We present measurements from the PHENIX experiment of large parity-violating single spin asymmetries of high transverse momentum electrons and positrons from $W^\pm/Z$ decays, produced in longitudinally polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions at center of mass energies of $\sqrt{s}$=500 and 510~GeV. These asymmetries allow direct access to the anti-quark polarized parton distribution functions due to the parity-violating nature of the $W$-boson coupling to quarks and anti-quarks. The results presented are based on data collected in 2011, 2012, and 2013 with an integrated luminosity of 240 pb$^{-1}$, which exceeds previous PHENIX published results by a factor of more than 27. These high $Q^2$ data provide an important addition to our understanding of anti-quark parton helicity distribution functions.
Longitudinal single-spin asymmetries, $A_L$, for the 2011 and 2012 data sets (combined) spanning the entire $\eta$ range of PHENIX ($\left|\eta\right|<0.35$), for the 2013 data set separated into two $\eta$ bins, and for the combined 2011-2013 data sets.
We measure the particle-level forward-backward production asymmetry in $b\bar{b}$ pairs with masses $m(b\bar{b})$ larger than 150 GeV/$c^2$, using events with hadronic jets and employing jet charge to distinguish $b$ from $\bar{b}$. The measurement uses 9.5/fb of ppbar collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV recorded by the CDF II detector. The asymmetry as a function of $m(b\bar{b})$ is consistent with zero, as well as with the predictions of the standard model. The measurement disfavors a simple model including an axigluon with a mass of 200 GeV/$c^2$ whereas a model containing a heavier 345 GeV/$c^2$ axigluon is not excluded.
Values of maximum a posteriori signal asymmetry as a function of $b\bar{b}$ mass. The error bars represent the 68% credible intervals.
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 observation of transverse polarization-dependent azimuthal correlations in charged pion pair production with the STAR experiment in $p^\uparrow+p$ collisions at RHIC. These correlations directly probe quark transversity distributions. We measure signals in excess of five standard deviations at high transverse momenta, at high pseudorapidities eta>0.5, and for pair masses around the mass of the rho-meson. This is the first direct transversity measurement in p+p collisions. Comparing the results to data from lepton-nucleon scattering will test the universality of these spin-dependent quantities.
$p_T$ asymmetries, $\eta$ < 0, maximum opening angle of 0.2.
$<M_{inv}>$ asymmetries, $\eta$ < 0, maximum opening angle of 0.2.
$p_T$ asymmetries, $\eta$ > 0, maximum opening angle 0.2.
We measure the forward-backward asymmetry in the production of $\Lambda_b^0$ and $\overline \Lambda_b^0$ baryons as a function of rapidity in $p \overline p $ collisions at $\sqrt s =1.96$ TeV using $10.4$ fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The asymmetry is determined by the preference of $\Lambda_b^0$ or $\overline \Lambda_b^0$ particles to be produced in the direction of the beam protons or antiprotons, respectively. The measured asymmetry integrated over rapidity $y$ in the range $0.1<|y|<2$ is $A=0.04 \pm 0.07 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst)}$.
Efficiencies $\epsilon$, averaged values of background-subtracted transverse momenta $\left< p_T\right>$, backward and forward fitted yields for the signal $N(B)$ and $N(F)$, forward-backward asymmetries $A$, and cross-section ratios $R$ in four intervals of rapidity. Uncertainties on $\left< p_T\right>$, $N(B)$ and $N(F)$ are statistical only. Uncertainties on $\epsilon$ arise from the statistical precision of the simulated event samples.
We present a measurement of the electron charge asymmetry in $p\bar{p}\rightarrow W+X \rightarrow e\nu +X$ events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using data corresponding to 9.7~fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The asymmetry is measured as a function of the electron pseudorapidity and is presented in five kinematic bins based on the electron transverse energy and the missing transverse energy in the event. The measured asymmetry is compared with next-to-leading-order predictions in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and provides accurate information for the determination of parton distribution functions of the proton. This is the most precise lepton charge asymmetry measurement to date.
CP-folded electron charge asymmetry for data with $E_T^{e} > 25$ GeV multiplied by 100. $\langle|\eta^e|\rangle$ is the cross section weighted average of electron pseudorapidity in each bin from RESBOS with PHOTOS.
CP-folded electron charge asymmetry for data with $25 < E_T^{e} < 35$ GeV multiplied by 100. $\langle|\eta^e|\rangle$ is the cross section weighted average of electron pseudorapidity in each bin from RESBOS with PHOTOS.
