Inclusive Jet Cross Section Measurements in $pp$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 200 and 510 GeV with STAR

TL;DR

This paper reports on measurements of inclusive jet cross sections in proton-proton collisions at 200 and 510 GeV using the STAR detector, providing insights into the gluon distribution within the proton.

Contribution

It presents new analysis techniques and preliminary results for jet cross section measurements at RHIC energies, aiding the understanding of proton structure.

Findings

Jet cross sections measured at 200 and 510 GeV.

Constraints on gluon distribution functions.

Preliminary results support existing QCD models.

Abstract

Jets, clusters of collimated particles produced in high energy proton-proton ($pp$) collisions, are an excellent tool to study the internal structure of the proton. According to perturbative QCD (pQCD) calculations, for center-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s} = $ 200 and 510 GeV at RHIC, jet production in the mid pseudorapidity, $|\eta| <$ 1, is dominated by quark-gluon and gluon-gluon scattering processes. These jets are sensitive to gluons in the proton with momentum fraction 0.01 $<x<$ 0.5. The STAR experiment has measured a series of jet double-spin asymmetries within the pseudorapidity region of $-1 < \eta < 2$, in longitudinally polarized $pp$ collisions, to constrain the gluon helicity distribution function in the proton. Similarly, jet cross section measurements from unpolarized $pp$ collisions are effective in constraining the unpolarized gluon distribution in the proton. In this proceeding, we will present the analysis techniques and the preliminary results of inclusive jet cross section measurements in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 200 and 510 GeV.