https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2008-10629-y
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Recent STAR results on heavy-flavor correlation measurements using leading electrons
Institute for Subatomic Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
* e-mail: a.mischke@phys.uu.nl
Received:
27
March
2008
Revised:
27
May
2008
Published online:
11
September
2008
In this contribution a first STAR measurement on two heavy-flavor particle correlations in p+p collisions at RHIC is presented. Heavy-flavor (charm and bottom) events are identified and separated on a statistical basis by the azimuthal correlation of their decay electrons and open charm mesons, which provide decisive information about the underlying production process. The azimuthal correlation distribution exhibits a two-peak structure which can be attributed to B decays on the near side and predominantly charm pair production on the away side. These assumptions are supported by dedicated simulations using PYTHIA and MC@NLO event generators. This new correlation method has the potential for comprehensive energy loss measurements of heavy quarks in heavy-ion collisions.
PACS: 25.75.-q Relativistic heavy-ion collisions – / 25.75.Gz Particle correlations and fluctuations – / 13.20.Fc Decays of charmed mesons – / 13.20.He Decays of bottom mesons –
© SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2008
