Transverse mass dependence of two-pion correlations in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV

Abstract

Two-pion correlations in sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC have been measured over a broad range of pair transverse momentum k_T by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. The k_T dependent transverse radii are similar to results from heavy ion collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 4.1, 4.9, and 17.3 GeV, whereas the longitudinal radius increases monotonically with beam energy. The ratio of the outwards to sidewards transverse radii (R_out/R_side) is consistent with unity and independent of k_T.

6 pages, RevTeX 3, 3 figures, 1 table, 308 authors, accepted by Phys. Rev. Lett. on 27 Mar. 2002. v2 has minor changes made in response to referee comments. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (will be made) publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.html