We present results on the system size dependence of high transverse momentum di-hadron correlations at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV as measured by STAR at RHIC. Measurements in d+Au, Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions reveal similar jet-like correlation yields at small angular separation ({Delta}{phi} {approx} 0, {Delta}{eta} {approx} 0) for all systems and centralities. Previous measurements have shown that the away-side yield is suppressed in heavy-ion collisions. We present measurements of the away-side suppression as a function of transverse momentum and centrality in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions. The suppression is found to be similar in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at a similar number of participants. The results are compared to theoretical calculations based on the parton quenching model and the modified fragmentation model. The observed differences between data and theory indicate that the correlated yields presented here will provide important constraints on medium density profile and energy loss model parameters.

The results of the Phase 1 Toxics Loading study suggested that runoff from the land surface and atmospheric deposition directly to marine waters have resulted in considerable loads of contaminants to Puget Sound (Hart Crowser et al. 2007). The limited data available for atmospheric deposition fluxes throughout Puget Sound was recognized as a significant data gap. Therefore, this study provided more recent or first reported atmospheric deposition fluxes of PAHs, PBDEs, and select trace elements for Puget Sound. Samples representing bulk atmospheric deposition were collected during 2008 and 2009 at seven stations around Puget Sound spanning from Padilla Bay south to Nisqually River including Hood Canal and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Revised annual loading estimates for atmospheric deposition to the waters of Puget Sound were calculated for each of the toxics and demonstrated an overall decrease in the atmospheric loading estimates except for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and total mercury (THg). The median atmospheric deposition flux of total PBDE (7.0 ng/m2/d) was higher than that of the Hart Crowser (2007) Phase 1 estimate (2.0 ng/m2/d). The THg was not significantly different from the original estimates. The median atmospheric deposition flux for pyrogenic PAHs (34.2 ng/m2/d; without TCB) shows …

We report new results on identified (anti)proton and charged pion spectra at large transverse momenta (3 < p{sub T} < 10 GeV/c) from Cu+Cu collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This study explores the system size dependence of two novel features observed at RHIC with heavy ions: the hadron suppression at high-p{sub T} and the anomalous baryon to meson enhancement at intermediate transverse momenta. Both phenomena could be attributed to the creation of a new form of QCD matter. The results presented here bridge the system size gap between the available pp and Au+Au data, and allow the detailed exploration for the on-set of the novel features. Comparative analysis of all available 200 GeV data indicates that the system size is a major factor determining both the magnitude of the hadron spectra suppression at large transverse momenta and the relative baryon to meson enhancement.

We present a measurement of {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} photonuclear production in ultra-peripheral Au-Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV from the STAR experiment. The {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} final states are observed at low transverse momentum and are accompanied by mutual nuclear excitation of the beam particles. The strong enhancement of the production cross section at low transverse momentum is consistent with coherent photoproduction. The {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} invariant mass spectrum of the coherent events exhibits a broad peak around 1540 {+-} 40 MeV/c{sup 2} with a width of 570 {+-} 60 MeV/c{sup 2}, in agreement with the photoproduction data for the {rho}{sup 0}(1700). We do not observe a corresponding peak in the {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} final state and measure an upper limit for the ratio of the branching fractions of the {rho}{sup 0}(1700) to {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} and {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} of 2.5% at 90% confidence level. The ratio of {rho}{sup 0}(1700) and {rho}{sup 0}(770) coherent production cross sections is measured to be 13.4 {+-} 0.8{sub stat.} {+-} 4.4{sub syst.}%.

The STAR Collaboration at RHIC presents a systematic study of high transverse momentum charged di-hadron correlations at small azimuthal pair separation {Delta}{phi}, in d+Au and central Au+Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV. Significant correlated yield for pairs with large longitudinal separation {Delta}{eta} is observed in central Au+Au, in contrast to d+Au collisions. The associated yield distribution in {Delta}{eta} x {delta}{phi} can be decomposed into a narrow jet-like peak at small angular separation which has a similar shape to that found in d+Au collisions, and a component which is narrow in {Delta}{phi} and depends only weakly on {Delta}{eta}, the 'ridge'. Using two systematically independent analyses, finite ridge yield is found to persist for trigger p{sub t} > 6 GeV/c, indicating that it is correlated with jet production. The transverse momentum spectrum of hadrons comprising the ridge is found to be similar to that of bulk particle production in the measured range (2 < p{sub t} < 4 GeV/c).

Parity-odd domains, corresponding to non-trivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in non-central collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three particle mixed harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a {Rho}-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 and 62 GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators, and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to parity violation.

Forward-backward multiplicity correlation strengths have been measured with the STAR detector for Au+Au and p+p collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV. Strong short and long range correlations (LRC) are seen in central Au+Au collisions. The magnitude of these correlations decrease with decreasing centrality until only short range correlations are observed in peripheral Au+Au collisions. Both the Dual Parton Model (DPM) and the Color Glass Condensate (CGC) predict the existence of the long range correlations. In the DPM the fluctuation in the number of elementary (parton) inelastic collisions produces the LRC. In the CGC longitudinal color flux tubes generate the LRC. The data is in qualitative agreement with the predictions from the DPM and indicates the presence of multiple parton interactions.

