Neutral Pion Double Helicity Asymmetry in Polarized Proton-Proton Collisions at [the Square Root of Sigma]

Neutral Pion Double Helicity Asymmetry in Polarized Proton-Proton Collisions at [the Square Root of Sigma]
Author: William Axel Leight
Publisher:
Total Pages: 112
Release: 2012
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ISBN:

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One of the primary goals of the spin physics program at the STAR experiment is to constrain the polarized gluon distribution function, [delta]g(X,Q2), by measuring the double longitudinal spin asymmetry, ALL, of various final-state channels. Neutral pions provide a potentially powerful final state because they are copiously produced in p+p collisions and have few backgrounds. In 2009, STAR took 14 pb-1 of integrated luminosity of 200 GeV p+p collisions, with average beam longitudinal polarization of 59%. Neutral pions produced in these collisions can be identified using STAR's large-acceptance electromagnetic calorimeter, with help from tracking from the STAR Time Projection Chamber. This work presents a measurement of the inclusive neutral pion ALL from this data, based on a new [pi]0 reconstruction algorithm. A comparison to theoretical predictions and other experimental results suggests that the current best-fit value of AG, the gluon contribution to the proton spin, is too small and that [delta]G is actually comparable in magnitude to the quark contribution to the proton spin [delta][sigma].

Measurement of Double Longitudinal Spin Asymmetry of Jet-[pi] +/- Correlations in Polarized Proton-proton Collisions at [square Root Of] S

Measurement of Double Longitudinal Spin Asymmetry of Jet-[pi] +/- Correlations in Polarized Proton-proton Collisions at [square Root Of] S
Author: James Prewitt Hays-Wehle
Publisher:
Total Pages: 83
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

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Inclusive measurements from polarized proton-proton collisions at RHIC have constrained [Delta]g, the polarized gluon distribution function of the proton. Correlation observables, such as this pion+jet measurement, allow for reconstruction of initial parton kinematics and are thus sensitive to the x dependence of [Delta]g. By measuring charged pions opposite a jet, this particular measurement can be sensitive to the flavor of the struck parton. This measurement, which is dominated by the quark-gluon subprocess, can be divided into terms proportional to [Delta]u[Delta]g and [Delta]d[Delta]g. The relatively larger quark polarization amplifies the measured asymmetry thereby enhancing the statistical power. This thesis presents the result of the mid-rapidity pion+jet longitudinal double spin asymmetry analysis from 10.6 pb-1 of luminosity collected in the 2009 200 GeV p+p run.

MEASUREMENT OF SINGLE TRANSVERSE-SPIN ASYMMETRY IN FORWARD PRODUCTION OF PHOTONS AND NEUTRONS IN PP COLLSION AT SQUARE ROOT

MEASUREMENT OF SINGLE TRANSVERSE-SPIN ASYMMETRY IN FORWARD PRODUCTION OF PHOTONS AND NEUTRONS IN PP COLLSION AT SQUARE ROOT
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 5
Release: 2002
Genre:
ISBN:

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The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) was commissioned for polarized proton-proton collisions, at the center of mass energy (square root)s = 200 GeV during the run in 2001-2002. The authors have measured the single transverse-spin asymmetry A{sub N} for production of photons, neutral pions, and neutrons at the very forward angle. The asymmetries for the photon and neutral pion sample were consistent with zero within the experimental uncertainties. In contrast, the neutron sample exhibited an unexpectedly large asymmetry. This large asymmetry will be used for the non-destructive polarimeter for polarized proton beams at the collision points in the RHIC interaction region.

Longitudinal Double-spin Asymmetry and Cross Section for Inclusive Neutral Pion Production in Polarized Proton Collisions at [the Square Root of Sigma]

Longitudinal Double-spin Asymmetry and Cross Section for Inclusive Neutral Pion Production in Polarized Proton Collisions at [the Square Root of Sigma]
Author: Alan Michael Hoffman
Publisher:
Total Pages: 126
Release: 2009
Genre:
ISBN:

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Twenty years of polarized lepton-nucleon scattering experiments have found that the contribution from quark spins (1/2[delta] [sigma]) to the spin of the proton is only ~ 35%. This has lead researchers to look elsewhere, specifically to gluon spin ([delta sigma]) for a large contribution to proton spin. [delta sigma] has been only loosely constrained in polarized DIS and SIDIS experiments. Polarized proton-proton collisions at RHIC provide sensitivity to [delta sigma] through measurements of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, ALL. This work presents a measurement of ALL for inclusive 7ro production in polarized proton-proton collisions using the STAR detector and data from RHIC Run 6. 7r0s are abundantly produced at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions, making them natural candidates for studies of [delta] [sigma]. Novel techniques for reconstructing 7ros at STAR are discussed, and a measurement of the unpolarized cross section presented. Finally, the measured ALL is compared to perturbative QCD predictions and from this comparison constraints are placed on [delta] [sigma].