$π^{0}$ Azimuthal Anisotropy in Au+Au Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=39-200$ GeV from PHENIX: Collision Energy and Path-Length Dependence of Jet-Quenching and the Role of Initial Geometry
Xiaoyang Gong
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4 pages, 4 figures, Proceedings for The 4th International Conference on Hard and Electromagnetic Probes of High Energy Nuclear Collisions (Hard Probes 2010)
The azimuthal anisotropy of high $p_{T}$ particle production in heavy ion collisions is a sensitive probe of the jet quenching mechanism. Recent PHENIX measurements for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV show a $π^{0}$ $v_{2}$ signal that exceeds the pQCD energy loss calculations up to $p_{T} \sim 10$ GeV/c, challenging the traditional perturbative picture of the energy loss process. Here, we present an update and details of that measurement, as well as new high $p_T$ measurements at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62$ and 39 GeV. These measurements not only provide an important constraint for understanding the path-length dependence of jet energy loss and the role of initial collision geometry, but also allow a search for the onset of jet quenching as $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ is varied.
The PHENIX experiment has established jet quenching at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV in Au+Au collisions. Recent measurements of Cu+Cu collisions at the same center-of-mass energy support a parton energy loss scenario. Furthermore, the onset of jet quenching was studied in Cu+Cu collisions for three center-of-mass energies 22.4, 62.4 and 200 GeV.
We review recent progresses on jet quenching measurements by PHENIX. With increased statistics, PHENIX has gone beyond the single hadron suppression $R_{\rm AA}$, and made measurements on multiple jet quenching observables, such as $v_2$, $I_{\rm AA}$ and $v_2^{I_{\rm AA}}$. We argue that, by combining these observables together, one can achieve a better understanding of the energy loss mechanism. We present new $γ$-hadron correlation results with associated hadrons extended to low $p_T$; an enhancement has been observed, suggesting a contribution of genuine medium response that is relatively …
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.
The transverse momentum dependence of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter v_{2}, the second harmonic of the azimuthal distribution, for electrons at mid-rapidity (|eta|<0.35) has been measured with the PHENIX detector in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV with respect to the reaction plane defined at high rapidities (|eta|=3-4). From the result we have calculated non-photonic electron v_{2}, which is expected to reflect the heavy-flavor azimuthal anisotropy, by subtracting v_{2} of electrons from other sources such as photon conversions, Dalitz decay etc.
The PHENIX experiment discovered a large excess of low-$p_{T}$ direct photons in Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV compared to reference p+p collisions, which has been attributed to thermal radiation from the medium produced in the collisions. At the same time the excess photons show a large azimuthal anisotropy, expressed as Fourier coefficients $v_{2}$ and $v_{3}$. These surprising results have not yet been fully described by theoretical models. We will present the results obtained from real photons in the electromagnetic calorimeter and photons converted on the outer shell of the Hadron Blind Det…
As in previous analyses at sqrt(s_NN) 200 GeV, correlations in azimuthal angles between inclusive charge particles at intermediate transverse momentum (p_T = 1.0-4.0) GeV/c are studied at sqrt(s_NN) 62.4 GeV. The jet correlations reveal similar modification as in 200 GeV. Specifically large modification, including the "volcano" or "cone" structure, persists in the awayside correlation.
The PHENIX experiment has shown that J/psis are suppressed in central Au+Au collisions at a center of mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sqrt s(NN) = 200 GeV, and that the suppression is larger at forward than at mid-rapidity. Part of this difference may be explained by cold nuclear matter effects but the most central collisions suggest that regeneration mechanisms could be at play. In 2007, PHENIX collected almost four times more Au+Au collisions at this energy than used for previous published results. Moreover, the addition of a new reaction plane detector allows a much better analysi…
High-$p_T$ hadron-hadron correlations have been measured with the PHENIX experiment in $\Cu$ and $\pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. A comparison of the jet widths and yields between the two colliding systems allows us to study the medium effect on jets. We also present a first measurement of direct photon-hadron correlations in $\Au$ and $\pp$ collisions. We find that the near-side yields are consistent with zero in both systems. By comparing the jet yields on the away side, we observe a suggestion of the expected suppression of hadrons associated with photons in $\Au$ collisions.
