Measurements of phi meson production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC
We present results for the measurement of {phi} meson production via its charged kaon decay channel {phi} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -} in Au + Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 62.4, 130, and 200 GeV, and in p + p and d + Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV from the STAR experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) {phi} meson transverse momentum (p{sub T}) spectra in central Au + Au collisions are found to be well described by a single exponential distribution. On the other hand, the p{sub T} spectra from p + p, d + Au and peripheral Au + Au collisions show power-law tails at intermediate and high p{sub T} and are described better by Levy distributions. The constant {phi}/K{sup -} yield ratio vs beam species, collision centrality and colliding energy is in contradiction with expectations from models having kaon coalescence as the dominant mechanism for {phi} production at RHIC. The {Omega}/{phi} yield ratio as a function of p{sub T} is consistent with a model based on the recombination of thermal s quarks up to p{sub T} {approx} 4 GeV/c, but disagrees at higher transverse momenta. The measured nuclear modification factor, R{sub dAu}, for the {phi} meson increases above unity at intermediate p{sub T}, similar to that for pions and protons, while R{sub AA} is suppressed due to the energy loss effect in central Au + Au collisions. Number of constituent quark scaling of both R{sub cp} and v{sub 2} for the {phi} meson with respect to other hadrons in Au + Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV at intermediate p{sub T} is observed. These observations support quark coalescence as being the dominant mechanism of hadronization in the intermediate p{sub T} region at RHIC.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Nuclear Science Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 963317
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-2123E; TRN: US0903167
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review C, Journal Name: Physical Review C
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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