We present a measurement of the momentum spectra of π±, K±, p±, Λ, ¯Λ, and K0S produced in interactions of negatively charged pions with carbon nuclei at beam momenta of 158 and 350 GeV/c. The total ...production cross sections are measured as well. The data were collected with the large-acceptance spectrometer of the fixed target experiment NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS. The obtained double-differential p−pT spectra provide a unique reference dataset with unprecedented precision and large phase-space coverage to tune models used for the simulation of particle production in extensive air showers in which pions are the most numerous projectiles.
The critical point of dense, strongly interacting matter is searched for at the CERN SPS in
40
Ar +
45
Sc collisions at 150
A
Ge V /
c
. The dependence of second-order scaled factorial moments of ...proton multiplicity distribution on the number of subdivisions of transverse momentum space is measured. The intermittency analysis is performed using both transverse momentum and cumulative transverse momentum. For the first time, statistically independent data sets are used for each subdivision number. The obtained results do not indicate any statistically significant intermittency pattern. An upper limit on the fraction of correlated proton pairs and the power of the correlation function is obtained based on a comparison with the Power-law Model developed for this purpose.
This paper reports measurements of two-pion femtoscopic correlations in Be+Be collisions at a beam momentum of 150
A
GeV
/
c
(energy available in the center-of-mass system for nucleon pair
s
NN
=
...16.84
GeV) by the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS accelerator. The obtained momentum space correlation functions can be well described by a Lévy distributed source model. The transverse mass dependence of the Lévy source parameters is presented, and their possible theoretical interpretations are discussed. The results show that the Lévy exponent
α
is approximately constant as a function of
m
T
, and far from both the Gaussian case of
α
=
2
or the conjectured value at the critical endpoint,
α
=
0.5
. The radius scale parameter
R
shows a slight decrease in
m
T
, which can be explained as a signature of transverse flow. Finally, an approximately constant trend of the intercept parameter
λ
as a function of
m
T
was observed, similar to previous NA44 S + Pb results (obtained with a Gaussian approximation, but unlike RHIC results).
This paper presents multiplicity measurements of charged hadrons produced in 120 GeV/$c$ proton-carbon interactions. The measurements were made using data collected at the NA61/SHINE experiment ...during two different data-taking periods, with increased phase space coverage in the second configuration due to the addition of new subdetectors. Particle identification via $dE/dx$ was employed to obtain double-differential production multiplicities of $\pi^+$, $\pi^-$, $p$, $\bar{p}$, $K^+$ and $K^-$. These measurements are presented as a function of laboratory momentum in intervals of laboratory polar angle covering the range from 0 to 450 mrad. They provide crucial inputs for current and future long-baseline neutrino experiments, where they are used to estimate the initial neutrino flux.
The NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron studies the onset of deconfinement in strongly interacting matter through a beam energy scan of particle production in collisions of ...nuclei of varied sizes. This paper presents results on inclusive double-differential spectra, transverse momentum and rapidity distributions and mean multiplicities of
π
±
,
K
±
,
p
and
p
¯
produced in
40
Ar+
45
Sc
collisions at beam momenta of 13
A
, 19
A
, 30
A
, 40
A
, 75
A
and 150
A
Ge
V
/
c
. The analysis uses the 10% most central collisions, where the observed forward energy defines centrality. The energy dependence of the
K
±
/
π
±
ratios as well as of inverse slope parameters of the
K
±
transverse mass distributions are placed in between those found in inelastic
p
+
p
and central Pb + Pb collisions. The results obtained here establish a system-size dependence of hadron production properties that so far cannot be explained either within statistical or dynamical models.
Abstract This paper reports measurements of two-pion femtoscopic correlations in Be+Be collisions at a beam momentum of 150 $$A\,\hbox {GeV}\!/\!c$$ A GeV / c (energy available in the center-of-mass ...system for nucleon pair $$\sqrt{s_{\text {NN}}} = 16.84$$ s NN = 16.84 GeV) by the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS accelerator. The obtained momentum space correlation functions can be well described by a Lévy distributed source model. The transverse mass dependence of the Lévy source parameters is presented, and their possible theoretical interpretations are discussed. The results show that the Lévy exponent $$\alpha $$ α is approximately constant as a function of $$m_{\text {T}}$$ m T , and far from both the Gaussian case of $$\alpha = 2$$ α = 2 or the conjectured value at the critical endpoint, $$\alpha = 0.5$$ α = 0.5 . The radius scale parameter R shows a slight decrease in $$m_{\text {T}}$$ m T , which can be explained as a signature of transverse flow. Finally, an approximately constant trend of the intercept parameter $$\lambda $$ λ as a function of $$m_{\text {T}}$$ m T was observed, similar to previous NA44 S + Pb results (obtained with a Gaussian approximation, but unlike RHIC results).