Recent PHENIX measurements of the elliptic (v2) and hexadecapole (v4) Fourier flow coefficients for charged hadrons as a function of transverse momentum (pT), collision centrality and particle species are presented and compared with results from the PHOBOS and STAR collaborations respectively. The status of extensions to future PHENIX measurements at lower beam energies is also discussed.
We present azimuthal anisotropy measurements in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Comparison between reaction plane and cumulant $v_2$ measurements in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV show that non-flow contributions, originating mainly from jets, influence the extracted $v_2$ for $p_T$ $\gtrsim$ 3.5 GeV/c. Number of constituent quark (NCQ) scaling of $v_2$, when studied as a function of transverse kinetic energy $KE_T$, is seen to hold for Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 62.4 and 200 GeV and for Cu+Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV f…
An improved measurement of $v_2$ for $π^0$ in a broad range of $p_T$ and centrality is presented. By combining $v_2$ with the $R_{AA}$, we provide new insights on jet-medium interactions. We show that current pQCD energy loss models cannot describe the suppression of the $π^0$ as a function of the angle with respect to the reaction plane. Our result could help to resolve the factor of 4 differences in the predicted transport coefficients among these models. Alternatively, it may suggest that non-perturbative effects associated with the strongly coupled QGP are important, and new theoretical de…
Recent surveys of multiplicity fluctuations, transverse momentum fluctuations, and two-particle azimuthal correlations are presented for several collision systems as a function of centrality and transverse momentum. Both multiplicity and transverse momentum fluctuations exhibit a power law scaling as a function of the number of participants that is independent of the collision system. Although these observations are consistent with critical behavior, the critical exponent $η$ measured using azimuthal correlations is seen to be independent of centrality and collision system. Also observed in th…
Measurements from the RHIC experiments show a strong suppression in the yield of high-p$_\mathrm{T}$ single hadrons and a clear reduction in strength of the di-jet signal in two-hadron azimuthal-angle correlation functions in central Au+Au collisions at RHIC. These measurements should provide direct information on the properties of the medium within which hard-scattered partons propagate. The PHENIX preliminary results on single high-p$_\mathrm{T}$ hadron production and on particle azimuthal correlations are shown. The properties of the medium created in relativistic heavy ion collisions are d…
We present here v$_2$ of identified and inclusive charged particles measured in the PHENIX central arm detector ($|η| < 0.35$) with respect to the reaction plane defined at $|η| = 3 \sim 4$ in 200 GeV Au+Au collisions. We find that v$_2$ increases from central to mid-central collisions reaching a maximum at about 50% of the geometric cross section and then decreases again for more peripheral collisions. As a function of transverse momentum in minimum-bias collisions, the v$_2$ parameter increases linearly with p$_{\rm T}$ up to p$_{\rm T}$ $\simeq$ 2 GeV/c and then saturates for inclusive char…
PHENIX has measured the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) spectra and two particle angular correlations for high $p_{\rm T}$ particles in $d$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}$=200\,GeV using the RHIC Year-2008 run data. The azimuthal angle correlations for two particles with a large rapidity gap exhibit a ridge like structure. Using the $π^0$ reconstructed in the EMCal, we have successfully extended the $p_{\rm T}$ reach of the correlation up to 8\,GeV/$c$. We find that the azimuthal anisotropy of hadrons found at low $p_{\rm T}$ persists up to 6\,GeV/$c$ with a significant centrality and $p…
We analyze the relative azimuthal ($Δϕ$) distribution of same-charge and opposite-charge particle pairs. We then remove elliptic flow background using the ZYAM method. Comparisons between near angle $Δϕ$ peak widths are presented for various centralities.
