Energy Lossand Flow of Heavy Quarks in Au+Au Collisions at root-s=200GeV
The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has measured electrons with 0.3 < p{sub rmT} < 9 GeV/c at midrapidity (|y| < 0.35) from heavy flavor (charm and bottom) decays in Au+Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV. The nuclear modification factor R{sub AA} relative to p+p collisions shows a strong suppression in central Au+Au collisions, indicating substantial energy loss of heavy quarks in the medium produced at RHIC energies. A large azimuthal anisotropy, v{sub 2}, with respect to the reaction plane is observed for 0.5 < p{sub rmT} < 5 GeV/c indicating non-zero heavy flavor elliptic flow. A simultaneous description of R{sub AA}(p{sub rmT}) and v{sub 2}(p{sub rmT}) constrains the existing models of heavy-quark rescattering in strongly interacting matter and provides information on the transport properties of the produced medium. In particular, a viscosity to entropy density ratio close to the conjectured quantum lower bound, i.e. near a perfect fluid, is suggested.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 940470
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-228385; PRLTAO; TRN: US0807138
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 98, Issue 17; ISSN 0031-9007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Energy Loss and Flow of Heavy Quarks in Au + Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV
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