Search

The chiral magnetic effect (CME) in heavy-ion collisions reflects the local violation of ${\cal P}$ and ${\cal CP}$ symmetries in strong interactions and manifests as electric charge separation along the direction of the magnetic field created by the wounded nuclei. The experimental observables for the CME, such as the $\gamma_{112}$ correlator, the $R_{\Psi_2}(\Delta S)$ correlator, and the signed balance functions, however, are also subject to non-CME backgrounds, including those from resonance decays. A previous study showed that the CME observables are affected by the diagonal component of the spin density matrix, the $\rho_{00}$ for vector mesons. In this work, we study the contributions from the other elements of the spin density matrix using a toy model and a multiphase transport model. We find that the real part of the $\rho_{1-1}$ component, $\mathrm{Re}\,\rho_{1-1}$, affects the CME observables in a manner opposite to that of the $\rho_{00}$. All three aforementioned CME observables show a linear dependence on $\mathrm{Re}\,\rho_{1-1}$ in the model calculations, supporting our analytical derivations. The rest elements of the spin density matrix do not contribute to the CME observables. The off-diagonal terms in the spin density matrix indicate spin coherence and may be nonzero in heavy-ion collisions due to local spin polarization or spin-spin correlations. Thus, $\mathrm{Re}\,\rho_{1-1}$, along with $\rho_{00}$, could play a significant role in interpreting measurements in search of the CME.

The significant global spin alignment observed for $\phi$ mesons in heavy-ion collisions has sparked intense discussions about its origin and implications. One explanation suggests that fluctuations in the strong force field may introduce strong spin correlations between strange ($s$) and anti-strange ($\bar{s}$) quarks, leading to the global spin alignment of $\phi$ mesons. Extending this line of research, the theoretical community has proposed studying the spin correlation between $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ hyperons. In this paper, we construct experimental observables and make connections between them and the theoretical proposed quantities.

In the paper, we discuss the development of the multi-gap resistive plate chamber Time-of-Flight (TOF) technology and the production of the STAR TOF detector in China at the beginning of the 21st century. Then we review recent experimental results from the first beam energy scan program (BES-I) at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Topics cover measurements of collectivity, chirality, criticality, global polarization, strangeness, heavy-flavor, di-lepton and light nuclei productions., Comment: 31 pages, 33 figures. This review is dedicated to Professor Wenqing Shen on the occasion to celebrate his leadership of the Chinese STAR Collaboration, the development and production of the STAR MRPC TOF detector in China and many physics analyses

The search for the chiral magnetic effect (CME) in heavy-ion collisions has been impeded by the significant background arising from the anisotropic particle emission pattern, particularly elliptic flow. To alleviate this background, the event shape selection (ESS) technique categorizes collision events according to their shapes and projects the CME observables to a class of events with minimal flow. In this study, we explore two event shape variables to classify events and two elliptic flow variables to regulate the background. Each type of variable can be calculated from either single particles or particle pairs, resulting in four combinations of event shape and elliptic flow variables. By employing a toy model and the realistic event generator, event-by-event anomalous-viscous fluid dynamics (EBE-AVFD), we discover that the elliptic flow of resonances exhibits correlations with both the background and the potential CME signal, making the resonance flow unsuitable for background control. Through the EBE-AVFD simulations of Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200$ GeV with various input scenarios, we ascertain that the optimal ESS strategy for background control entails utilizing the single-particle elliptic flow in conjunction with the event shape variable based on particle pairs.

The nuclear equation of state (EOS) is at the center of numerous theoretical and experimental efforts in nuclear physics. With advances in microscopic theories for nuclear interactions, the availability of experiments probing nuclear matter under conditions not reached before, endeavors to develop sophisticated and reliable transport simulations to interpret these experiments, and the advent of multi-messenger astronomy, the next decade will bring new opportunities for determining the nuclear matter EOS, elucidating its dependence on density, temperature, and isospin asymmetry. Among controlled terrestrial experiments, collisions of heavy nuclei at intermediate beam energies (from a few tens of MeV/nucleon to about 25 GeV/nucleon in the fixed-target frame) probe the widest ranges of baryon density and temperature, enabling studies of nuclear matter from a few tenths to about 5 times the nuclear saturation density and for temperatures from a few to well above a hundred MeV, respectively. Collisions of neutron-rich isotopes further bring the opportunity to probe effects due to the isospin asymmetry. However, capitalizing on the enormous scientific effort aimed at uncovering the dense nuclear matter EOS, both at RHIC and at FRIB as well as at other international facilities, depends on the continued development of state-of-the-art hadronic transport simulations. This white paper highlights the essential role that heavy-ion collision experiments and hadronic transport simulations play in understanding strong interactions in dense nuclear matter, with an emphasis on how these efforts can be used together with microscopic approaches and neutron star studies to uncover the nuclear EOS., Comment: White paper prepared for the 2023 Long Range Plan. v3: Updated version as published in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics. Note: the published version does not include the executive summary; in the updated arXiv version, the executive summary is included as an appendix. v4: Corrected list of authors