The first evidence of jet quenching was observed at RHIC via suppression of single high $p_T$ hadron $R_{AA}$ and the disappearance of the away-side jet peak in two-particle correlations. Since then, hadron $R_{AA}$ and two-particle correlations continue to be useful probes of the QGP in heavy ion collisions, since the particles involved are fragments of the jets produced in the initial hard scattering. PHENIX recently improved the width measurements extracted from $π^0$-hadron correlations after removing the higher order flow terms in the underlying event subtraction. Measurements of the away…
This is a status report on where PHENIX stands in terms of mapping out the landscape of jet correlation in $p_T$, hadron species, $\sqrt{s}$. We discuss separately high $p_T$ correlation results and low and intermediate $p_T$ correlation results. The former is sensitive to the quenching of the jet by medium, the later allows detailed study of the medium response to the (di-)jet.
We present measurements of 2- and 4-particle correlations in d+Au collisions at four different center-of-mass energies: 200, 62.4, 39, and 19.6 GeV. The data were collected in 2016 by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. The second Fourier coefficient $v_2$ of the particle azimuthal distributions is measured using the Q-cumulant method as a function of event multiplicity. The results give a strong indication of collective behavior down to the lowest energy.
The paper presents recent PHENIX results for the nuclear modification factor R_AA in Au + Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV for the electrons originating from semi-leptonic decays of open heavy flavor carrying particles. We also report the results of the azimuthal asymmetry (v_2) measurement for those electrons, which is directly related to the heavy quark elliptic flow.
Two-particle azimuthal correlations have been shown to be a powerful probe for extracting novel features of the interaction between hard scattered partons and the medium produced in Au+Au collisions at RHIC. At intermediate $p_T$, 2-5GeV/c, jets have been shown to be significantly modified in both particle composition and angular distribution compared to p+pcollisions. We present recent PHENIX results from Au+Au collisions for a variety of $p_T$ and particle combinations.
The azimuthal dependence of 3D HBT radii relative to the event plane gives us information about the source shape at freeze-out. It also provides information on the system's evolution by comparing it to the initial source shape. In recent studies, higher harmonic event planes and flow have been measured at RHIC and the LHC, which result primarily from spatial fluctuations of the initial density across the collision area. If the shape caused by initial fluctuations still exists at freeze-out, the HBT measurement relative to higher order event plane may show these features. We present recent resu…
Two particle azimuthal correlation functions are presented for charged hadrons produced in Au+Au collisions at RHIC ($\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV). The measurements allow for the determination of elliptic flow without event-by-event estimation of the reaction plane. The measured correlation functions indicate elliptic flow values ($v_2$) which show significant sensitivity to both the collision centrality and the transverse momenta of emitted hadrons.
Modifications of jet properties resulting from the coupling of jets to the strongly interacting matter produced in RHIC collisions are of great current interest. In recent work, the PHENIX collaboration has applied a novel technique to the analysis of two particle azimuthal correlations which extinguishes the harmonic part of the underlying event revealing the true jet shape. Recent extensions of the method to three particle correlations allow for a more revealing study of jet topologies in Au+Au collisions at ($\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$=200 GeV).
Azimuthal two particle correlations at intermediate $p_{T}$ with one of the particles identified have been measured at PHENIX. Trigger ($2.5 < p_{T} < 4.0 GeV/c$) baryons and mesons show little significant difference in the number of associated particles ($1.7 < p_{T} < 2.5 GeV/c$) independent of centrality. For inclusive hadron triggers with $2.5 < p_{T} < 4.0 GeV/c$, associated fragmentation particles with $1.0 < p_{T} < 2.5 GeV/c$ show a higher baryon to meson ratio on the away side.