CP-folded electron charge asymmetry for data with $E_T^{e} > 35$ GeV multiplied by 100. $\langle|\eta^e|\rangle$ is the cross section weighted average of electron pseudorapidity in each bin from RESBOS with PHOTOS.
The parity-violating asymmetries between a longitudinally-polarized electron beam and an unpolarized deuterium target have been measured recently. The measurement covered two kinematic points in the deep inelastic scattering region and five in the nucleon resonance region. We provide here details of the experimental setup, data analysis, and results on all asymmetry measurements including parity-violating electron asymmetries and those of inclusive pion production and beam-normal asymmetries. The parity-violating deep-inelastic asymmetries were used to extract the electron-quark weak effective couplings, and the resonance asymmetries provided the first evidence for quark-hadron duality in electroweak observables. These electron asymmetries and their interpretation were published earlier, but are presented here in more detail.
Asymmetry results on $\vec e-^2$H parity-violating scattering from the PVDIS experiment at JLab.
Asymmetry results on $\vec e-^2$H parity-violating scattering from the PVDIS experiment at JLab, for RES I settings.
Asymmetry results on $\vec e-^2$H parity-violating scattering from the PVDIS experiment at JLab, for RES II settings.
We present the midrapidity charged pion invariant cross sections and the ratio of $\pi^-$-to-$\pi^+$ production ($5<p_T<13$ GeV/$c$), together with the double-helicity asymmetries ($5<p_T<12$ GeV/$c$) in polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV. The cross section measurements are consistent with perturbative calculations in quantum chromodynamics within large uncertainties in the calculation due to the choice of factorization, renormalization, and fragmentation scales. However, the theoretical calculation of the ratio of $\pi^-$-to-$\pi^+$ production when considering these scale uncertainties overestimates the measured value, suggesting further investigation of the uncertainties on the charge-separated pion fragmentation functions is needed. Due to cancellations of uncertainties in the charge ratio, direct inclusion of these ratio data in future parameterizations should improve constraints on the flavor dependence of quark fragmentation functions to pions. By measuring charge-separated pion asymmetries, one can gain sensitivity to the sign of $\Delta G$ through the opposite sign of the up and down quark helicity distributions in conjunction with preferential fragmentation of positive pions from up quarks and negative pions from down quarks. The double-helicity asymmetries presented are sensitive to the gluon helicity distribution over an $x$ range of $\sim$0.03--0.16.
Double-helicity asymmetries and statistical uncertainties for $\pi^+$ and $\pi^-$ hadrons. The primary systematic uncertainties, which are fully correlated between points, are $1.4\times10^{-3}$ from relative luminosity and a $^{+7.0\%}_{-7.7\%}$ scaling uncertainty from beam polarization.
We present a measurement of the cross section and transverse single-spin asymmetry ($A_N$) for $\eta$ mesons at large pseudorapidity from $\sqrt{s}=200$~GeV $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions. The measured cross section for $0.5<p_T<5.0$~GeV/$c$ and $3.0<|\eta|<3.8$ is well described by a next-to-leading-order perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics calculation. The asymmetries $A_N$ have been measured as a function of Feynman-$x$ ($x_F$) from $0.2<|x_{F}|<0.7$, as well as transverse momentum ($p_T$) from $1.0<p_T<4.5$~GeV/$c$. The asymmetry averaged over positive $x_F$ is $\langle{A_{N}}\rangle=0.061{\pm}0.014$. The results are consistent with prior transverse single-spin measurements of forward $\eta$ and $\pi^{0}$ mesons at various energies in overlapping $x_F$ ranges. Comparison of different particle species can help to determine the origin of the large observed asymmetries in $p^{\uparrow}+p$ collisions.
ASYM(PEAK) and ASYM(BG) for ETA mesons measured as a function of XF in the range 0.3 < ABS(XF) < 0.7 from the 4X4B triggered dataset. The values represented are the weighted mean of the South and North MPC (Muon Piston Calorimeter). The uncertainties listed are statistical only.
ASYM for ETA mesons measured as a function of XF in the range 0.2 < ABS(XF) < 0.7. Uncertainties listed are those due to the statistics, the XF uncorrelated uncertainties due to extracting the yields, and the correlated relative luminosity uncertainty.
ASYM for ETA mesons measured as a function of PT for ABS(XF) > 0.2. Uncertainties listed are those due to the statistics, the PT uncorrelated uncertainties due to extracting ASYM, and the correlated relative luminosity uncertainty.
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.