Spin alignment measurements of the K{sup *0}(892) and {sup}{o}(1020) vector mesons in heavy ion collisions at {radical}{ovr s}{sub NN}=200 GeV.
We present the first spin alignment measurements for the K*{sup 0}(892) and (1020) vector mesons produced at midrapidity with transverse momenta up to 5 GeV/c at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV at RHIC. The diagonal spin-density matrix elements with respect to the reaction plane in Au+Au collisions are {rho}{sub 00} = 0.32 {+-} 0.04 (stat) {+-} 0.09 (syst) for the K*{sup 0} (0.8 < p{sub T} < 5.0 GeV/c) and {rho}{sub 00} = 0.34 {+-} 0.02 (stat) {+-} 0.03 (syst) for the {phi} (0.4 < p{sub T} < 5.0 GeV/c) and are constant with transverse momentum and collision centrality. The data are consistent with the unpolarized expectation of 1/3 and thus no evidence is found for the transfer of the orbital angular momentum of the colliding system to the vector-meson spins. Spin alignments for K*{sup 0} and {phi} in Au+Au collisions were also measured with respect to the particle's production plane. The {phi} result, {rho}{sub 00} = 0.41 {+-} 0.02 (stat) {+-} 0.04 (syst), is consistent with that in p+p collisions, {rho}{sub 00} = 0.39 {+-} 0.03 (stat) {+-} 0.06 (syst), also measured in this work. The measurements thus constrain the possible size of polarization phenomena in the production dynamics of vector mesons.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Swiss NSF
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 964250
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-HEP-PR-09-82; PRVCAN; TRN: US0903661
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Rev. C, Vol. 77, Issue 2008; ISSN 0556-2813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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