A selected set of di-hadron correlation results from PHENIX are discussed. These results provide evidences for four distinct contributions concentrated at various $Δϕ$ ranges. The $p_T$, particle species and energy dependence of these contributions reflect detailed interplay between jet quenching and response of the partonic matter to the lost energy.
It has been established that "hard probes", observables involving high-momentum transfer, provide useful tools for studying the hot, dense medium created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC. The nuclear modification factor, azimuthal correlations, direct photon production, as well as the dependence of the nuclear modificaton factor on centrality and angle with respect to the reaction plane are critical for understanding the early dynamics of such heavy-ion collisions. We will review recent results from PHENIX for particle production at high-pT and discuss their implications.
The measurement of single leptons from the semi-leptonic decay of heavy-flavor hadrons has long been a means for studying heavy-quark production. PHENIX has measured single muons in pp collisions at forward rapidity and single electrons in both pp and AuAu collisions at mid-rapidity at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. The most recent PHENIX single lepton results are presented in the context of state-of-the-art pQCD calculations. An updated azimuthal anisotropy, v2(pT), measurement for heavy-flavor single electrons in AuAu collisions is also presented.
The new forward Muon Piston Calorimeters allow PHENIX to explore low-$x$ parton distributions in d+Au collisions with hopes of observing gluon saturation. We present a two-particle azimuthal $Δϕ$ correlation measurement made between a mid-rapidity particle ($|η_1| < 0.35$) and a forward $π^0$ ($3.1 < η_2 < 3.9$) wherein we compare correlation widths in d+Au to p+p and compute $I_{dA}$.
Bose-Einstein momentum correlation functions of identical bosons reveal the shape and size of the (soft) particle emitting source of the given particle. The widths of these correlation functions are called HBT radii, named after Brown and Twiss who studied the angular diameter of stars via intensity correlations in their radio telescopes. Today, high energy physics experiments measure the HBT radii as a function of many parameters: particle type, transverse momentum, azimuthal angle, collision energy, collision geometry. In this paper we present results from the RHIC PHENIX experiment. These i…
Two-particle azimuthal correlations have allowed detailed study of the modification to di-jets in the hot, dense medium created in RHIC collisions. Light can be shed by such correlations on many novel effects discovered at RHIC such as the enhanced p/pi ratio and conical structure of events with energy loss. Using pi0 triggers to reduce the effect of recombination we utilize high-pT correlations to explore the away-side structure.
Measurements of two particle azimuthal correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions are useful tools to dissect the interplay between hard-scattered partons and hot dense medium. Correlations with trigger particle selection relative to second order event plane are sensitive to the path-length dependence of parton energy loss and to the influence of the medium on jet for high and intermediate transverse momenta pairs, respectively. To study the parton-medium coupling, it is also crucial to obtain correlations with rejection of contributions from higher harmonic flow. We present current res…
PHENIX has used the versatility of RHIC to map out low $p_{T}$ direct photon production as function of collision system size and beam energy. For systems with a size corresponding to a $dN_{ch}/dη$ larger than 20-30, we observe a large yield of direct photons, a large azimuthal anisotropy with respect to the reaction plane, and a characteristic centrality dependence of $dN_γ/dy \propto (dN_{ch}/dη)^α$, with $α\sim$ 1.2. \\ In this proceeding, we will present new results from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV. After subtracting the prompt photon component, the inverse s…
Measurements of two particle azimuthal correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions provide information of the possible interplay between hard-scattered partons and the hot-dense medium. Toward an understanding of parton-medium coupling, it is indispensable to obtain correlations where contributions from higher harmonic flow($v_n$) are rejected. It is also important to produce correlation measurements where the trigger particle is selected relative to second and third order event planes. This enables us to explore path-length dependence of parton energy loss and the influence of the mediu…
The origin of the azimuthal anisotropy in particle yields at high pT (pT > 5 GeV/c) in RHIC collisions remains an intriguing puzzle. Traditional flow and parton energy loss models have failed to completely explain the large v2 observed at high pT. Measurement of this parameter at high pT will help to gain an understanding of the interplay between flow, recombination and energy loss, and the role they play in the transition from soft to hard physics. Neutral mesons measured in the PHENIX experiment provide an ideal observable for such studies. We present recent measurements of \piz yields with …
We derive an analytical form for flow-background to jet-like azimuthal correlation in a cluster approach. We argue that the elliptic flow parameter to use in jet-correlation background is that from two-particle method excluding non-flow correlation unrelated to the reaction plane, but including cross-terms between cluster correlation and cluster flow. We verify our result with Monte Carlo simulations. We discuss implications of our finding in the context of jet-like correlations from STAR and PHENIX.
