2013 Theses Doctoral

Control study of two-particle correlations in heavy ion collisions at RHIC-PHENIX

Vazquez, Eric

Measurements at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) have provided indirect measurements of jets in a heavy ion environment using the two- particle correlation method in the presence of a high-pT particle. These measurements have offered insight into the formation of a new state of dense nuclear matter called the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) through the observation of jet quenching. However, the two-particle methodology has also shown to be biased towards di-jet production near the surface of the medium being created. Here, a detailed study using the PHENIX detector is provided, in an attempt to measure a more accurate jet-induced two-particle correlation measurement than previously published and to reduce the bias observed in two-particle correlation measurements. The reduction in surface bias emission is performed via the requirement of two antipodal high-pT particles (a.k.a. "2+1" correlation) in an attempt to control the production point of the di-jet. The measurements made in Au+Au collisions when compared to p+p collisions show that the method provides additional sensitivity to the jet quenching previously observed in two-particle correlation method.