Inclusive doubly differential cross sections d^2\sigma_{pA}/dx_Fdp_T^2 as a function of Feynman-x (x_F) and transverse momentum (p_T) for the production of K^0_s, Lambda^0 and anti-Lambda^0 in proton-nucleus interactions at 920 GeV are presented. The measurements were performed by HERA-B in the negative x_F range (-0.12<x_F<0.0) and for transverse momenta up to p_T= 1.6 GeV/c. Results for three target materials: carbon, titanium and tungsten are given. The ratios of production cross sections are presented and discussed. The Cronin effect is clearly observed for all three V^0 species. The atomic number dependence is parameterized as \sigma_{pA} = \sigma_{pN} \cdot A^\alpha where \sigma_{pN} is the proton-nucleon cross section. The measured values of \alpha are all near one. The results are compared with EPOS 1.67 and PYTHIA 6.3. EPOS reproduces the data to within \approx 20% except at very low transverse momentum.
The proton-nucleon cross section ratio $R=Br(\Upsilon\to l^+l^-) d\sigma(\Upsilon)/dy|_{y=0} / {\sigma(J/\psi)}$ has been measured with the HERA-B spectrometer in fixed-target proton-nucleus collisions at 920 GeV proton beam energy corresponding to a proton-nucleon cms energy of sqrt{s}=41.6 GeV. The combined results for the Upsilon decay channels Upsilon $\to e^+e^-$ and Upsilon $\to\mu^+\mu^-$ yield a ratio $R=(9.0 \pm 2.1) 10^{-6}$. The corresponding Upsilon production cross section per nucleon at mid-rapidity (y=0) has been determined to be $Br(\Upsilon\to{}l^+l^-) {d\sigma(\Upsilon)/dy}|_{y=0}= 4.5 \pm 1.1 $ pb/nucleon.
A study of the angular distributions of leptons from decays of J/psi's produced in p-C and p-W collisions at sqrt{s}=41.6 GeV has been performed in the Feynman-x region -0.34 < x_F < 0.14 and for transverse momentum up to 5.4 GeV/c. The data were collected by the HERA-B experiment at the HERA proton ring of the DESY laboratory. The results, based on a clean selection of 2.3 x 10^5 J/psi's reconstructed in both the e^+ e^- and mu^+ mu^- decay channels, indicate that J/psi's are produced with longitudinal polarization. The magnitude of the effect is maximal at low p_T. For p_T >1 GeV/c a significant dependence on the reference frame is found: the polar anisotropy is more pronounced in the Collins-Soper frame and almost vanishes in the helicity frame, where, instead, a significant azimuthal anisotropy arises.
The inclusive production cross sections of the charmed mesons D^0, D^+, D_s^+ and D^{*+} have been measured in interactions of 920 GeV protons on C, Ti, and W targets with the HERA-B detector at the HERA storage ring. Differential cross sections as a function of transverse momentum and Feynman's x variable are given for the central rapidity region and for transverse momenta up to $\pT=3.5$ GeV/$c$. The atomic mass number dependence and the leading to non-leading particle production asymmetries are presented as well.
Measurements of the kinematic distributions of $J/\psi$ mesons produced in $p-$C, $p-$Ti and $p-$W collisions at $\sqrt{s}=41.6 \mathrm{GeV}$ in the Feynman-$x$ region $-0.34 < x_{F} < 0.14$ and for transverse momentum up to $p_T = 5.4 \mathrm{GeV}/c$ are presented. The $x_F$ and $p_T$ dependencies of the nuclear suppression parameter, $\alpha$, are also given. The results are based on $2.4 \cdot 10^{5}$ $J/\psi$ mesons in both the $e^+ e^-$ and $\mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ decay channels. The data have been collected by the HERA-B experiment at the HERA proton ring of the DESY laboratory. The measurement explores the negative region of $x_{F}$ for the first time. The average value of $\alpha$ in the measured $x_{F}$ region is $0.981 \pm 0.015$. The data suggest that the strong nuclear suppression of $J/\psi$ production previously observed at high $x_F$ turns into an enhancement at negative $x_F$.
