PHENIX EXPERIMENT AT RHIC: DECADAL PLAN 2004-2013
The PHENIX Collaboration has developed a plan for the detailed investigation of quantum chromodynamics in the next decade. The demonstrated capabilities of the PHENIX experiment to measure rare processes in hadronic, leptonic and photonic channels, in combination with RHIC's unparalleled flexibility as a hadronic collider, provides a physics program of extraordinary breadth and depth. A superlative set of measurements to elucidate the states of both hot and cold nuclear matter, and to measure the spin structure of the proton has been identified. The components of this plan include: (1) Definitive measurements that will establish the nature of the matter created in nucleus+nucleus collisions, that will determine if the description of such matter as a quark-gluon plasma is appropriate, and that will quantify both the equilibrium and non-equilibrium features of the produced medium. (2) Precision measurements of the gluon structure of the proton, and of the spin structure of the gluon and sea-quark distributions of the proton via polarized proton+proton collisions. (3) Determination of the gluon distribution in cold nuclear matter using proton+nucleus collisions. Each of these fundamental fields of investigation will be addressed through a program of correlated measurements in some or all of the following channels: (1) Particle production at high transverse momentum, studied via single particle inclusive measurements of identified charged and neutral hadrons, multi-particle correlations and jet production. (2) Direct photon, photon+jet and virtual photon production. (3) Light and heavy vector mesons. (4) Heavy flavor production. These measurements, together with the established PHENIX abilities to identify hadrons at low transverse momentum, to perform detailed centrality selections, and to monitor polarization and luminosity with high precision create a superb opportunity for performing world-class science with PHENIX for the next decade. A portion of this program is achievable using the present capabilities of PHENIX experimental apparatus, but the physics reach is considerably extended and the program made even more compelling by a proposed set of upgrades which include: (1) An aerogel and time-of-flight system to provide complete {pi}/K/p separation for momenta up to 10 GeV/c. (2) A vertex detector to detect displaced vertices from the decay of mesons containing charm or bottom quarks. (3) A hadron-blind detector to detect and track electrons near the vertex. (4) A micro-TPC to extend the range of PHENIX tracking in azimuth and pseudo-rapidity. (5) A forward detector upgrade for an improved muon trigger to preserve sensitivity at the highest projected RHIC luminosities. (6) A forward calorimeter to provide photon+jet studies over a wide kinematic range. The success of the proposed program is contingent upon several factors external to PHENIX. Implementation of the upgrades is predicated on the availability of R&D funds to develop the required detector technologies on a timely, and in some cases urgent, basis. The necessity for such funding, and the physics merit of the proposed PHENIX program, has been endorsed in the first meeting of BNL's Detector Advisory Committee in December, 2002. Progress towards the physics goals depends in an essential way on the development of the design values for RHIC luminosity, polarization and availability. An analysis based on the guidance from the Collider Accelerator Department indicates that moderate increases in the yearly running time lead to very considerable increases in progress toward the enunciated goals. Efficient access to the rarest probes in the proposed program is achieved via the order-of-magnitude increase in luminosity provided by RHIC-II.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/OFFICE OF SCIENCE (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 15007043
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-72162-2004; R&D Project: 08845; KB0202012; TRN: US0401254
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 30 Nov 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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