We present a scenario in heavy-ion collisions where different modes of collective motions are noninterdependent, driven by factorized actions in the created nuclear medium. Such physics mechanisms could each dominate at a distinct evolution stage, or coexist simultaneously. If the probability of particle emission is modulated by each nondependent collective motion with a single-harmonic Fourier expansion, the particle azimuthal distribution should be the product of all these expansions. Consequently, nonleading cross terms between collectivity modes appear, and their contributions to experimental observables could be significant. In particular, we argue that the chiral magnetic effect (CME) and elliptic flow can develop separately, with their convolution affecting the observable that is sensitive to the shear-induced CME. We will use the event-by-event anomalous-viscous fluid dynamics model to illustrate the effects of this scenario. Besides giving insights into searches for the CME, we also propose feasible experimental tests based on conventional flow harmonics, and demonstrate the emergence of nonleading cross terms with a multiphase transport model.

In high-energy heavy-ion collisions, the chiral magnetic effect (CME) is predicted to arise from the interplay between the chirality imbalance of quarks in the nuclear medium and the intense magnetic field, and will cause a charge separation along the magnetic field direction. While the search for the CME is still ongoing in experiments at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the CME-sensitive observables need to be scrutinized to exclude the non-CME contributions. In this work, we examine the influence of globally spin-aligned $\rho$ mesons on the $\gamma_{112}$ correlator, the $R_{\Psi_2}(\Delta S)$ correlator, and the signed balance functions, via a toy model and a multiphase transport model (AMPT). The global spin alignment of vector mesons could originate from non-CME mechanisms in heavy-ion collisions, and is characterized by the 00-component of the spin density matrix, $\rho_{00}$. We find that the CME observables show similar dependence on $\rho_{00}$, and could receive a positive (negative) contribution from $\rho$-decay pions, if the $\rho_{00}$ of $\rho$ mesons is larger (smaller) than 1/3. Since pions are the most abundant particles in such collisions, the $\rho_{00}$ measurements for $\rho$ mesons become crucial to the interpretation of the CME data., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures

The chiral magnetic effect (CME) is a novel transport phenomenon, arising from the interplay between quantum anomalies and strong magnetic fields in chiral systems. In high-energy nuclear collisions, the CME may survive the expansion of the quark-gluon plasma fireball and be detected in experiments. Over the past decade, the experimental searches for the CME have aroused extensive interest at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The main goal of this article is to investigate three pertinent experimental approaches: the $\gamma$ correlator, the $R$ correlator and the signed balance functions. We will exploit both simple Monte Carlo simulations and a realistic event generator (EBE-AVFD) to verify the equivalence in the kernel-component observables among these methods and to ascertain their sensitivities to the CME signal for the isobaric collisions at RHIC., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Extended the discussion on R observable with the consideration of multiplicity fluctuation as used in practice

We review progress in the study of antinuclei, starting from Dirac's equation and the discovery of the positron in cosmic-ray events. The development of proton accelerators led to the discovery of antiprotons, followed by the first antideuterons, demonstrating that antinucleons bind into antinuclei. With the development of heavy-ion programs at the Brookhaven AGS and CERN SPS, it was demonstrated that central collisions of heavy nuclei offer a fertile ground for research and discoveries in the area of antinuclei. In this review, we emphasize recent observations at Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, namely, the antihypertriton and the antihelium-4, as well as measurements of the mass difference between light nuclei and antinuclei, and the interaction between antiprotons. Physics implications of the new observations and different production mechanisms are discussed. We also consider implications for related fields, such as hypernuclear physics and space-based cosmic-ray experiments., Comment: 101 pages, 34 figures, Physics Reports (in press)

In this paper, STAR's measurement of clan multiplicity is presented for AuAu collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV, for a variety of centrality classes. The mean number of particles per clan is found to decrease with decreasing centrality. Within the same centrality class, the mean number of particles per clan exhibits a reduction between 19.6 GeV and 62 GeV, with the minimum around 27 GeV. The structure is visible for most centralities, and most prominent for central collisions., Comment: 6 pages, WWND 2014 conference proceeding

