Transverse momentum fluctuations in nuclear collisions at 158 AGeV

Results are presented on event-by-event fluctuations in transverse momentum of charged particles, produced at forward rapidities in p+p, C+C, Si+Si and Pb+Pb collisions at 158 AGeV. Three different characteristics are discussed: the average transverse momentum of the event, the Phi_pT fluctuation measure and two-particle transverse momentum correlations. In the kinematic region explored, the dynamical fluctuations are found to be small. However, a significant system size dependence of Phi_pT is observed, with the largest value measured in peripheral Pb+Pb interactions. The data are compared with predictions of several models. PACS numbers: 14.20.Jn, 13.75.Cs, 12.39.-

Lambda and anti-Lambda production in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80, and 158 A GeV

Production of Lambda and Antilambda hyperons was measured in central Pb-Pb collisions at 40, 80, and 158 A GeV beam energy on a fixed target. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions are given for all three energies. The Lambda/pi ratio at mid-rapidity and in full phase space shows a pronounced maximum between the highest AGS and 40 A GeV SPS energies, whereas the anti-Lambda}/pi ratio exhibits a monotonic increase. PACS numbers: 25.75.-

Searching for the QCD Critical Point Using Particle Ratio Fluctuations and Higher Moments of Multiplicity Distributions

Dynamical fluctuations in global conserved quantities such as baryon number, strangeness, or charge may be observed near a QCD critical point. Results from new measurements of dynamical $K/\pi$, $p/\pi$, and $K/p$ ratio fluctuations are presented. The commencing of a QCD critical point search at RHIC has extended the reach of possible measurements of dynamical $K/\pi$, $p/\pi$, and $K/p$ ratio fluctuations from Au+Au collisions to lower energies. The STAR experiment has performed a comprehensive study of the energy dependence of these dynamical fluctuations in Au+Au collisions at the energies $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 7.7, 11.5, 39, 62.4, and 200 GeV. New results are compared to previous measurements and to theoretical predictions from several models. The measured dynamical $K/\pi$ fluctuations are found to be independent of collision energy, while dynamical $p/\pi$ and $K/p$ fluctuations have a negative value that increases toward zero at top RHIC energy. Fluctuations of the higher moments of conserved quantities (net-proton and net-charge) distributions, which are predicted to be sensitive to the presence of a critical point, are also presented.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of the 21st International Conference On Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2011), Annecy, France, May 23 - May 28, 201

Event-by-Event Fluctuations at 40, 80, and 158 AGeV/c in Pb+Au Collisions

Event-by-event fluctuations of mean pt and net charge in 40, 80, and 158 AGeV/c Pb+Au collisions are presented. The observed dynamical mean pt fluctuations in central events of about 1 % are very similar to results from RHIC. The centrality dependence of mean pt fluctuations at 158 AGeV/c shows a peculiar non-monotonic pattern with respect to the extrapolation from the fluctuations measured in p+p collisions. Dynamical net charge fluctuations smaller than the charge conservation limit are observed. After correction for charge conservation, the measured fluctuation signal in central events is comparable to RHIC results.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, proceedings of the Quark Matter 2004, in Oakland, USA, to be published in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physic

An Overview of Fluctuation and Correlation Results in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

A great deal of recent data on event-by-event fluctuation and correlation measurements has been released by several experiments at the SPS and RHIC. Recent results on charge fluctuations, balance functions in pseudorapidity, and average transverse momentum fluctuations will be reviewed. The results will be compared to various model predictions after examining contributions to each observable from known physics processes.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Contribution to the Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Ultra Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2004), Oakland, California, 11-17 Jan 2004. Submitted to J.Phys.

