The Landscape of Particle Production: Results from PHOBOS

Recent results from the PHOBOS experiment at RHIC are presented, both from Au+Au collisions from the 2001 run and p+p and d+Au collisions from 2003. The centrality dependence of the total charged particle multiplicity in p+p and d+Au show features, such as Npart-scaling and limiting fragmentation, similar to p+A collisions at lower energies. Multiparticle physics in Au+Au is found to be local in (pseudo)rapidity, both when observed by HBT correlations and by forward-backward pseudorapidity correlations. The shape of elliptic flow in Au+Au, measured over the full range of pseudorapidity, appears to have a very weak centrality dependence. Identified particle ratios in d+Au reactions show little difference between the shape of proton and anti-proton spectra, while the absolute yields show an approximate m_T scaling.Comment: 8 Pages, 11 Figures, Plenary talk at Quark Matter 2004, Oakland, CA, January 11-18, 200

EXPECTED TRIGGER RATES OF HIGH PT JETS AND DIRECT PHOTONS IN THE STAR EMC.

The STAR experiment at RHIC is a large acceptance detector. The electromagnetic calorimeter (EMC) will provide a sensitive trigger to study high p{sub t} jets and hard photons in AuAu, pp, and pAu collisions. The capability for the EMC to trigger on jets and direct photons was studied for trigger level 0. Trigger efficiencies and expected process rates were obtained for pp reactions. Results from pp interactions will be essential to the interpretation of AuAu results as well as for the spin physics program. These studies were performed with the standard STAR software chain which includes GEANT and EMC simulations. The HIJING event generator was used to provide input for the simulations

Tests of CMS Hadron Forward Calorimeter Upgrade Readout Box Prototype

A readout box prototype for CMS Hadron Forward calorimeter upgrade is built and tested in CERN H2 beamline. The prototype is designed to enable simultaneous tests of different readout options for the four anode upgrade PMTs, new front-end electronics design and new cabling. The response of the PMTs with different readout options is uniform and the background response is minimal. Multi-channel readout options further enhance the background elimination. Passing all the electronics, mechanical and physics tests, the readout box proves to be capable of providing the forward hadron calorimeter operations requirements in the upgrade era