Inclusive cross section and double helicity asymmetry for pi0 production in p+p collisions at sqrt(s) = 62.4 GeV
Abstract
The PHENIX experiment presents results from the RHIC 2006 run with polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 62.4 GeV for inclusive pi0 production at mid-rapidity. Unpolarized cross section results are measured for transverse momenta pT = 0.5 to 7 GeV/c. Next-to-leading order perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations are compared with the data, and while the calculations are consistent with the measurements, next-to-leading logarithmic corrections improve the agreement. Double helicity asymmetries ALL are presented for pT = 1 to 4 GeV/c and probe the higher range of Bjorkenx of the gluon (xg) with better statistical precision than our previous measurements at sqrt(s)=200 GeV. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon polarization in the proton for 0.06 < xg < 0.4.