The directed flow of inclusive, transported and non-transported (including produced) protons, as well as antiprotons, has been studied in the framework of Ultra-Relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics approach (UrQMD model) for Au+Au collisions at\surdsNN =7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4 and 200 GeV. The rapidity, centrality and energy dependence of directed flow for various proton groups are presented. It is found that the integrated directed flow decreases monotonically as a function of collision energy for\surdsNN =11.5 GeV and beyond. However, the sign-change of directed flow of inclusive protons, seen in experimental data as a function of centrality and collision energy, can be explained by the competing effect of directed flow between transported and non-transported protons. Similarly the difference in directed flow between protons and antiprotons can be explained. Our study offers a conventional explanation on the cause of the v1 sign-change other than the antiflow component of protons alone which is argued to be linked to a phase transition., Comment: 5 pages,5 figures

We propose a forward-backward multiplicity correlation function $C^N_{FB}$, which is experimentally accessible, to measure the noncollectivity contribution. We find that $C^N_{FB}$ is sensitive to the jet contribution for the particle-rich case. Surprisingly, it will automatically decrease for the particle-rare case. Our study indicates that similar decreasing trend observed previously is mainly driven by particle scarcity instead of jets. The function is studied in Au+Au collision at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV with a multiphase transport model (AMPT). We find that the jet fraction is about 10% at transverse momentum ($p_T$) around 2.5 GeV/$c$ and reaches up to 30% at 3.5 GeV/$c$. The implication of this study in the investigation of the noncollectivity contribution in elliptic anisotropy parameter $v_2$ is also discussed., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Event-by-event \gamma-charge correlation is used in studying systems going through QCD chiral phase transition. In this paper various methods for measuring \gamma-charge correlation in heavy ion collisions have been discussed. Dynamical fluctuation due to formation of domains of DCC that can affect \gamma-charge correlation has been discussed. We study known detector and statistical effects involved in these measurements and suggest suitable robust observables \Delta\nu_{dyn} and r_{m,1} sensitive to small \gamma-charge correlation signal. These variables are constructed based on moments of multiplicity distributions of photon and charged particles. Estimations of expected measurable signals of \gamma-charge correlation from various available models such as for ideal Boltzmann gas of pions, monte-carlo models based on transport and mini-jets have been discussed. Collision centrality dependence of the observables have been estimated from Central Limit Theorem and found to be consistent with the model predictions. We find that observables show high sensitivity to fraction of DCC events and have nonlinear dependence on fraction of pions carrying DCC signals. Variation of r_{m,1} with orders of its higher moments m is an observable to extract the nature and strength of \gamma-charge correlation., Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures

We suggest the possibility to disentangle anisotropic flow, flow fluctuation, and nonflow using two-, four-, and six-particle azimuthal moments assuming Gaussian fluctuations. We show that such disentanglement is possible when the flow fluctuations are large, comparable to the average flow magnitude. When fluctuations are small, the disentanglement becomes difficult. We verify our results with a toy-model Monte Carlo simulation., Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, 1 figure. Shortened introduction, removed appendices with technical details, added a reference to S Voloshin's earlier study on the subject, and several other changes to improve the discussions. Clarified the role of harmonic planes and definite positivity in experimental "flow" measurements, published version

Nonextensive statistics in a Blast-Wave model (TBW) is implemented to describe the identified hadron production in relativistic p+p and nucleus-nucleus collisions. Incorporating the core and corona components within the TBW formalism allows us to describe simultaneously some of the major observations in hadronic observables at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC): the Number of Constituent Quark Scaling (NCQ), the large radial and elliptic flow, the effect of gluon saturation and the suppression of hadron production at high transverse momentum (pT) due to jet quenching. In this formalism, the NCQ scaling at RHIC appears as a consequence of non-equilibrium process. Our study also provides concise reference distributions with a least chi2 fit of the available experimental data for future experiments and models., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; added two tables, explained a little bit more on TBW_pp

STAR's measurements of directed flow ($v_1$) for pions, kaons (charged and $K_s^0$), protons and antiprotons for Au + Au collisions at $\sqrtsNN = 200$ GeV are presented. Negative $v_1(y)$ slope is observed for pions, antiprotons, protons and kaons. The proton $v_1(y)$ slope at midrapidity is found extremely small. Sizable difference is seen between $v_1$ of protons and anti-protons in 5-30% central collisions. Anti-flow can explain the negative slope, however, it has difficulties explaining the centrality dependence of the difference between the $v_1(y)$ slopes of protons and anti-protons. The $v_1$ excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, uRQMD, AMPT and QGSM) are made, and it is found that none of the four models can successfully describe the data., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, proceeding for 2010 Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamics

