PHENIX measurement of jet properties and their modification in heavy-ion collisions

The properties of jets produced in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=200 GeV are studied using the method of two particle correlations. The trigger particle is assumed to be a leading particle from a high p_T jet while the associated particle is assumed to come from either the same jet or the away jet. From the angular width and yield of the same and away side correlation peaks, the parameters characterizing the jet properties are extracted.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, contribution to the proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter, Oakland, January 11-17, 2004). To appear in the proceedings (Journal of Physics G

Neutral Pion Distributions in PHENIX at RHIC

Transverse momentum spectra for identified $\pi^0$'s in the range 1 GeV/c $< p_T <$ 4 GeV/c have been measured by the PHENIX experiment in Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s}=130$ GeV. The spectra from peripheral nuclear collisions are consistent with the simple expectation of scaling the spectra from p+p collisions by the average number of nucleon-nucleon binary collisions. The spectra from central collisions and the ratio of central/peripheral spectra are significantly suppressed when compared to point-like scaling.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

A Simple Non-Markovian Computational Model of the Statistics of Soccer Leagues: Emergence and Scaling effects

We propose a novel algorithm that outputs the final standings of a soccer league, based on a simple dynamics that mimics a soccer tournament. In our model, a team is created with a defined potential(ability) which is updated during the tournament according to the results of previous games. The updated potential modifies a teams' future winning/losing probabilities. We show that this evolutionary game is able to reproduce the statistical properties of final standings of actual editions of the Brazilian tournament (Brasileir\~{a}o). However, other leagues such as the Italian and the Spanish tournaments have notoriously non-Gaussian traces and cannot be straightforwardly reproduced by this evolutionary non-Markovian model. A complete understanding of these phenomena deserves much more attention, but we suggest a simple explanation based on data collected in Brazil: Here several teams were crowned champion in previous editions corroborating that the champion typically emerges from random fluctuations that partly preserves the gaussian traces during the tournament. On the other hand, in the Italian and Spanish leagues only a few teams in recent history have won their league tournaments. These leagues are based on more robust and hierarchical structures established even before the beginning of the tournament. For the sake of completeness, we also elaborate a totally Gaussian model (which equalizes the winning, drawing, and losing probabilities) and we show that the scores of the "Brasileir\~{a}o" cannot be reproduced. Such aspects stress that evolutionary aspects are not superfluous in our modeling. Finally, we analyse the distortions of our model in situations where a large number of teams is considered, showing the existence of a transition from a single to a double peaked histogram of the final classification scores. An interesting scaling is presented for different sized tournaments.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure

Hadron production in the forward and backward rapidities in dAu collisions at RHIC

We have developed new techniques to detect hadrons with the PHENIX muon spectrometers. This allows us to study the centrality dependent nuclear modification factor $R_{CP}$ with high $p_{T}$ hadrons in both forward (d direction) and backward (Au direction) rapidities, $1 < |\eta| < 2$, in dAu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV$. Preliminary results show a suppression (enhancement) of high $p_{T}$ hadron production in central $0-20$ dAu collisions relative to the peripheral one ($60-88$ in centrality) at forward (backward) rapidity.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Quark Matter 2004 tal

Two Particle Azimuthal Correlation Measurements in PHENIX

Two particle azimuthal correlation functions are presented for charged hadrons produced in Au-Au collisions at RHIC sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV.The correlation functions indicate sizeable asymmetries and anisotropies. The trend of the asymmetries is compatible with the presence of emission patterns associated with mini-jets. The magnitude and the trend of the differential anisotropies v_2(p_T) and v_2(N_Part), provide important model constraints.Comment: 4 pages 3 fig

Results on Photon Production in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

The status of the search for direct photons in Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 130 GeV and sqrt{s_NN} = 200 GeV with the PHENIX experiment is presented. Within errors, no excess of direct photons was found in a first analysis pass done on a limited data set. Significantly reduced systematic and statistical uncertainties are expected in future analyses.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Talk presented at the Quark Matter 2002 conference, Nantes, France, July 18-24, 2002. To appear in the proceedings (Nucl. Phys. A

Search for direct photons in p+Pb and p+C collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 17.4 GeV

Upper limits on direct photon production were determined as a function of the transverse momentum for 0.7 < pT <= 3.2 GeV/c with the WA98 experiment in p+C and p+Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 17.4 GeV. The results are compared to direct photon measurements in Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 17.3 GeV by WA98. Implications for a possible thermal direct photon contribution are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the Quark Matter 2008 conference, Jaipur, India, 4-10 Feb 200

Comparative Analysis of the Mechanisms of Fast Light Particle Formation in Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions at Low and Intermediate Energies

The dynamics and the mechanisms of preequilibrium-light-particle formation in nucleus-nucleus collisions at low and intermediate energies are studied on the basis of a classical four-body model. The angular and energy distributions of light particles from such processes are calculated. It is found that, at energies below 50 MeV per nucleon, the hardest section of the energy spectrum is formed owing to the acceleration of light particles from the target by the mean field of the projectile nucleus. Good agreement with available experimental data is obtained.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, LaTeX, published in Physics of Atomic Nuclei v.65, No. 8, 2002, pp. 1459 - 1473 translated from Yadernaya Fizika v. 65, No. 8, 2002, pp. 1494 - 150

Azimuthal Correlations in the Target Fragmentation Region of High Energy Nuclear Collisions

Results on the target mass dependence of proton and pion pseudorapidity distributions and of their azimuthal correlations in the target rapidity range $-1.73 \le \eta \le 1.32$ are presented. The data have been taken with the Plastic-Ball detector set-up for 4.9 GeV p + Au collisions at the Berkeley BEVALAC and for 200 $A\cdot$GeV/$c$ p-, O-, and S-induced reactions on different nuclei at the CERN-SPS. The yield of protons at backward rapidities is found to be proportional to the target mass. Although protons show a typical ``back-to-back'' correlations, a ``side-by-side'' correlation is observed for positive pions, which increases both with target mass and with impact parameter of a collision. The data can consistently be described by assuming strong rescattering phenomena including pion absorption effects in the entire excited target nucleus.Comment: 7 pages, figures included, complete postscript available at ftp://qgp.uni-muenster.de/pub/paper/azi-correlations.ps submitted to Phys. Lett.

A Comparative Study of Some Pseudorandom Number Generators

We present results of an extensive test program of a group of pseudorandom number generators which are commonly used in the applications of physics, in particular in Monte Carlo simulations. The generators include public domain programs, manufacturer installed routines and a random number sequence produced from physical noise. We start by traditional statistical tests, followed by detailed bit level and visual tests. The computational speed of various algorithms is also scrutinized. Our results allow direct comparisons between the properties of different generators, as well as an assessment of the efficiency of the various test methods. This information provides the best available criterion to choose the best possible generator for a given problem. However, in light of recent problems reported with some of these generators, we also discuss the importance of developing more refined physical tests to find possible correlations not revealed by the present test methods.Comment: University of Helsinki preprint HU-TFT-93-22 (minor changes in Tables 2 and 7, and in the text, correspondingly