Di-$\pi^0$ correlations in $p+$$p$, $p+$$\mathrm{Al}$ and $p+$$\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{_{NN}}}}$ = 200 GeV at STAR

TL;DR

This paper measures di-$c0^0$ azimuthal correlations in various proton-nucleus collisions at 200 GeV, revealing suppression patterns linked to gluon saturation effects at high parton densities.

Contribution

It provides the first observation of suppression in $p+\mathrm{Al}$ collisions and demonstrates the dependence of suppression on the nuclear mass number $A$ and gluon saturation.

Findings

Suppression of away-side yields in $p+\mathrm{Au}$ and $p+\mathrm{Al}$ collisions.

Suppression increases with event activity and transverse momentum.

Evidence of non-linear gluon dynamics at high parton densities.

Abstract

The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of back-to-back azimuthal correlations of di-$\pi^0$ produced at forward pseudorapidity ($2.6<\eta<4.0$) in $p+$$p$, $p+$$\mathrm{Al}$ and $p+$$\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of 200 GeV. A clear suppression of the correlated away-side yields is observed in $p+$$\mathrm{Au}$ and for the first time in $p+$$\mathrm{Al}$ collisions, compared with the $p$$+$$p$ data. The enhanced suppression found in $p+$$\mathrm{Au}$ with respect to $p+$$\mathrm{Al}$ collisions exhibits the saturation scale ($Q_s^2$) dependence on the mass number $A$. The observed suppression of back-to-back pairs as a function of event activity and transverse momentum points to non-linear gluon dynamics arising at high parton densities.