comparison is made between the results of these two experiments as well as with the data at lower energies. The contribution of the different production mechanisms to the Λ(\(\bar \Lambda \)) polarization are discussed.
Data are presented on figures only. DATA NOT ENCODED.
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The spin dependence of π 0 inclusive production by 24 GeV/ c protons has been measured using a polarized target for Fhe Feynman x near 0 in the transverse momentum range 1.0 < p T < 2.5 GeV/ c . The results indicate a negative updown asymmetry growing strongly with p T and greater than 50% in absolute value for p T greater than 2 GeV/ c .
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We present a measurement of the polarization of Antilambda hyperons produced in nu_mu charged current interactions. The full data sample from the NOMAD experiment has been analyzed using the same V0 identification procedure and analysis method reported in a previous paper for the case of Lambda hyperons. The Antilambda polarization has been measured for the first time in a neutrino experiment. The polarization vector is found to be compatible with zero.
Lambdabar polarization in regions of Feynman X (XL).
Lambdabar polarization in regions of the Bjorken scaling variable X.
We measured the analyzing power A out to P⊥2=7.1 (GeV/c)2 with high precision by scattering a 24-GeV/c unpolarized proton beam from the new University of Michigan polarized proton target; the target’s 1-W cooling power allowed a beam intensity of more than 2×1011 protons per pulse. This high beam intensity together with the unexpectedly high average target polarization of about 85% allowed unusually accurate measurements of A at large P⊥2. These precise data confirmed that the one-spin parameter A is nonzero and indeed quite large at high P⊥2; most theoretical models predict that A should go to zero.
Errors quoted contain both statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Data are presented for the left-right asymmetry in inclusive production of π+, π−, and p with proton beams (polarized normal to the scattering plane) of 13.3 and 18.5 GeV/c incident on a LH2 target. At both energies the asymmetry in π+ production grows steadily to about 25% near the kinematic limit, whereas the π− and p asymmetries are consistent with zero over the measured range of pt, 1.1–2.2 GeV/c.
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A single-spin asymmetry in the inclusive π 0 production at small x F was measured. In the experiment 40 GeV/c π − mesons were incident on transversely polarized protons and deutrons. An asymmetry of (40–50)% has been revealed in the hard scattering region.
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