In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, the system has gone through a series of evolution, almost at every stage of its evolution it leaves behind footprints in flow observable. Those footprints contain valuable information of the bulk property of the (nearly) perfect liquid. By examing footprints of the nearly perfect liquid, we address a few important issues, including the ideal hydrodynamic limit, estimation of $\eta/s$, testing the Number of Constituent Quark scaling at low energy, in small system, at large transverse momentum, and in forward region. Future prospect of flow study is discussed., Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures - To appear in the conference proceedings for Quark Matter 2009, March 30 - April 4, Knoxville, Tennessee. Minor corrections

We classified $v_2$ measurements according to their sensitivities w.r.t. to two planes, namely, reaction plane and participant plane. Likewise, in $v_2/\epsilon$ scaling, we showed that one needs to choose a $\epsilon$ that is sensitive to the same plane as that $v_2$ is sensitive to. We presented our $v_2/\epsilon$ as a function of centrality and transverse momentum. We studied the ratio of $v_4/v_2^2$. We discussed the applicable range for hydrodynamics, as well as implications to an incomplete thermalization., Comment: Proc. 24th Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamics (2008). 6 pages. 4 figures version 2 typo in Eq. 3 corrected

We discuss a specific model of elliptic flow fluctuations due to Gaussian fluctuations in the initial spatial $x$ and $y$ eccentricity components $\left\{\mean{(\sigma_y^2-\sigma_x^2)/(\sigma_x^2+\sigma_y^2)}, \mean{2\sigma_{xy}/(\sigma_x^2+\sigma_y^2)} \right\}$. We find that in this model $\vfour$, elliptic flow determined from 4-particle cumulants, exactly equals the average flow value in the reaction plane coordinate system, $\mean{v_{RP}}$, the relation which, in an approximate form, was found earlier by Bhalerao and Ollitrault in a more general analysis, but under the same assumption that $v_2$ is proportional to the initial system eccentricity. We further show that in the Gaussian model all higher order cumulants are equal to $\vfour$. Analysis of the distribution in the magnitude of the flow vector, the $Q-$distribution, reveals that it is totally defined by two parameters, $\vtwo$, the flow from 2-particle cumulants, and $\vfour$, thus providing equivalent information compared to the method of cumulants. The flow obtained from the $Q-$distribution is again $\vfour=\mean{v_{RP}}$., Comment: Very minor changes, as submitted to Phys. Lett. B

The property of the ``perfect liquid'' created at RHIC is probed with anisotropic flow measurements. Different initial conditions and their consequences on flow measurements are discussed. The collectivity is shown to be achieved fast and early. The thermalization is investigated with the ratio of $v_4/v_2^2$. Measurements from three sectors of soft physics (HBT, flow and strangeness) are shown to have a simple, linear, length scaling. Directed flow is found to be independent of system size., Comment: 8 pages. Quark Matter 06 Conference, invited plenary talk. submitted to Journal of Phys. G

A new method is presented for determining event-by-event fluctuations of elliptic flow, $v_2$, using first-order event planes. By studying the event-by-event distributions of $v_2$ observables and first-order event-plane observables, average flow $\avg{v_2}$ and event-by-event flow fluctuations can be separately determined, making appropriate allowance for the effects of finite multiplicity and non-flow. The method has been tested with Monte Carlo simulations. The connection between flow fluctuations and fluctuations of the initial-state participant eccentricity is discussed., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. C. The discussions about the assumptions in this paper have been added, as required by the referee

We present the directed flow measurement ($v_1$) from Au+Au collisions at $\sqrtsNN = 62$ GeV. Over the pseudorapidity range we have studied, which covers $\eta$ from -1.2 to 1.2 and $2.4 < |\eta| < 4$, the magnitude of $v_1$ for charged particles is found to increase monotonously with pseudorapidity for all centralities. No ``$v_1$ wiggle'', as predicted by various theoretical models, is observed at midrapidity. Elliptic flow ($v_2$) from moderate high $p_t$ particles ($3-6 GeV/c$) at $\sqrtsNN = 200$ GeV is presented as a function of impact parameter. It is found that models that are based on {\it jet quenching} alone appear to underpredict $v_2$ at moderate high $p_t$, while the model that incorporates both, recombination and fragmentation, describes the data better., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Proceeding for Hot Quark 04 conference Changes in the revision are mostly English fixes. v1 versus eta plot is flipped over to follow the convention

This paper presents results of elliptic flow measurements at moderate high transverse momentum in Au+Au collisions using the STAR detector at RHIC. Sizable $v_{2}$ is found up to 7 GeV/c in transverse momentum. Non-flow effects are discussed comparing correlations in p+p collisions and Au+Au collisions. $v_{2}$ from two-, four- and six-particle cumulant are shown and discussed., Comment: 3 pages, CIPANP proceeding