Date of Award
Spring 1-1-2010
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Physics
First Advisor
James Nagle
Second Advisor
Ed Kinney
Third Advisor
John Cumalat
Abstract
In high-energy heavy ion collisions a partonic state of matter known as the quark-gluon plasma is expected to be formed. The suppression of J/psi meson production in high-energy heavy ion collisions is expected to be a strong signature for the formation of the quark-gluon plasma, due to Debye screening of the quark-antiquark potential. To investigate the state of matter produced in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(sNN)=200 GeV at the PHENIX experiment, we have analyzed forward rapidity J/psi [arrow] μ+μ- production and find that J/psi production is significantly suppressed in collisions at small impact parameter
The analysis methods are presented here, as well as results for J/psi invariant yields and nuclear modification factors as functions of impact parameter and J/psi transverse momentum. The results are compared to previous J/psi measurements in heavy ion collisions, as well as to current theoretical models, and the implications for our understanding of J/psi production and suppression in heavy ion collisions are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Wysocki, Matthew Gerald, "J/psi Production and Suppression in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV" (2010). Physics Graduate Theses & Dissertations. 12.
https://scholar.colorado.edu/phys_gradetds/12