Strangeness from 20 AGeV to 158 AGeV

New results from the energy scan programme of NA49, in particular kaon production at 30 AGeV and phi production at 40 and 80 AGeV are presented. The K+/pi+ ratio shows a pronounced maximum at 30 AGeV; the kaon slope parameters are constant at SPS energies. Both findings support the scenario of a phase transition at about 30 AGeV beam energy. The phi/pi ratio increases smoothly with beam energy, showing an energy dependence similar to K-/pi-. The measured particle yields can be reproduced by a hadron gas model, with chemical freeze-out parameters on a smooth curve in the T-muB plane. The transverse spectra can be understood as resulting from a rapidly expanding, locally equilibrated source. No evidence for an earlier kinetic decoupling of heavy hyperons is found.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of "Strangeness in Quark Matter 2003" (March 2003, Atlantic Beach NC, USA), to be published in Journal of Physics G. 11 pages, 14 figure

Lambda production in central Pb+Pb collisions at CERN-SPS energies

In this paper we present recent results from the NA49 experiment for $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons produced in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40, 80 and 158 A$\cdot$GeV. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions for $\Lambda$ are shown for all three energies. The shape of the rapidity distribution becomes flatter with increasing beam energy. The multiplicities at mid-rapidity as well as the total yields are studied as a function of collision energy including AGS measurements. The ratio $\Lambda/\pi$ at mid-rapidity and in 4$\pi$ has a maximum around 40 A$\cdot$GeV. In addition, $\bar{\Lambda}$ rapidity distributions have been measured at 40 and 80 A$\cdot$GeV, which allows to study the $\bar{\Lambda}$/$\Lambda$ ratio.Comment: SQM proceedings. J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys.: submitte

Measurement of event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations using strongly intensive measures Δ[PT,N]\Delta[P_T, N] and Σ[PT,N]\Sigma[P_T, N] in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron

Results from the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS are presented on event-by-event transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations of charged particles, produced at forward rapidities in central Pb+Pb interactions at beam momenta 20$A$, 30$A$, 40$A$, 80$A$, and 158$A$ GeV/c, as well as in systems of different size ($p+p$, C+C, Si+Si, and Pb+Pb) at 158$A$ GeV/c. This publication extends the previous NA49 measurements of the strongly intensive measure $\Phi_{p_T}$ by a study of the recently proposed strongly intensive measures of fluctuations $\Delta[P_T, N]$ and $\Sigma[P_T, N]$. In the explored kinematic region transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations show no significant energy dependence in the SPS energy range. However, a remarkable system size dependence is observed for both $\Delta[P_T, N]$ and $\Sigma[P_T, N]$, with the largest values measured in peripheral Pb+Pb interactions. The results are compared with NA61/SHINE measurements in $p+p$ collisions, as well as with predictions of the UrQMD and EPOS models.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, to be submitted to PR

Production of deuterium, tritium, and 3^3He in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A, and 158A GeV at the CERN SPS

Production of $d$, $t$, and $^3$He nuclei in central Pb+Pb interactions was studied at five collision energies ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=$ 6.3, 7.6, 8.8, 12.3, and 17.3 GeV) with the NA49 detector at the CERN SPS. Transverse momentum spectra, rapidity distributions, and particle ratios were measured. Yields are compared to predictions of statistical models. Phase-space distributions of light nuclei are discussed and compared to those of protons in the context of a coalescence approach. The coalescence parameters $B_2$ and $B_3$, as well as coalescence radii for $d$ and $^3$He were determined as a function of transverse mass at all energies.Comment: 22 pages, 29 figures, 8 tables, for submission to Phys. Rev.

System-size and centrality dependence of charged kaon and pion production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 40A GeV and158A GeV beam energy

Measurements of charged pion and kaon production are presented in centrality selected Pb+Pb collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV beam energy as well as in semi-central C+C and Si+Si interactions at 40A GeV. Transverse mass spectra, rapidity spectra and total yields are determined as a function of centrality. The system-size and centrality dependence of relative strangeness production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 40A GeV and 158A GeV beam energy are derived from the data presented here and published data for C+C and Si+Si collisions at 158A GeV beam energy. At both energies a steep increase with centrality is observed for small systems followed by a weak rise or even saturation for higher centralities. This behavior is compared to calculations using transport models (UrQMD and HSD), a percolation model and the core-corona approach.Comment: 32 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables, typo table II correcte