We report measurements of Υ{hooked} meson production in p + p, d + Au, and Au + Au collisions using the STAR detector at RHIC. We compare the Υ{hooked} yield to the measured cross section in p + p collisions in order to quantify any modifications of the yield in cold nuclear matter using d + Au data and in hot nuclear matter using Au + Au data separated into three centrality classes. Our p + p measurement is based on three times the statistics of our previous result. We obtain a nuclear modification factor for Υ{hooked}(1S + 2S + 3S) in the rapidity range |y| < 1 in d + Au collisions ofR dAu= 0.79 ± 0.24(stat.) ± 0.03(syst.) ± 0.10(p + psyst.). A comparison with models including shadowing and initial state parton energy loss indicates the presence of additional cold-nuclear matter suppression. Similarly, in the top 10% most-central Au + Au collisions, we measure a nuclear modification factor ofR A A= 0.49 ± 0.1(stat.) ± 0.02(syst.) ± 0.06(p + p syst.), which is a larger suppression factor than that seen in cold nuclear matter. Our results are consistent with complete suppression of excited-state Υ{hooked} mesons in Au + Au collisions. The additional suppression in Au + Au is consistent with the level expected in model calculations that include the presence of a hot, deconfined Quark-Gluon Plasma. However, understanding the suppression seen in d + Au is still needed before any definitive statements about the nature of the suppression in Au + Au can be made. © 2014.

We report the first measurements of the moments - mean (M), variance (2), skewness (S), and kurtosis (κ) - of the net-charge multiplicity distributions at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at seven energies, ranging from sNN=7.7 to 200 GeV, as a part of the Beam Energy Scan program at RHIC. The moments are related to the thermodynamic susceptibilities of net charge, and are sensitive to the location of the QCD critical point. We compare the products of the moments, 2/M, S, and κ2, with the expectations from Poisson and negative binomial distributions (NBDs). The S values deviate from the Poisson baseline and are close to the NBD baseline, while the κ2 values tend to lie between the two. Within the present uncertainties, our data do not show nonmonotonic behavior as a function of collision energy. These measurements provide a valuable tool to extract the freeze-out parameters in heavy-ion collisions by comparing with theoretical models. © 2014 American Physical Society.

© 2014 The Authors. We report on a polarization measurement of inclusive J/ψ mesons in the di-electron decay channel at mid-rapidity at 2 < pT < 6 GeV/c in p + p collisions at √s = 200 GeV. Data were taken with the STAR detector at RHIC. The J/ψ polarization measurement should help to distinguish between the different models of the J/ψ production mechanism since they predict different pT dependences of the J/ψ polarization. In this analysis, J/ψ polarization is studied in the helicity frame. The polarization parameter λθ measured at RHIC becomes smaller towards high pT , indicating more longitudinal J/ψ polarization as pT increases. The result is compared with predictions of presently available models.

© 2015 American Physical Society. Event-by-event fluctuations of the multiplicities of inclusive charged particles and photons at forward rapidity in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV have been studied. The dominant contribution to such fluctuations is expected to come from correlated production of charged and neutral pions. We search for evidence of dynamical fluctuations of different physical origins. Observables constructed out of moments of multiplicities are used as measures of fluctuations. Mixed events and model calculations are used as base lines. Results are compared to the dynamical net-charge fluctuations measured in the same acceptance. A nonzero statistically significant signal of dynamical fluctuations is observed in excess to the model prediction when charged particles and photons are measured in the same acceptance. We find that, unlike dynamical net-charge fluctuation, charge-neutral fluctuation is not dominated by correlation owing to particle decay. Results are compared to the expectations based on the generic production mechanism of pions owing to isospin symmetry, for which no significant (<1%) deviation is observed.

The J/ψ pT spectrum and nuclear modification factor (RAA) are reported for pT<5GeV/c and |y|<1 from 0% to 60% central Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at sNN=200GeV at STAR. A significant suppression of pT-integrated J/ψ production is observed in central Au+Au events. The Cu+Cu data are consistent with no suppression, although the precision is limited by the available statistics. RAA in Au+Au collisions exhibits a strong suppression at low transverse momentum and gradually increases with pT. The data are compared to high-pT STAR results and previously published BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider results. Comparing with model calculations, it is found that the invariant yields at low pT are significantly above hydrodynamic flow predictions but are consistent with models that include color screening and regeneration. © 2014 American Physical Society.

© 2015 The Authors. A data-driven method was applied to Au+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV made with the STAR detector at RHIC to isolate pseudorapidity distance δη-dependent and δη-independent correlations by using two- and four-particle azimuthal cumulant measurements. We identified a δη-independent component of the correlation, which is dominated by anisotropic flow and flow fluctuations. It was also found to be independent of η within the measured range of pseudorapidity |η|<1. In 20-30% central Au+Au collisions, the relative flow fluctuation was found to be 34%±2%(stat.)±3%(sys.) for particles with transverse momentum pT less than 2 GeV/c. The δη-dependent part, attributed to nonflow correlations, is found to be 5%±2%(sys.) relative to the flow of the measured second harmonic cumulant at |δη|>0.7.

We report the STAR measurements of dielectron (e+e-) production at midrapidity (|yee|<1) in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV. The measurements are evaluated in different invariant mass regions with a focus on 0.30-0.76 (ρ-like), 0.76-0.80 (ω-like), and 0.98-1.05 (φ-like) GeV/c2. The spectrum in the ω-like and φ-like regions can be well described by the hadronic cocktail simulation. In the ρ-like region, however, the vacuum ρ spectral function cannot describe the shape of the dielectron excess. In this range, an enhancement of 1.77±0.11(stat)±0.24(syst)±0. 33(cocktail) is determined with respect to the hadronic cocktail simulation that excludes the ρ meson. The excess yield in the ρ-like region increases with the number of collision participants faster than the ω and φ yields. Theoretical models with broadened ρ contributions through interactions with constituents in the hot QCD medium provide a consistent description of the dilepton mass spectra for the measurement presented here and the earlier data at the Super Proton Synchrotron energies. © 2014 American Physical Society.

© 2015 American Physical Society. We present ΛΛ correlation measurements in heavy-ion collisions for Au+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV using the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider. The Lednický-Lyuboshitz analytical model has been used to fit the data to obtain a source size, a scattering length and an effective range. Implications of the measurement of the ΛΛ correlation function and interaction parameters for dihyperon searches are discussed.