PHENIX has measured many different two-particle azimuthal correlations in several different colliding systems, beam energies, $p_{T}$ windows, etc. The initial striking results from the first full energy Au+Au run have been confirmed, i.e. the observation of away-side suppression at intermediate $p_{T}$ and the shape modification at low $p_{T}$. With the new high-statistics data these results have been extended to further explore the physics resulting in these modified correlations. In this contribution we present a wide variety of correlation results at high-$p_{T}$ ($>$ 5 GeV/c) and at low $…
During the past several years, experiments at RHIC have established that a dense partonic medium is produced in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV. Subsequently, a primary goal of analysis has been to understand and characterize the dynamics underlying this new form of matter. Among the many probes available, the measurements with respect to the reaction plane has proven to be crucial to our understanding of a wide range of topics, from the hydrodynamics of the initial expansion of the collision region to high-pt jet quenching phenomena. Few tools have the ability to shed light on such a wide…
The pi0 meson has been a crucial proble for observing jet quenching in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC. Measurements of the eta meson in the same collisions have also shed light on a possible dependence of the observed suppression on the particle species. The preliminary pi0 nuclear modification factor R_AA from the 2004 RHIC run allowed a first systematic comparison between a precise measurement with high statistics and theoretical calculations, constraining model parameters such as the initial gluon density dN^g/dy, and the transport coefficient qhat. The final pi0 spectra and…
Direct photons are a powerful tool to study the hot and dense matter created in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC, since they are created in the different stages of the collision. Since they do not interact via the strong force, they can travel through the hot and dense matter mostly unaffected. The PHENIX experiment has measured direct photons using different methods, over a broad range of transverse momentum (\pt), in different collision systems, and at different energies. These measurements help interpreting the measurement of hadrons as well as understanding the temperature of the created quark…
At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), key insights into the bulk properties of the hot and dense partonic matter arise from the study of azimuthal anisotropy ($v_2$) of the produced particles. These insights include indicating the matter undergoes rapid thermalization and behaves hydrodynamically at low $p_T$. Recently a low energy scan ($\le \sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 62.4 GeV) began at RHIC to search for the QGP critical point, where a change in $v_2$ from higher energies could play a key role in its identification. Additionally, higher order flow harmonics have recently been shown to provide…
We have measured the azimuthal anisotropy of pi0's for 1 < pT < 18 GeV/c for Au+Au collisions at sqrt s_NN = 200 GeV. The observed anisotropy shows a gradual decrease in 3 < pT < 7 - 10 GeV/c, but remains positive beyond 10 GeV/c. The magnitude of this anisotropy is under-predicted, up to at least 10 GeV/c, by current perturbative QCD (pQCD) energy-loss model calculations. An estimate of the increase in anisotropy expected from initial-geometry modification due to gluon saturation effects and initial-geometry fluctuations is insufficient to account for this discrepancy. Calculations which impl…
In this paper we show azimuthal particle correlations in three different small-system collisions with different intrinsic initial geometries. The simultaneous constraints of $v_2$ and $v_3$ in $p/d/^3$He$+$Au collisions definitively demonstrate that the $v_n$'s are correlated to the initial geometry. In addition, we find that hydrodynamical models which include QGP formation describe simultaneouly the elliptic and triangular flow data in a statistically acceptable manner in all three systems.
The transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and centrality dependence of the azimuthal anisotropy ($v_{2}$) are measured for charged hadrons in different energies and collision species by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. We find that $v_{2}$ divided by the participant eccentricity of the initial geometry proportionally increases with the number of participants to the 1/3 power except at small $N_{\rm part}$ in Cu+Cu at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 62.4 GeV. Taking the eccentricity and quark number scaling into account, there is a universal scaling for $v_{2}$ with different energies and collision sizes. The …
In the first three years of the physics program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) a picture was established in which the suppression of hadrons at high transverse momenta (p_T) in central Au+Au collisions is explained by energy loss of quark and gluon jets in a medium of high color-charge density. Measurements of single particle spectra for a smaller nucleus (Cu), for different center-of-mass energies and with higher statistics were performed in the subsequent years and are used to test predictions and assumptions of jet quenching models in more detail. The measurements presented h…
In this analysis we measure the azimuthal angle($ϕ$) dependence of hadrons with respect to the reaction plane ($Ψ_{RP}$) in events that were triggered by a high-$p_T$ $π^0$ of 5-10 GeV. Fitting the distribution of hadrons with a function of the type $ξ(1+2v_2\cos{(2(ϕ-Ψ_{RP})}))$, we observe that there is no significant statistical difference between $v_2$ inclusive hadrons and those hadrons from hard scattering events. We also compare the near-side jet widths using PYTHIA simulations with $h^{\pm}$-$h^{\pm}$ correlations in Au+Au at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV.
Results from the PHENIX experiment at RHIC on direct photon production in p+p, d+Au, and Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV are presented. In p+p collisions, direct photon production at high p_T behaves as expected from perturbative QCD calculations. The p+p measurement serves as a baseline for direct photon production in Au+Au collisions. In d+Au collisions, no effects of cold nuclear matter are found within the large uncertainty of the measurement. In Au+Au collisions, the production of high p_T direct photons scales as expected for particle production in hard scatterings. This support…
PHENIX has measured elliptic and triangular flow of charged hadrons in $p/d/^{3}$He$+$Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV per nucleon pair, and elliptic flow in $d$+Au collisions at 200, 62.4, and 39 GeV. In order to asses the origin of collectivity in the smallest systems, these results are compared with several theoretical models that produce azimuthal particle correlations based on initial and/or final state effects. Hydrodynamical models, which include the formation of a droplet of quark-gluon plasma, provide the best simultaneous description of our observations.
Heavy quarks are good probes of the hot and dense medium created in relativistic heavy ion collisions since they are mainly generated early in the collision and interact with the medium in all collision stages. In addition, heavy flavor quarkonia production is thought to be uniquely sensitive to the deconfined medium of the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) through color screening. Heavy quark production has been studied by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC via measurements of single leptons from semi-leptonic decays, in both the electron channel at mid-rapidity and in the muon channel at forward rapidity.…
The observation of jet quenching in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions demonstrates significant energy loss of fast partons when passing through the created medium. Correlations between final-state particles at intermediate transverse momentum (1.0 $\lesssim$ $p_{T}$ $\lesssim$ 4.0 GeV/$c$) allow for study of the medium and its response to deposited energy. Comparison of these measurements in heavy ion collisions with measurements in proton collisions show strong modification of the correlation shape and particle yields. Two new structures are created, both extended in $Δη$, one centered …
Two-particle azimuthal correlations of high-pT hadrons can serve as a probe of interactions of partons with the dense medium produced in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. First NA49 results on such correlations are presented for central and mid-central Pb+Pb collisions at 158A GeV beam energy, for different centrality bins and charge combinations of trigger and associate particles. These results feature a flattened away-side peak in the most central collisions, which is consistent with expectations of the medium-interaction scenario. A comparison with CERES Pb+Au results at the same energy, as…
