Vector mesons may be photoproduced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions when a virtual photon emitted by one nucleus scatters from the other nucleus, emerging as a vector meson. The STAR Collaboration has previously presented measurements of coherent $\rho^0$ photoproduction at center of mass energies of 130 GeV and 200 GeV in AuAu collisions. Here, we present a measurement of the cross section at 62.4 GeV; we find that the cross section for coherent $\rho^0$ photoproduction with nuclear breakup is $10.5\pm1.5\pm 1.6$ mb at 62.4 GeV. The cross-section ratio between 200 GeV and 62.4 GeV is $2.8\pm0.6$, less than is predicted by most theoretical models. It is, however, proportionally much larger than the previously observed $15\pm 55$% increase between 130 GeV and 200 GeV.
We have studied the inclusive production of the hadrons π ± , K ± , p, p , Λ, Λ , ρ and ⋉ in the central region at the ISR s = 53 GeV , in both pp and p p collisions. Differences are observed only for K ± , p, and p production. We then study also correlations between low- p T pp and p p pairs in the two types of collisions, separating the contribution from baryon pair production and from the incident particles (stopping protons). We observe a positive correlation between two stopping protons; between the production of two pairs, and between a stopping proton and a pair production, there are negative correlations.
Cross sections for inclusive π0 production at large transverse momentum pT were measured in π−p, π+p, and pp collisions at 300 GeV/c. The cross-section ratio σ(π−p→π0X)/σ(π+p→π0X) was found to be consistent with unity in the pT region of 1 to 5 GeV/c. The cross-section ratio σ(π+p→π0X)/σ(pp→π0X) however is growing with increasing pT and increasing π0 c.m.-system rapidity in agreement with parton-model expectations, where the partons in the pions have on average higher momenta than in the proton.
Cross sections for inclusive direct photon production in π−p, π+p, and pp collisions at 300 GeV/c are measured at transverse momenta pT up to 7 GeV/c (xT=0.6). For π−p→γX also the rapidity distribution is presented. The cross-section ratio σ(π−p→γX)/σ(π+p→γX) is found to be 1 at pT=4 GeV/c and rises with increasing pT. This observation signals the occurrence of valence-quark–antiquark annihilation. The results are in good agreement with QCD predictions.
Inclusive π 0 and η production at large transverse momentum were studied in both p̄p and pp interactions at √ s = 24.3 GeV. The experiment was performed using an internal molecular hydrogen gas jet target in the CERN SPS collider. No significant differences between production in p̄p and pp were observed in the transverse momentum range 2.5 < P T < 5.1 GeV/ c .
Direct photon production cross sections obtained in high statistics p ̄ p and pp collisions at s =24.3 GeV at the CERN SPS are used in a next-to-leading order QCD analysis. From the cross section difference σ( p ̄ p → γX)−σ(pp → γX) and quark distributions measured in deep inelastic scattering, a determination of the strong coupling constant, α s , is performed via a measurement of Λ (4) MS . This measurement yields a value Λ (4) MS = 210±22 ( stat. )±44 ( syst. ) +105 −36 ( theo. ) MeV. The corresponding value of α s expressed at M 2 Z is α s (M 2 Z )=0.1112 ±0.0016 ( stat. ) ±0.0033 ( syst. ) +0.0077 −0.0034 ( theo. ) .
The two-photon production of the η meson has been observed, and a value has been determined for the two-photon η decay width by a measurement of the cross section σ(e+e−→e+e−η) where η→γγ. The measurement was made with the TPC/Two-Gamma facility at the SLAC e+e− collider PEP, with an accumulated data sample of 64.5 pb−1. The η→γγ events were both triggered and detected by the pole-tip calorimeter. The measured two-photon η decay width is Γη→γγ=0.64±0.14 (statistical) ±0.13 (systematic) keV, in agreement with earlier similarly determined values.
Large transverse energy cross sections of 300 GeV/ c pions and protons on hydrogen have been measured with a segmented calorimeter covering the central rapidity region −0.88 < y < 0.67 and 2 π in azimuth. The selected events show large multiplicities and no jet-like event structure. Processes more complicated than the scattering of two constituents appear to dominate these inelastic collisions.
The general characteristics of inelastic proton-antiproton collisions at the CERN SPS Collider are studied with the UA1 detector using magnetic and calorimetric analysis. Results are presented on charged particle multiplicities and transverse and longitudinal momenta, and on total transverse energy distributions at centre of mass energies ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 TeV.
We have studied the processpp→γγ+X at\(\sqrt s= 63 GeV\) GeV in the central rapidity region. We report a positive signal at 96% C.L., a ratio γγ/e+e−=4.0±3.0 when the transverse momentum of each photon is above 2 GeV/c, and a cross-sectiondσ/dydMγγ=(5.5±2.7)×10−34 cm2/GeV when |y|<0.5,4<Mγγ<6 GeV.