We present the first measurements of identified hadron production, azimuthal anisotropy, and pion interferometry from Au+Au collisions below the nominal injection energy at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) facility. The data were collected using the large acceptance STAR detector at {radical}s{sub NN} = 9.2 GeV from a test run of the collider in the year 2008. Midrapidity results on multiplicity density (dN/dy) in rapidity (y), average transverse momentum (<p{sub T}>), particle ratios, elliptic flow, and HBT radii are consistent with the corresponding results at similar {radical}s{sub NN} from fixed target experiments. Directed flow measurements are presented for both midrapidity and forward rapidity regions. Furthermore the collision centrality dependence of identified particle dN/dy, <p{sub T}>, and particle ratios are discussed. These results also demonstrate that the capabilities of the STAR detector, although optimized for {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV, are suitable for the proposed QCD critical point search and exploration of the QCD phase diagram at RHIC.

We present the multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of photons produced in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV. The photons are measured in the region -3.7 < {eta} < -2.3 using the photon multiplicity detector in the STAR experiment at RHIC. The number of photons produced per average number of participating nucleon pairs increases with the beam energy and is independent of the collision centrality. For collisions with similar average numbers of participating nucleons the photon multiplicities are observed to be similar for Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at a given beam energy. The ratios of the number of charged particles to photons in the measured pseudorapidity range are found to be 1.4 {+-} 0.1 and 1.2 {+-} 0.1 for {radical}s{sub NN} = 62.4 GeV and 200 GeV, respectively. The energy dependence of this ratio could reflect varying contributions from baryons to charged particles, while mesons are the dominant contributors to photon production in the given kinematic region. The photon pseudorapidity distributions normalized by average number of participating nucleon pairs, when plotted as a function of {eta} - ybeam, are found to follow a longitudinal scaling independent of centrality and colliding ion species at both beam …

Parity-odd domains, corresponding to non-trivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the system's orbital momentum axis. We investigate a three particle azimuthal correlator which is a {Rho} even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge separation effect. We report measurements of charged hadrons near center-of-mass rapidity with this observable in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV using the STAR detector. A signal consistent with several expectations from the theory is detected. We discuss possible contributions from other effects that are not related to parity violation.

We present the results of an elliptic flow, v{sub 2}, analysis of Cu+Cu collisions recorded with the STAR detector at RHIC at {radical}s{sub NN} = 62.4 and 200 GeV. Elliptic flow as a function of transverse momentum, v{sub 2}(p{sub T}), is reported for different collision centralities for charged hadrons h{sup {+-}}, and strangeness containing hadrons K{sub S}{sup 0}, {Lambda}, {Xi}, {phi} in the midrapidity region |{eta}| < 1.0. Significant reduction in systematic uncertainty of the measurement due to non-flow effects has been achieved by correlating particles at midrapidity, |{eta}| < 1.0, with those at forward rapidity, 2.5 < |{eta}| < 4.0. We also present azimuthal correlations in p+p collisions at {radical}s = 200 GeV to help estimating non-flow effects. To study the system-size dependence of elliptic flow, we present a detailed comparison with previously published results from Au+Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN} = 200 GeV. We observe that v{sub 2}(p{sub T}) of strange hadrons has similar scaling properties as were first observed in Au+Au collisions, i.e.: (i) at low transverse momenta, p{sub T} < 2 GeV/c, v{sub 2} scales with transverse kinetic energy, m{sub T} - m, and (ii) at intermediate p{sub T}, 2 < p{sub T} < 4 GeV/c, …

Nuclear collisions recreate conditions in the universe microseconds after the Big Bang. Only a very small fraction of the emitted fragments are light nuclei, but these states are of fundamental interest. We report the observation of antihypertritons - composed of an antiproton, antineutron, and antilambda hyperon - produced by colliding gold nuclei at high energy. Our analysis yields 70 {+-} 17 antihypertritons ({sub {bar {Lambda}}}{sup 3}{bar H}) and 157 {+-} 30 hypertritons ({sub {Lambda}}{sup 3}H). The measured yields of {sub {Lambda}}{sup 3}H ({sub {bar {Lambda}}}{sup 3}{bar H}) and {sup 3}He ({sup 3}{ovr He}) are similar, suggesting an equilibrium in coordinate and momentum space populations of up, down, and strange quarks and antiquarks, unlike the pattern observed at lower collision energies. The production and properties of antinuclei, and nuclei containing strange quarks, have implications spanning nuclear/particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.

The longitudinal spin transfer, D{sub LL}, from high energy polarized protons to {Lambda} and {bar {Lambda}} hypersons has been measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions at {radical}s = 200 GeV with the STAR detector at RHIC. The measurements cover pseudorapidity, {eta}, in the range |{eta}| < 1.2 and transverse momenta, p{sub T}, up to 4 GeV/c. The longitudinal spin transfer is found to be D{sub LL} = -0.03{+-}0.13(stat){+-}0.04(syst) for inclusive {Lambda} and D{sub LL} = -0.12{+-}0.08(stat){+-}0.03(syst) for inclusive {bar {Lambda}} hyperons with <{eta}> = 0.5 and <p{sub T}> = 3.7 GeV/c. The dependence on {eta} and p{sub T} is presented.

X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) at the cadmium L3 and oxygen K edges for CdO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition method, is interpreted within the real-space multiple scattering formalism, FEFF code. The features in the experimental spectra are well reproduced by calculations for a cluster of about six and ten coordination shells around the absorber for L3 edge of Cd and K edge of O, respectively. The calculated projected electronic density of states is found to be in good agreement with unoccupied electronic states in experimental data and allows to conclude that the orbital character of the lowest energy of the conductive band is Cd-5s-O-2p. The charge transfer has been quantified and not purely ionic bonding has been found. Combined XANES and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements allow us to determine the direct and indirect band gap of investigated CdO films to be {approx}2.4-eV and {approx}0.9-eV, respectively.