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Exploring the initial state in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Journal Article · · Journal of Physics: Conference Series
While the most spectacular effects seen in relativistic heavy ion collisions are attributed to the formation of a strongly interacting, hot and dense medium (final state), there is a rapidly growing consensus that the initial state of the incoming relativistic nuclei is in part responsible for the observed phenomena. The initial state is best studied in d+Au collisions where only cold nuclear matter is present and probed by a single proton or neutron. Based on the latest results from the PHENIX experiment at RHIC (BNL) from the high statistics d+Au data at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV (2008) we will review the nuclear modification factors at forward rapidities as well as the status of central-forward and forward-forward correlations which provide an important test of gluon saturation in the Au nucleus at low momentum fraction x.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1034080
Report Number(s):
BNL--96501-2011-JA; KB0201021
Journal Information:
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Journal Name: Journal of Physics: Conference Series Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 312; ISSN 1742-6588
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English