Inclusive cross section and double helicity asymmetry for pi(0) production in p+p collisions at root s=200 GeV: Implications for the polarized gluon distribution in the proton

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2007-09-01
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Adare, Andrew
Grau, Nathan
Hill, John
Lajoie, John
Lebedev, Alexandre
Ogilvie, Craig
Pei, H.
Rosati, Marzia
Skutnik, S.
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Ogilvie, Craig
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Physics and Astronomy
Physics and astronomy are basic natural sciences which attempt to describe and provide an understanding of both our world and our universe. Physics serves as the underpinning of many different disciplines including the other natural sciences and technological areas.
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The PHENIX experiment presents results from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider 2005 run with polarized proton collisions at root s=200 GeV, for inclusive pi(0) production at midrapidity. Unpolarized cross section results are given for transverse momenta p(T)=0.5 to 20 GeV/c, extending the range of published data to both lower and higher p(T). The cross section is described well for p(T)< 1 GeV/c by an exponential in p(T), and, for p(T)> 2 GeV/c, by perturbative QCD. Double helicity asymmetries A(LL) are presented based on a factor of 5 improvement in uncertainties as compared to previously published results, due to both an improved beam polarization of 50%, and to higher integrated luminosity. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon polarization in the proton. Using one representative model of gluon polarization it is demonstrated that the gluon spin contribution to the proton spin is significantly constrained.

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This article is published as Adare, A., S. Afanasiev, C. Aidala, N. N. Ajitanand, Y. Akiba, H. Al-Bataineh, J. Alexander et al. "Inclusive cross section and double helicity asymmetry for π 0 production in p+ p collisions at s= 200 GeV: Implications for the polarized gluon distribution in the proton." Physical Review D 76, no. 5 (2007): 051106.DOI:10.1103/PhysRevD.76.051106. Posted with permission.

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Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2007
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