Heavy quarks (charm and bottom) are good probes of the hot and dense medium created in relativistic heavy ion collisions since they are mainly generated at the beginning of collisions and interact with the media in all collision stages. In addition, heavy flavor quarkonia production is thought to be uniquely sensitive to the deconfined medium of the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) through color screening. Heavy quark production has been studied by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC via measurements of single leptons from semi-leptonic decays in both the electron channel at mid-rapidity and in the muon cha…
Azimuthal angle two particle correlations have been shown to be a powerful probe for extracting novel features of the interaction between hard scattered partons and the medium produced in Au+Au collisions at RHIC. At intermediate $p_T$, 2-5GeV/c, the jets have been shown to be significantly modified in both their particle composition and their angular distribution compared to p+p collisions. Additionally, angular two particle correlations with identified hadrons provide information on the possible role of modified hadronization scenarios such as partonic recombination, which might allow medium…
Charm and bottom quarks are formed predominantly by gluon fusion in the initial hard scatterings at RHIC, making them good probes of the full medium evolution. Previous measurements at RHIC have shown large suppression and azimuthal anisotropy of open heavy-flavor hadrons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200~{\rm GeV}$. Explaining the simultaneously large suppression and flow of heavy quarks has been challenging. To further understand the heavy-flavor transport in the hot and dense medium, it is imperative to also measure cold nuclear matter effects which affect the initial distribution o…
This article is based on my Proceedings for the 47th Course of the International School of Subnuclear Physics on the Most Unexpected at LHC and the Status of High Energy Frontier, Erice, Sicily, Italy, 2009. Results from the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in nucleus-nucleus and proton-proton collisions at c.m. energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV are presented in the context of the methods of single and two-particle inclusive reactions which were used in the discovery of hard-scattering in p-p collisions at the CERN ISR in the 1970's. These techniques are used at RHI…
Measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy of high-\pT neutral pion neutral pion production in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV by the PHENIX experiment are presented. The data included in this paper were collected during the 2004 RHIC running period and represent approximately an order of magnitude increase in the number of analyzed events relative to previously published results. Azimuthal angle distributions of pi^0s detected in the PHENIX electromagnetic calorimeters are measured relative to the reaction plane determined event-by-event using the forward and backward beam-beam counter…
It has been observed that the yield of neutral pions at high transverse momentum (pT $>$ 5 GeV/c) region is strongly suppressed in central Au+Au collisions at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), compared to the one expected in p+p collisions. This suppression may be due to an energy loss of hard scattered partons in the medium (jet quenching), that results in a decrease of the yield at a given pT. The magnitude of the suppression would depend on the path length of scattering partons in the medium, and therefore is associated with azimuthal angle from reaction plane in non-central collision…
In this paper we present with full details a systematic quantification, on an even-by-event basis, of the hard probe response to the geometry and fluctuations of the hot QCD matter created in heavy ion collisions at both the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The azimuthal anisotropy of jet quenching is extracted and decomposed as harmonic responses (for n=1,2,3,4,5,6) to the corresponding harmonics in the fluctuating initial condition. We show that such jet response harmonics are sensitive to the jet quenching models as well as to the bulk matter initi…
The azimuthal anisotropy coefficients $v_{2,3,4}$, characterizing collective flow in Au+Au collisions, are presented for identified particle species as a function of transverse momentum ($p_T$), centrality ($\rm{cent}$) and beam collision energy ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=0.039-0.20$ TeV). The $v_n$ values for each particle species, show little, if any, change over the measured beam energy range, and ${v_n}/{(n_q)^{n/2}}$ vs. $KE_T/n_q$ scales to a single curve (constituent quark number ($n_q)$ scaling) for each $n$, over a broad range of transverse kinetic energies ($KE_T$). A comparison of $v_2(p_T)$ f…
