Two-pion correlations in heavy ion collisions

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6700835· OSTI ID:6700835

Zajc, W A

An application of intensity interferometry to relativistic heavy ion collisions is reported. Specifically, the correlation between two like-charged pions is used to study the reactions Ar+KCl..-->..2..pi../sup +-/+X and Ne+NaF..-->..2..pi../sup -/+X. Source sizes are obtained that are consistent with a simple geometric interpretation. Lifetimes are less well determined but are indicative of a faster pion production process than predicted by Monte Carlo cascade calculations. There appears to be a substantial coherent component of the pion source, although measurement is complicated by the presence of final state interactions. Additionally, the generation of spectra of uncorrelated events is discussed. In particular, the influence of the correlation function on the background spectrum is analyzed, and a prescription for removal of this influence is given. A formulation to describe the statistical errors in the background is also presented. Finally, drawing from the available literature, a self-contained introduction to Bose-Einstein correlations and the Hanbury-Brown - Twiss effect is provided, with an emphasis on points of contact between classical and quantum mechanical descriptions.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6700835
• Report Number(s): LBL-14864; ON: DE83000519
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645103 -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Experimental-- Strong Interactions & Baryon & Meson Properties
651425* -- Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=20-38
Experimental-- Nuclear Reactions & Scattering-- (-1987)
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ALKALI METALS
ARGON 40 REACTIONS
BOSE-EINSTEIN STATISTICS
BOSONS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
CHLORINE
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
CORRELATIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
FLUORINE
FUNCTIONS
GEV RANGE
GEV RANGE 01-10
HADRONS
HALOGENS
HEAVY ION REACTIONS
MESONS
METALS
NEON 20 REACTIONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PIONS
PIONS MINUS
PIONS PLUS
POTASSIUM
PSEUDOSCALAR MESONS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
SODIUM