In this letter, measurements of the shared momentum fraction (zg) and the groomed jet radius (Rg), as defined in the SoftDrop algorithm, are reported in p+p collisions at s=200 GeV collected by the ...STAR experiment. These substructure observables are differentially measured for jets of varying resolution parameters from R=0.2−0.6 in the transverse momentum range 15<pT,jet<60 GeV/c. These studies show that, in the pT,jet range accessible at s=200 GeV and with increasing jet resolution parameter and jet transverse momentum, the zg distribution asymptotically converges to the DGLAP splitting kernel for a quark radiating a gluon. The groomed jet radius measurements reflect a momentum-dependent narrowing of the jet structure for jets of a given resolution parameter, i.e., the larger the pT,jet, the narrower the first splitting. For the first time, these fully corrected measurements are compared to Monte Carlo generators with leading order QCD matrix elements and leading log in the parton shower, and to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations at next-to-leading-log accuracy. We observe that PYTHIA 6 with parameters tuned to reproduce RHIC measurements is able to quantitatively describe data, whereas PYTHIA 8 and HERWIG 7, tuned to reproduce LHC data, are unable to provide a simultaneous description of both zg and Rg, resulting in opportunities for fine parameter tuning of these models for p+p collisions at RHIC energies. We also find that the theoretical calculations without non-perturbative corrections are able to qualitatively describe the trend in data for jets of large resolution parameters at high pT,jet, but fail at small jet resolution parameters and low jet transverse momenta.
In this study, we present results of analyses of two-pion interferometry in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4, and 200 GeV measured in the STAR detector as part of the RHIC ...Beam Energy Scan program. The extracted correlation lengths (HBT radii) are studied as a function of beam energy, azimuthal angle relative to the reaction plane, centrality, and transverse mass (mT) of the particles. The azimuthal analysis allows extraction of the eccentricity of the entire fireball at kinetic freeze-out. The energy dependence of this observable is expected to be sensitive to changes in the equation of state. A new global fit method is studied as an alternate method to directly measure the parameters in the azimuthal analysis. The eccentricity shows a monotonic decrease with beam energy that is qualitatively consistent with the trend from all model predictions and quantitatively consistent with a hadronic transport model.
We report the first measurements of the kurtosis (κ), skewness (S), and variance (σ2) of net-proton multiplicity (Np-Np) distributions at midrapidity for Au+Au collisions at square root of ...s(NN)=19.6, 62.4, and 200 GeV corresponding to baryon chemical potentials (μB) between 200 and 20 MeV. Our measurements of the products κσ2 and Sσ, which can be related to theoretical calculations sensitive to baryon number susceptibilities and long-range correlations, are constant as functions of collision centrality. We compare these products with results from lattice QCD and various models without a critical point and study the square root of s(NN) dependence of κσ2. From the measurements at the three beam energies, we find no evidence for a critical point in the QCD phase diagram for μB below 200 MeV.
Dihadron angular correlations in d+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV are reported as a function of the measured zero-degree calorimeter neutral energy and the forward charged hadron multiplicity in the ...Au-beam direction. A finite correlated yield is observed at large relative pseudorapidity (Δη) on the near side (i.e. relative azimuth Δϕ∼0). This correlated yield as a function of Δη appears to scale with the dominant, primarily jet-related, away-side (Δϕ∼π) yield. The Fourier coefficients of the Δϕ correlation, Vn=〈cosnΔϕ〉, have a strong Δη dependence. In addition, it is found that V1 is approximately inversely proportional to the mid-rapidity event multiplicity, while V2 is independent of it with similar magnitude in the forward (d-going) and backward (Au-going) directions.
J/ψ suppression has long been considered a sensitive signature of the formation of the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this letter, we present the first measurement ...of inclusive J/ψ production at mid-rapidity through the dimuon decay channel in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV with the STAR experiment. These measurements became possible after the installation of the Muon Telescope Detector was completed in 2014. The J/ψ yields are measured in a wide transverse momentum (pT) range of 0.15 GeV/c to 12 GeV/c from central to peripheral collisions. They extend the kinematic reach of previous measurements at RHIC with improved precision. In the 0-10% most central collisions, the J/ψ yield is suppressed by a factor of approximately 3 for pT>5 GeV/c relative to that in p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The J/ψ nuclear modification factor displays little dependence on pT in all centrality bins. Model calculations can qualitatively describe the data, providing further evidence for the color-screening effect experienced by J/ψ mesons in the QGP.
Quark interactions with topological gluon configurations can induce chirality imbalance and local parity violation in quantum chromodynamics. This can lead to electric charge separation along the ...strong magnetic field in relativistic heavy-ion collisions – the chiral magnetic effect (CME). We report measurements by the STAR collaboration of a CME-sensitive observable in p+Au and d+Au collisions at 200 GeV, where the CME is not expected, using charge-dependent pair correlations relative to a third particle. We observe strong charge-dependent correlations similar to those measured in heavy-ion collisions. This bears important implications for the interpretation of the heavy-ion data.
Parity (P)-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge ...separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in noncentral collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three-particle mixed-harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a P-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge-separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 and 62 GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to P violation.
We report the direct virtual photon invariant yields in the transverse momentum ranges 1<pT<3 GeV/c and 5<pT<10 GeV/c at mid-rapidity derived from the dielectron invariant mass continuum region ...0.10<Mee<0.28 GeV/c2 for 0–80% minimum-bias Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV. A clear excess in the invariant yield compared to the nuclear overlap function TAA scaled p+p reference is observed in the pT range 1<pT<3 GeV/c. For pT>6 GeV/c the production follows TAA scaling. Model calculations with contributions from thermal radiation and initial hard parton scattering are consistent within uncertainties with the direct virtual photon invariant yield.
Azimuthal correlations of charged hadrons with direct-photon (γdir) and neutral-pion (π0) trigger particles are analyzed in central Au+Au and minimum-bias p+p collisions at sNN=200 GeV in the STAR ...experiment. The charged-hadron per-trigger yields at mid-rapidity from central Au+Au collisions are compared with p+p collisions to quantify the suppression in Au+Au collisions. The suppression of the away-side associated-particle yields per γdir trigger is independent of the transverse momentum of the trigger particle (pTtrig), whereas the suppression is smaller at low transverse momentum of the associated charged hadrons (pTassoc). Within uncertainty, similar levels of suppression are observed for γdir and π0 triggers as a function of zT (≡pTassoc/pTtrig). The results are compared with energy-loss-inspired theoretical model predictions. Our studies support previous conclusions that the lost energy reappears predominantly at low transverse momentum, regardless of the trigger energy.
Here, we present measurements of three-particle correlations for various harmonics in Au+Au collisions at energies ranging from √sNN=7.7 to 200 GeV using the STAR detector. The quantity < ...cos(mΦ1+nΦ2–(m+n)Φ3) >, with Φ being the azimuthal angles of the particles is evaluated as a function of √sNN, collision centrality, transverse momentum, pT, pseudorapidity difference, Δη, and harmonics (m and n). These data provide detailed information on global event properties such as the three-dimensional structure of the initial overlap region, the expansion dynamics of the matter produced in the collisions, and the transport properties of the medium. A strong dependence on Δη is observed for most harmonic combinations, which is consistent with breaking of longitudinal boost invariance. An interesting energy dependence is observed when one of the harmonics m,n, or m+n is equal to two, for which the correlators are dominated by the two-particle correlations relative to the second-harmonic event plane. These measurements can be used to constrain models of heavy-ion collisions over a wide range of temperature and baryon chemical potential.