Many respondent-driven sampling (RDS) methodologies have been employed to investigate hard-to-reach populations; however, these methodologies present some limits. We describe a minimally investigated ...RDS methodology in which peer recruitment and interviewing are phone-based. The feasibility of the methodology, field experiences, validity of RDS assumptions and characteristics of the sample obtained are discussed.
We conducted a phone-based RDS survey among men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 18 or above and living in Côte d'Ivoire. Eight initial MSM across Côte d'Ivoire were selected. Participants were asked to call a hotline to be registered and interviewed by phone. After the participants completed the questionnaire, they were asked to recruit a maximum of 3 MSM from their acquaintances.
During the 9 months of the survey, 576 individuals called the hotline, and 518 MSM completed the questionnaire. The median delay between the invitation to participate and the completion of the questionnaire by peer-recruited MSM was 4 days IQR: 1-12. The recruitment process was not constant, with high variation in the number of people who called the hotline during the survey period. RDS chain convergence to equilibrium was reached within 6 waves for most of the selected variables. For the network size estimation assumption, participants who incorrectly estimated their network size were observed. Regarding the sample obtained, MSM were recruited from all the regions of Côte d'Ivoire with frequent interregional recruitment; 23.5% of MSM were recruited by someone who does not live in the same region. Compared to the MSM who participated in two other surveys in Côte d'Ivoire, the MSM in our sample were less likely to know about an MSM non-governmental organisation. However, MSM aged 30 years old and above and those with a low level of education were underrepresented in our sample.
We show that phone-based RDS surveys among MSM are feasible in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to other classical RDS survey methodologies, the phone-based RDS methodology seems to reduce selection bias based on geography and proximity with the MSM community. However, similar to other methodologies, phone-based RDS fails to reach older and less-educated MSM.
The Pierre Auger Collaboration reports on its search for ultra high energy (UHE) neutrinos in the EeV range, three orders of magnitude above the highest energy neutrino events reported by IceCube. ...Analyzing over 9 years of data, the collaboration found no events, setting the strictest limits to date on the diffuse flux of UHE neutrinos. Neutrinos in the cosmic ray flux with energies near 1 EeV and above are detectable with the Surface Detector array (SD) of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We report here on searches through Auger data from 1 January 2004 until 20 June 2013. No neutrino candidates were found, yielding a limit to the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy neutrinos that challenges the Waxman-Bahcall bound predictions. Neutrino identification is attempted using the broad time structure of the signals expected in the SD stations, and is efficiently done for neutrinos of all flavors interacting in the atmosphere at large zenith angles, as well as for "Earth-skimming" neutrino interactions in the case of tau neutrinos. In this paper the searches for downward-going neutrinos in the zenith angle bins 60degrees-75degrees and 75degrees-90degrees as well as for upward-going neutrinos, are combined to give a single limit. The 90% C.L. single-flavor limit to the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy neutrinos with an E super(-2) spectrum in the energy range 1.0 x 10 super(17) eV -2.5 x 10 super(19) eV is (ProQuest: Formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted) GeV cm super(-2) s super(-1) sr super(-1).
We present a new method for probing the hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energy and extracting details about mass composition. This is done using the time profiles of the signals recorded ...with the water-Cherenkov detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The profiles arise from a mix of the muon and electromagnetic components of air showers. Using the risetimes of the recorded signals, we define a new parameter, which we use to compare our observations with predictions from simulations. We find, first, inconsistencies between our data and predictions over a greater energy range and with substantially more events than in previous studies. Second, by calibrating the new parameter with fluorescence measurements from observations made at the Auger Observatory, we can infer the depth of shower maximum Xmax for a sample of over 81,000 events extending from 0.3 to over 100 EeV. Above 30 EeV, the sample is nearly 14 times larger than what is currently available from fluorescence measurements and extending the covered energy range by half a decade. The energy dependence of ⟨Xmax⟩ is compared to simulations and interpreted in terms of the mean of the logarithmic mass. We find good agreement with previous work and extend the measurement of the mean depth of shower maximum to greater energies than before, reducing significantly the statistical uncertainty associated with the inferences about mass composition.
PDF