A new measurement of the b-bbar production cross section in 920 GeV proton-nucleus collisions is presented by the HERA-B collaboration. The b-bbar production is tagged via inclusive bottom quark decays into J/psi mesons, by exploiting the longitudinal separation of J/psi->ll decay vertices from the primary proton-nucleus interaction point. Both e+e- and mu+mu- channels are reconstructed, for a total of 83 +- 12 inclusive b->J/psi X events found. The combined analysis yields a b-bbar to prompt J/psi cross section ratio of ${\frac{{\Delta\sigma(bbbar)}}{{\Delta\sigma_{\jpsi}}}} = 0.032\pm 0.005 \stat \pm 0.004 \sys$ measured in the x_f acceptance (-0.35 <x_f <0.15), extrapolated to $\sigma(bbbar) = 14.9 \pm 2.2 \stat \pm 2.4 \sys $ nb/nucleon in the total phase space.
Inclusive differential cross sections $d\sigma_{pA}/dx_F$ and $d\sigma_{pA}/dp_t^2$ for the production of \kzeros, \lambdazero, and \antilambda particles are measured at HERA in proton-induced reactions on C, Al, Ti, and W targets. The incident beam energy is 920 GeV, corresponding to $\sqrt {s} = 41.6$ GeV in the proton-nucleon system. The ratios of differential cross sections \rklpa and \rllpa are measured to be $6.2\pm 0.5$ and $0.66\pm 0.07$, respectively, for \xf $\approx-0.06$. No significant dependence upon the target material is observed. Within errors, the slopes of the transverse momentum distributions $d\sigma_{pA}/dp_t^2$ also show no significant dependence upon the target material. The dependence of the extrapolated total cross sections $\sigma_{pA}$ on the atomic mass $A$ of the target material is discussed, and the deduced cross sections per nucleon $\sigma_{pN}$ are compared with results obtained at other energies.
Using the HERA-B detector, the b-bbar production cross section has been measured in 920 GeV proton collisions on carbon and titanium targets. The b-bbar production was tagged via inclusive bottom quark decays into J/psi, by exploiting the longitudinal separation of J/psi->ll decay vertices from the primary proton-nucleus interaction. Both $e^+e^-$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$ channels have been reconstructed and the combined analysis yields the cross section $\sigma(b \bar b) = 32 ^{+14}_{-12} (stat) ^{+6}_{-7} (sys) nb/nucleon$.
Azimuthal angle (Delta phi) correlations are presented for a broad range of transverse momentum (0.4 < pT < 10 GeV/c) and centrality (0-92%) selections for charged hadrons from di-jets in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV. With increasing pT, the away-side Delta phi distribution evolves from a broad and relatively flat shape to a concave shape, then to a convex shape. Comparisons to p+p data suggest that the away-side distribution can be divided into a partially suppressed head region centered at Delta phi ~ \pi, and an enhanced shoulder region centered at Delta phi ~ \pi \pm 1:1. The pT spectrum for the associated hadrons in the head region softens toward central collisions. The spectral slope for the shoulder region is independent of centrality and trigger pT . The properties of the near-side distributions are also modified relative to those in p + p collisions, reflected by the broadening of the jet shape in Delta phi and Delta eta, and an enhancement of the per-trigger yield. However, these modifications seem to be limited to pT < 4 GeV/c, above which both the dihadron pair shape and per-trigger yield become similar to p + p collisions. These observations suggest that both the away- and near-side distributions contain a jet fragmentation component which dominates for pT \ge 5GeV and a medium-induced component which is important for pT \le 4 GeV/c. We also quantify the role of jets at intermediate and low pT through the yield of jet-induced pairs in comparison to binary scaled p + p pair yield. The yield of jet-induced pairs is suppressed at high pair proxy energy (sum of the pT magnitudes of the two hadrons) and is enhanced at low pair proxy energy. The former is consistent with jet quenching/ the latter is consistent with the enhancement of soft hadron pairs due to transport of lost energy to lower pT.
RHS versus $p^b_T$ for p + p collisions for four trigger selections.
RHS versus $p^b_T$ for Au + Au collisions for four trigger selections.
RHS versus $p^b_T$ for p + p collisions for four trigger selections.
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.
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