Centrality dependence of pi(+/-), K(+/-), p, and (-)p production from sqrt[s(NN)] = 130 GeV Au + Au collisions at RHIC

Phys Rev Lett. 2002 Jun 17;88(24):242301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.242301. Epub 2002 May 28.

Abstract

Identified pi(+/-), K(+/-), p, and (-)p transverse momentum spectra at midrapidity in sqrt[s(NN)] = 130 GeV Au+Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse momenta increase with the number of participating nucleons in a similar way for all particle species. Within errors, all midrapidity particle yields per participant are found to be increasing with the number of participating nucleons. There is an indication that K(+/-), p, and (-)p yields per participant increase faster than the pi(+/-) yields. In central collisions at high transverse momenta (p(T) > or =2 GeV/c), (-)p and p yields are comparable to the pi(+/-) yields.