Antideuteron and deuteron production in mid-central Pb+Pb collisions at 158AA GeV

Production of deuterons and antideuterons was studied by the NA49 experiment in the 23.5% most central Pb+Pb collisions at the top SPS energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=17.3 GeV. Invariant yields for $\bar{d}$ and $d$ were measured as a function of centrality in the center-of-mass rapidity range $-1.2<y<-0.6$. Results for $\bar{d}(d)$ together with previously published $\bar{p}(p)$ measurements are discussed in the context of the coalescence model. The coalescence parameters $B_2$ were deduced as a function of transverse momentum $p_t$ and collision centrality.Comment: 9 figure

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

Energy Dependence of Multiplicity Fluctuations in Heavy Ion Collisions at the CERN SPS

Multiplicity fluctuations of positively, negatively and all charged hadrons in the forward hemisphere were studied in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A and 158A GeV. The multiplicity distributions and their scaled variances are presented in dependence of collision energy as well as of rapidity and transverse momentum. The distributions have bell-like shape and their scaled variances are in the range from 0.8 to 1.2 without any significant structure in their energy dependence. No indication of the critical point in fluctuations are observed. The string-hadronic model UrQMD significantly overpredicts the mean, but approximately reproduces the scaled variance of the multiplicity distributions. The predictions of the statistical hadron-resonance gas model obtained within the grand-canonical and canonical ensembles disagree with the measured scaled variances. The narrower than Poissonian multiplicity fluctuations measured in numerous cases may be explained by the impact of conservation laws on fluctuations in relativistic systems.Comment: 26 pages, 34 figures, updated version including referee comment

Status and further Analysis Plans of the NA49 Collaboration

Status report 2008 of the NA49 collaboration to the SPS

Energy dependence of fluctuations in central Pb+Pb collisions from NA49 at the CERN SPS

The latest NA49 results on fluctuations of multiplicity and average transverse-momentum analyzed on an event-by-event basis are presented for central Pb+Pb interactions over the whole SPS energy range (20A - 158A GeV). The scaled variance of the multiplicity distribution decreases with collision energy whereas the $\Phi_{p_{T}}$ measure of fluctuations is small and independent of collision energy. Thus in central Pb+Pb collisions these fluctuations do not show an indication of the critical point of strongly interacting matter.The latest NA49 results on fluctuations of multiplicity and average transverse-momentum analyzed on an event-by-event basis are presented for central Pb+Pb interactions over the whole SPS energy range (20A - 158A GeV). The scaled variance of the multiplicity distribution decreases with collision energy whereas the $\Phi_{p_{T}}$ measure of fluctuations is small and independent of collision energy. Thus in central Pb+Pb collisions these fluctuations do not show an indication of the critical point of strongly interacting matter

Energy dependence of Lambda and Xi production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A, and 158A GeV measured at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron

Results on $\Lambda$, \bar{\Lambda}}, $\Xi^{-}$, and $\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ production in central Pb+Pb reactions at 20A, 30A, 40A, 80A, and 158A GeV are presented. The energy dependence of transverse mass spectra, rapidity spectra, and multiplicities is discussed. Comparisons to string hadronic models (UrQMD and HSD) and statistical hadron gas models are shown. While the latter provide a reasonable description of all particle yields, the first class of models fails to match the $\Xi^{-}$, and $\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ multiplicities.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures. Finally published version after editorial revisio

Search for the QCD critical point at SPS energies

Lattice QCD calculations locate the QCD critical point at energies accessible at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). We present average transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations, as well as baryon and anti-baryon transverse mass spectra which are expected to be sensitive to effects of the critical point. The future CP search strategy of the NA61/SHINE experiment at the SPS is also discussed.Lattice QCD calculations locate the QCD critical point at energies accessible at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). We present average transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations, as well as baryon and anti-baryon transverse mass spectra which are expected to be sensitive to effects of the critical point. The future CP search strategy of the NA61/SHINE experiment at the SPS is also discussed

Swiss Competence Center on Energy Research FURIES - Overview and Contributions in the Area of Power Electronics and Smart Grids

This paper introduces a special session on results of the Swiss competence center on energy research FURIES that has been established in coordination with the Swiss Energy strategy 2050 with the specific aim to develop, promote and deploy power grid-related innovative solutions toward the im-plementation of the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050. This contribution will report on activities within WP 3, "AC/DC multi-terminal grids and power electronics". This WP includes three subtasks with contributions from the major Swiss technical universities: Multi-terminal HVDC system design, fault detection and clearing in multi-terminal HVDC, enabling component and converter technolo-gies and applications. The spectrum of the center's activities is briefly introduced and as an illustra-tive example, the contributions of the SCCER FURIES in relation with HVDC grids are summa-rized. These contributions include: new high power DC testing methods and laboratories, new DC breaker principles and fault location techniques, AC/DC grid resonance analysis and novel converter technologies