Modified Dihadron Fragmentation Functions in Hot and Nuclear Matter

Abstract

Medium modification of dihadron fragmentation functions due to gluon bremsstrahlung induced by multiple partonic scattering is studied in both deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) off large nuclei and high-energy heavy-ion collisions within the same framework of twist expansion. The modified fragmentation functions for dihadrons are found to follow closely that of single hadrons leading to a weak nuclear suppression of their ratios as measured by HERMES in DIS experiments. Meanwhile, a moderate medium enhancement of the near-side correlation of two high transverse momentum hadrons with increasing centrality is found in heavy-ion collisions because of the trigger bias and the increase in parton energy loss with centrality. Successful comparisons between theory and experiment for multi-hadron observables in both confining and deconfined environments offers comprehensive evidence for partonic energy loss as the mechanism of jet modification in dense matter.

4 pages, Revtex, 2 figures, revised figures and discussion