Central Pb+Pb Collisions at 158 A GeV/c Studied by Pion-Pion Interferometry

Two-particle correlations have been measured for identified negative pions from central 158 AGeV Pb+Pb collisions and fitted radii of about 7 fm in all dimensions have been obtained. A multi-dimensional study of the radii as a function of kT is presented, including a full correction for the resolution effects of the apparatus. The cross term Rout-long of the standard fit in the Longitudinally CoMoving System (LCMS) and the vl parameter of the generalised Yano-Koonin fit are compatible with 0, suggesting that the source undergoes a boost invariant expansion. The shapes of the correlation functions in Qinv and Qspace have been analyzed in detail. They are not Gaussian but better represented by exponentials. As a consequence, fitting Gaussians to these correlation functions may produce different radii depending on the acceptance of the experimental setup used for the measurement.Comment: 13 pages including 10 figure

Search for Disoriented Chiral Condensates in 158 AGeV Pb+Pb Collisions

The restoration of chiral symmetry and its subsequent breaking through a phase transition has been predicted to create regions of Disoriented Chiral Condensates (DCC). This phenomenon has been predicted to cause anomalous fluctuations in the relative production of charged and neutral pions in high-energy hadronic and nuclear collisions. The WA98 experiment has been used to measure charged and photon multiplicities in the central region of 158 AGeV Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. In a sample of 212646 events, no clear DCC signal can be distinguished. Using a simple DCC model, we have set a 90% C.L. upper limit on the maximum DCC production allowed by the data.Comment: 20 Pages, LaTeX, uses elsart.cls, 8 eps figures included, submitted to Physics Letters

The PHENIX Experiment at RHIC

The physics emphases of the PHENIX collaboration and the design and current status of the PHENIX detector are discussed. The plan of the collaboration for making the most effective use of the available luminosity in the first years of RHIC operation is also presented.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Further details of the PHENIX physics program available at http://www.rhic.bnl.gov/phenix

Directed Flow in 158 A GeV 208Pb^{208}Pb + 208Pb^{208}Pb Collisions

The directed flow of protons and positive pions have been studied in 158 A GeV Pb + Pb collisions. A directed flow analysis of the rapidity dependence of the average transverse momentum projected onto the reaction plane is presented for semi-central collisions with impact parameters of approximately 8 fm, where the flow effect is largest. The magnitude of the directed flow is found to be significantly smaller than observed at AGS energies and than RQMD model predictions.The directed flow of protons and positive pions have been studied in 158 A GeV Pb + Pb collisions. A directed flow analysis of the rapidity dependence of the average transverse momentum projected onto the reaction plane is presented for semi-central collisions with impact parameters of approximately 8 fm, where the flow effect is largest. The magnitude of the directed flow is found to be significantly smaller than observed at AGS energies and than RQMD model predictions

Transverse momentum distributions of neutral pions from nuclear collisions at 200 AGeV

New results on transverse mass spectra of neutral pions measured at central rapidity are presented for impact parameter selected 200 AGeV S + S and S + Au collisions. The spectra from all systems show a clear power-law like shape with similar curvature. Collisions of S + Au exhibit a larger mean transverse momentum than pp increasing with centrality. Predictions of string models and by hydrodynamic approaches including collective expansion and decays of short lived resonances are compared to the data and the implications are discussed.New results on transverse mass spectra of neutral pions measured at central rapidity are presented for impact parameter selected 200 AGeV S + S and S + Au collisions. The spectra from all systems show a clear power-law like shape with similar curvature. Collisions of S + Au exhibit a larger mean transverse momentum than pp increasing with centrality. Predictions of string models and by hydrodynamic approaches including collective expansion and decays of short lived resonances are compared to the data and the implications are discussed

Production of η mesons in 200 AGeV/cS+S and S+Au reactions

Minimum Bias production cross sections of $\eta$ mesons have been measured in 200AGeV S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range $2.1 \leq y \leq 2.9$ using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of $\pi~0$ and $\eta$ mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normalization of the $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ transverse mass spectra is found to be $0.53 \pm 0.07$ for S+Au and $0.43 \pm 0.15$ for S+S reactions. Extrapolation to full phase space leads to an integrated cross section ratio of $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ mesons of $0.15 \pm 0.02 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$, and $0.12 \pm 0.03 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$ for S+Au and S+S collisions, respectively.Minimum Bias production cross sections of $\eta$ mesons have been measured in 200AGeV S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range $2.1 \leq y \leq 2.9$ using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of $\pi~0$ and $\eta$ mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normalization of the $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ transverse mass spectra is found to be $0.53 \pm 0.07$ for S+Au and $0.43 \pm 0.15$ for S+S reactions. Extrapolation to full phase space leads to an integrated cross section ratio of $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ mesons of $0.15 \pm 0.02 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$, and $0.12 \pm 0.03 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$ for S+Au and S+S collisions, respectively.Minimum Bias production cross sections of $\eta$ mesons have been measured in 200AGeV S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range $2.1 \leq y \leq 2.9$ using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of $\pi~0$ and $\eta$ mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normalization of the $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ transverse mass spectra is found to be $0.53 \pm 0.07$ for S+Au and $0.43 \pm 0.15$ for S+S reactions. Extrapolation to full phase space leads to an integrated cross section ratio of $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ mesons of $0.15 \pm 0.02 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$, and $0.12 \pm 0.03 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$ for S+Au and S+S collisions, respectively.Minimum Bias production cross sections of $\eta$ mesons have been measured in 200AGeV S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range $2.1 \leq y \leq 2.9$ using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of $\pi~0$ and $\eta$ mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normalization of the $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ transverse mass spectra is found to be $0.53 \pm 0.07$ for S+Au and $0.43 \pm 0.15$ for S+S reactions. Extrapolation to full phase space leads to an integrated cross section ratio of $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ mesons of $0.15 \pm 0.02 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$, and $0.12 \pm 0.03 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$ for S+Au and S+S collisions, respectively.Minimum Bias production cross sections of $\eta$ mesons have been measured in 200AGeV S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the $\eta\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range $2.1 \leq y \leq 2.9$ using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of $\pi~0$ and $\eta$ mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normalization of the $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ transverse mass spectra is found to be $0.53 \pm 0.07$ for S+Au and $0.43 \pm 0.15$ for S+S reactions. Extrapolation to full phase space leads to an integrated cross section ratio of $\eta$ to $\pi~0$ mesons of $0.15 \pm 0.02 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$, and $0.12 \pm 0.03 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.02 {\rm (syst.)}$ for S+Au and S+S collisions, respectively.Minimum Bias production cross sections of η mesons have been measured in 200 A GeV/ c S+Au and S+S collisions at the CERN SPS by reconstructing the η → γγ decay. The measurements have been made over the rapidity range 2.1 ≤ y ≤ 2.9 using the leadglass spectrometer of WA80. Within the statistical and systematical uncertainties the spectral shapes of π 0 and η mesons yields are identical when their invariant differential cross section is plotted as a function of the transverse mass. The relative normaliz